Biographies For Muscatine County Iowa 1889

Source: Portrait and Biographical Album, Muscatine County, Iowa, 1889, page 260
SHEPHERD SMALLEY, one of the pioneers of Muscatine County, Iowa, was born in Hamilton County, Ohio, Aug. 12, 1817, and is a son of Andrew and Rhoda ( Shepherd ) Smalley, who were natives of New Jersey, and emigrated to Hamilton County in 1816. They had a family of fourteen children, of whom the following are yet living: Abraham, a resident of Muscatine, Iowa; Shepherd, of this sketch; John, a retired merchant of Burlington, Iowa, and Rhoda, wife of J. H. Canon, of Muscatine, Iowa. Andrew Smalley was a man well posted on all affairs, both State and National, and in an early day studied medicine, but not thinking the profession suited to his taste, he abandoned it. Politically, he was a Jackson Democrat. He died in July 1839. Mrs. Smalley survived him many years, her death occurring in 1883.

Our subject received his education in the primitive log school-house so common at that day, and in 1839 came with the family to Muscatine, Iowa. His father died the same year, and the support of the family devolved upon his older brother and himself. On the 19th of February, 1845, he led to the marriage altar Miss Minerva Drury, a daughter of Isaiah and Priscilla ( Reynolds ) Drury, who were natives of Indiana. Mrs. Smalley was born in Wayne County, Ind., April 13, 1813. Their union was blessed with a family of five children : William D., born Feb. 4, 1846; Andrew J., July 20, 1847; Priscilla, born Nov.22, 1849, the wife of James B. Hartman; Rhoda, born Sept.8, 1851, is wife of George Shields, of this county; Frank L., born May 5, 1854, is engaged in the oil business in Des Moines. Mrs. Smalley died June 25, 1888, and her death was mourned by many friends by whom she was greatly beloved and respected.

Mr. Smalley began life in limited circumstances, but with characteristic energy he set to work to secure a competence, and has succeeded beyond his expectations, being now able to retire from active life and live upon the fruits of the toil of former years. He has laid out two additions to the city of Muscatine-- Smalleys first and second additions. At one time he owned over 1,000 acres of land in this county, and now owns a large tract in Kossuth County, Iowa, of 520 acres, besides 100 acres in Rock Island County, Ill. In connection with his land he owns thirty buildings in Muscatine, which he rents. He has been identified with the history of the county for half a century, has witnessed the many changes which have taken place, has seen the transformation from the wild and unsettled prairie to a highly cultivated and prosperous county, and in this work has always gladly borne his part.

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