Peter E. Shugart (1865-1937)

SHUGART, HUFFMAN, BANKS, DREHER, CONNOLLY, PRYOR, BRONSON, CORCILIUS

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 5/15/2022 at 14:54:30

From Nevada Evening Journal March 20, 1937 (page 1)

P. E. Shugart's Life Had been Purposeful One

Funeral rites for P. E. Shugart, 72, longtime prominent citizen of Nevada, who died Thursday afternoon, are to be held at the residence on Fourth and I avenue, Sunday afternoon at 3:00, after which interment will be in the family lot in the Nevada cemetery.

The service will be in charge of the family pastor, Rev. Jos. M. Kennedy of Central Presbyterian church with the songs by Mrs. A. L. Hale and Mrs. Armstrong at the piano.

In the passing of Mr. Shugart, who died at Iowa sanitarium from the effects of a stroke of apoplexy suffered two weeks before, Nevada and Story county loses on of their most prominent citizens and colorful characters.

His acquaintance extended over a wide territory and his connections had been of the most important in commercial and financial circles during the more active years of his life as a railway construction contractor and real estate holder.

Born at Princeton, Illinois, January 8, 1865, a son of G. W. and Cathrine Huffman Shugart, he came to Iowa with his parents when he was a lad of eight years. He was raised on a farm southwest of Nevada but eventually drifted into Nevada and it was here as a young man that his interesting business career started.

Starting as a teamster, it was not long until he had arrived at the point where he was recognized railroad construction factor and among his first sub-contracts was during the time of the double tracking of the Northwestern across Iowa.

For many years he was actively engaged in railway construction work and built hundreds of miles of line for the Milwaukee in the Dakotas, as well as other systems. Among other minor contracts was the grading and building of the roads for the army post at Fort Des Moines.

One of his last contracts was probably the largest, that of work on the Welland Canal in Canada, on which he worked for several years.

In addition to his contracting business, Mr. Shugart gradually extended his activities as a land owner, farm operator and livestock feeder and shipper. Shipments of trainloads of feeding stock into the territory at one time was not unknown to him and he was long known as one of the largest and most successful operators of that kind in the state. His holdings in Iowa land at one time were exceedingly heavy.

He was a man of fine characteristics. Of indominable energy, he was resourceful and honest. AS one of his friends, in speaking of him after his passing said, "Pete Shugart's word was as bond as his check or a bond."

Mr. Shugart was married on July 4, 1889, to Miss Edith Banks, daughter of a pioneer Story county family. Three children were born to this union, Eva L. who became the wife of Charles Dreher, died a number of years ago, leaving two sons, Donald nd Bobby; Thelma Lois, now the wife of G. Ray Connolly and living in Nevada, and Charles A., a son born May 4, 1893, who died a few months later.

He leaves besides his wife, his daughter Mrs. Thelma Connolly and the little granddaughter Marcia in the home, besides the grandsons Donald and Bobby Dreher in Minnesota; a sister Mrs. Francis Pryor of Nevada; and one brother William G. Shugart of Glasgow, Montana.

He was sixth in order of a family of eight children. The brothers John A. and Phillip were residents of Ames at the time of their death; the sister Mrs. Libbie Bronson died in Des Moines, the brother Charles met death in a railroad accident years ago and the sister Mollie, wife of Robert Corcilius, who died in Central City, Nebraska.

Both of his parents died in Nevada many years ago, the father passing away in 1907.

Since retiring from the more active work as a contractor, Mr. Shugart had devoted his time to his farm holdings here and in northern Iowa.

The family home, one the finest in the city, is at the corner of Fourth and I avenue, where Mr. and Mrs. Shugart have lived having with them in the home during the past several years their daughter Mrs. Connolly, her husband and their little daughter Marcia. There are also frequent visits from the grandsons.