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1907 Past and Present Biographies

John H. Shriver

John J . Shriver, a retired farmer owning three hundred and twenty acres of valuable land in Greene county, his home being situated on section 15, Highland township, has lived a life of activity and enterprise, and his valuable property holdings are evidence of what he has accomplished, as he started out in life empty handed. He has lived in this county since 1879, coming here from Cedar county, Iowa. A native of Ohio, he was born in Morgan county May 11, 1836, and in 1840 made the journey across the country with his parents to Cedar county. The family crossed the river on flat boats, and the father, John Shriver, a native of Pennsylvania, purchased a claim of three hundred and twenty acres of land. Every evidence of pioneer life was here to be seen. The Indians were still numerous in the state and there were vast tracts of land into which white people had never made their way. Many of the now thriving towns and villages had not yet sprung into existence nor was the work of improvement begun upon the many rich farms of the present. John Shriver, Sr., established his home on the frontier and took up the work of carrying on the farm, which he continued to cultivate and improve until his death in 1864. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Lovica Smith, was a native of Ohio. They became the parents of eight children.

John J. Shriver, of this review, however, is the only one now living. He was but four years of age when the family came to Iowa, and here he was reared amid the wild scenes and environments of pioneer life. He can remember back to a period when one could ride miles across the prairie without coming to a fence or house to impede his progress. Many of the homes were log cabins or little frame shanties, in which the furnishings were scanty, while the dwelling was heated by a large fireplace, over which the family cooking was often done before the modern cooking stove came into general use. There were no riding plows, self-binders and harvesters, and, in fact, the farm machinery was very crude as compared with that of the present day, but as the years passed time and the labors of man wrought many changes, and Mr. Shriver has always kept in touch with the trend of modern progress along agricultural lines.

As stated, he came to Greene county in 1879 from Cedar county, Iowa, driving across the country and settling on section 15, Highland township. Here he purchased three hundred and twenty acres of land of Albert Head. This he broke, and upon the place he built a little house sixteen by twenty feet. As the years passed a more modern residence was secured and many substantial improvements were placed upon his farm. He laid many rods of tiling, and by judicious drainage brought all his land into a cultivable condition. At length he sold one hundred and sixty acres, but he later purchased of John Hillis a tract of similar size on section 22, Highland township, so that he again owns three hundred and twenty acres. Heeontinued to farm all of his land until recent years, when his sons took charge of the property and he retired from active business life, having now rested in the enjoyment of the fruits of his toil for about ten years.

In 1869, in Cedar county, Mr. Shriver was united in marriage to Miss Anna Montgomery, a native of Canada, who came to Iowa in the year 1867, settling in Cedar county. Eight children have been born of this union: Clarence G., who is now on the farm; Adel L., at home; Clinton D., who was drowned in Lake Washington, Washington, July 26, 1907; Jessie P., of Des Moines; Clyde E., at home; Mrs. Mary C. Peacock, living in Highland township, and Florence Ethel and Olive Myrtle, both of whom are yet under the parental roof.

Mr. Shriver votes with the democracy but has never sought or desired oflice. He has lived in the county for about twenty-eight years and for a long period was an active, energetic farmer but is now merely giving his supervision to his agricultural interests. His memory goes back to the early days when trading was done in Jefferson, and he also had to go to that place for his mail. Public highways were in poor condition and, in fact; many of the roads of the present day had not yet been laid out, but public-spirited men have developed the county along substantial lines and today it is one of the rich and progressive sections of this great state.

Transcribed from "Past and Present of Greene County, Iowa Together With Biographical Sketches of Many of Its Prominent and Leading Citizens and Illustrious Dead,"
by E. B. Stillman assisted by an Advisory Board consisting of Paul E. Stillman, Gillum S. Toliver,
Benjamin F. Osborn, Mahlon Head, P. A. Smith and Lee B. Kinsey, Chicago: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1907.

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