Pike Township Family Stories
SHANNON AND RELATED FAMILIES
Nichols, Iowa Centennial Book 1884-1984, page 282
By Michael ApplebyJoseph Shannon was born in Ireland in 1821. He married Jane Evitt and immigrated to New York about 1849. He was a cobbler by trade.
Robert Thomas Shannon was born to them in New York in 1849. With his parents, he moved to Muscatine county about 1851. Joseph became a farmer when he moved to Iowa and farmed until his death in 1891.
Six other children were born to Joseph Shannon and Jane Evitt Shannon: Lizzie Shannon Dietrich, born 1858; Richard Shannon, born 1863; Margaret Shannon, born 1866, married Dave Landis; Mary Shannon, married Hector and Downs; Anna Shannon, married Scotchy Smith; and Rita Shannon, married Dave Landis.
Robert Thomas Shannon was still farming on his father’s farm in 1900. On 1 September 1880, he married Sarah Louisa Adams, daughter of Elias W. and Jane Reamer Adams. Louisa died 23 January 1883, shortly after the birth of their son, Clinton Richard Shannon, in 1881.
Robert Shannon married Caroline Hechtner, daughter of Frederick Hechtner and Sophia Louisa Hechtner, 2 March 1885. Six children were born to Robert and Caroline Shannon: Isa Shannon, born 1885, married Albert Lindee; Frederick Joseph Shannon, born 1888, married Mona Stapp; Raymond Charles Shannon, born 1890; Verda Estelle Shannon, born 1894, married Clarence Metcalf; Harry Eugene Shannon, born 1895, married Amanda Emma Rummells; and Lloyd Willard Shannon, born 1899, married Mildred Barnes.
In 1906 Robert Thomas Shannon moved with his family into Nichols where he was active in many commercial interests, including a meat market and grocery store. He was a member of the Muscatine County Board of Supervisors for three terms, during the last of which the “new” court house was built. He served several terms on the Nichols Town council and the Board of the Nichols Independent school district. He was active in the Nichols I.O.O.F. lodge and Masons. He died in 1918 of the “Spanish flu.”
Harry Eugene Shannon was born in Nichols in 1895. He attended school in Nichols and was in a pre-medicine program at The University of Iowa in 1917. He left school to join the Navy and was attending Officers’ Training school at the Great Lakes Naval Training center when his father died in 1918. The war ended shortly after he graduated as an officer, and upon discharge, he returned to Nichols to work in his father’s grocery store, as he did not have enough money to continue his pre-medical education. In 1919, he married Amanda Emma Rummells (daughter of Josiah Walker “Silas” Rummells and Della Mae Coyner Rummells.) Two daughters were born to them: Virginia Norine Shannon in 1921 and Evelyn Elaine Shannon in 1922. Elaine is married to Gene Train.
Harry Shannon and Amanda Shannon taught school and farmed in the Nichols-West Branch area until about 1925. They relocated to Sioux City, Iowa, where he became a roofing salesman. In 1931 they moved to Muscatine, and in 1933 to Waterloo, Iowa. A short stint was made in Florida, and they returned to Waterloo to begin and “grow” Duratile in Waterloo, a retail flooring company. Harry and Amanda were active with their business long after the normal retirement age. Harry was active in the Methodist churches, Masonic lodges and community activities until his death in 1979.
Virginia Norine Shannon was born in Nichols in 1921. Although the Shannon family moved from the Nichols area in the 1930s, relatives and friends keep her returning, even today [1984]. She graduated from Iowa State Teachers’ college and taught school. She married George Kenneth Appleby, and two sons were born to them: Robert Michael Appleby ad David Patrick Appleby. They moved from Iowa to Oregon, to Florida, to Illinois and to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where George Appleby was co-owner of Appleby & Horn Tile company until his death in 1971. Virginia has married Robert Frink and still lives in Cedar Rapids. Michael Appleby is married to Patricia Kingman. They have two daughters and live in Scottsdale, Arizona. Patrick Appleby is married to Barbara Murphy. They have two daughters and live in Fort Worth, Texas.
STORIES ABOUT THE SHANNON BOYS
Nichols, Iowa Centennial Book 1884-1984, page 283
By Alberta Metcalf KellyVirginia Shannon Frink tells “Dad (Harry Shannon) used to tell about snow being as high as the fence posts and how he and Uncle Lloyd would walk on top of the fences to school. At that time they lived on a farm about a mile east of Nichols.
Dad had to go to West Liberty for his 12th year of school. He would go over on the train on Monday morning, lived with a family all week and come home on the train Friday night.
“One time the school board decided to take away football and basketball as it was too expensive. All the kids in high school went on strike. They wouldn’t go to school. Then when they did come back, they all rolled empty pop bottles down the aisles of the classrooms at the same time and broke them. Grandma Shannon was shocked when she found out what Dad had done.”
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Page created December 18, 2010 by Lynn McCleary