Decatur County Journal
February 9, l905

DAVID WESLEY SHINN died last Friday morning at his home in Eden
Township, aged 8l years, 4 months and 5 days. He was found dead in his
bed and he probably passed away some time during the night. His death
was due to the infirmities incident to old age and a mild form of
pneumonia. Interment occurred Sunday in Leon Cemetery and no funeral
services were held. It was intended to hold short services at the grave
but the minister engaged, misunderstood the hour and was not present.
MR. SHINN used to be a familiar figure on our streets but of recent
years was seldom seen. He had been a member of the Methodist Church for
many years and was held in high esteem by all who knew him.

The deceased was born in Harrison County, Virginia, September 28, l823.
The SHINN family were of English ancestry and settled in America before
the revolutionary war. DAVID SHINN, SR., had nine children of whom the
subject of this sketch was the seventh. The family moved from Virginia
to Adams County, Illinois, in l826, and thence to Fulton County ten
years later. In l845 they moved to Clinton County, Iowa, when the
mother died and the family returned to Illinois where they lived in
Fulton and McDonough Counties until after the father died in l860.

The deceased was reared in Illinois and obtained a fair education in the
common schools. When nineteen years of age he commenced teaching the
district school and taught in all seventeen terms. He taught two terms
in Clinton County. In l852 he was married at Fairfield, Iowa to ASENETH
M. REESE, who was born in Morgan County, Ohio, in l828. MRS. SHINN was
also a school teacher. After their marriage, MR. and MRS. SHINN lived a
year in Clinton County and then came to Decatur County in l853. They
reared a family of twelve children, whose names follow:
WALTER C., MRS. MARY L. TRUMP, OTIS LLOYD, LEANDER R., EVA E., LAURA
ALICE, OLIVE ASENETH, CHARLES W., FRANK D., EDGAR M., MILLS E. and GUY
A. SHINN.
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Copied by Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert
August 22, 200l

Perhaps the letter from E.M. SHINN, from Garden Plain, Kansas, was EDGAR
M. -- possibility?..