CHARLES B. SHELLABARGER.
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Charles B. Shellabarger, who has won a gratifying measure of prosperity in his undertakings as an agriculturist, is the owner of a fine farm of one hundred and sixty acres on section 26, Concord township. His birth occurred in Grand View township, Louisa county, Iowa, on the 24th of April, 1855, his parents being Thomas B. and Matilda M. (Browning) Shellabarger. The father was born in . . .
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. . . Clark county, Ohio, April 25, 1815, and the mother in Gloucester county, New Jersey, November 25, 1827. Their marriage was celebrated in Iowa. The paternal grandparents of our subject resided in Ohio until 1837 when they came to Louisa county, settling in Concord township. The grandfather here erected a log cabin and resided therein for a few years, coming into possession of several tracts of land in the locality. In the early ‘40s he returned to Ohio to settle up his business interests in that state and passed away there. Thomas B. Shellabarger, the father of Mr. Shellabarger of this review, finally located on a farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Grand View township, operating the place for a number of years. Subsequently he spent three years in the town of Grand View and then traded his farm for a tract of land three miles west of Grand View, cultivating the same until called to his final rest May 7, 1898. His wife passed away May 31, 1908. Their union was blessed with seven children, as follows: Matilda J., who died when eighteen years of age; Jacob L., who is a resident of Louisa county; Charles B., of this review; Thomas B., who passed away at the age of forty-five years; William B., living in this county; Kossuth, a landowner and agriculturist of Plainview, Texas, who wedded Mary Walker, a daughter of George Walker of this county; and Harvey M., a barber residing in Washington, Iowa, who married Miss Louisa Cross of this county.
Charles B. Shellabarger attended the common schools in pursuit of an education and on attaining his majority started out as an agriculturist on his own account, devoting his attention to the cultivation of rented land for two years. At the end of that period he came into possession of forty acres by purchase and inheritance and since that time has added to that amount one hundred and twenty acres, which has since remained in his possession. The property is highly improved in every particular and is a part of section 26, Concord township. Mr. Shellabarger is engaged in general agricultural pursuits and each year gathers rich crops as a reward for the care and labor which he bestows upon the fields.
On the 13th of September, 1877, Mr. Shellabarger was united in marriage to Miss Izula A. Whistler of Concord township, her parents being Elder Isaac and Elizabeth (Garrettson) Whistler. Her father was born in Pennsylvania, June 14, 1816, and her mother in Ohio, May 22, 1818. They were married March 21, 1847, in Ohio and afterward came to Louisa county, Iowa, Mr. Whistler here being engaged in farming throughout the remainder of his life. He passed away March 17, 1889, at the age of seventy-three years, while his wife was called to her final rest on the 21st of October, 1869. Unto them were born four children, as follows: John, who died on the 7th of August, 1877, when twenty-nine years of age; Mary C., whose demise occurred July 3, 1895; Eveline, the wife of F. P. McNamar, of Waukon Junction, Iowa; and Mrs. Shellabarger. The last named became the mother of six children. Harry A., whose birth occurred on the 13th of July, 1878, passed away on the 3d of May, 1901. Egbert, whose natal day was August 21, 1879, wedded Miss Lena Blankenhorn, a native of Louisa county and a daughter of Charles and Rosa Blankenhorn of this county. Their union was blessed with three children, namely: Charles, who was born on the 3d of . . .
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. . . August, 1903, Viola, whose birth occurred February 7, 1905; and Violet, whose natal day was May 4, 1907. Charles B. Shellabarger, who was born on the 7th of July, 1884, died on the 23d of July, 1886. Lela F., whose natal day was August 26, 1886, is the wife of William E. Whicher, a native of Aurora, South Dakota. They now have two children: Harry Leo, who was born on the 24th of July, 1905; and Paulina E., whose birth occurred on the 1st of March, 1909. Edna M. Shellabarger, who was born on the 17th of July, 1889, is a graduate of the Columbus Junction high school and a student at the State University of Iowa at Iowa City. She has taught school for two years. Rosa Estella, whose birth occurred on the 11th of March, 1896, is enjoying the advantage of a high school education.
In politics Mr. Shellabarger is independent, supporting men and measures rather than party. He is a faithful member of The Church of God (undenominational), to which his wife and children also belong. His career has been one of continuous activity, in which he has been accorded due recognition of labor and today he is numbered among the substantial citizens of his native county.
