Biography - HERMAN J. SHULTZ

The Elmview Dairy Farm is well known in Macoupin county and its owner, Herman J. Shultz, ranks as one of the prominent dairymen and stock-breeders of Illinois. He was born at Grantsville, Maryland, October 16, 1864, a son of Meshach and Charlotte (Augustine) Shultz. The parents were both born in Somerset county, Pennsylvania, the former on May 28, 1831, and the latter April 30, 1835. The family originated in Germany and has been traced as far back as 1760 in Pennsylvania.

Adam Shultz, the grandfather of our subject, was born in Somerset county April 6, 1789, and in middle life located at Grantsville, Maryland, becoming one of the most prominent men of that section. He was twice married and by his first marriage four children were born, namely: Peter, of Garrett county, Maryland, now deceased; Eliza, who married John Royer, of Garrett county, and died in 1910, in her ninety-seventh year; Lydia, who married Mr. Wagner, of Michigan, and is deceased; and Judith, also deceased. The maiden name of the second wife of Mr. Shultz was Nancy Shockey and to this union fourteen children were born. Matilda married Andrew Deahl, of Hickman, Nebraska, and is now deceased. Perry died of cholera in 1866 at St. Louis. Chauncey, who is also deceased, located at St. Louis and served as county judge of St. Louis county about 1870 and was sub-treasurer of the United States at St. Louis under President Cleveland’s first administration. Bailey, now deceased, married Catherine Shockey, who is living at Shipman at the advanced age of ninety-two years. Huldah married John Kite, of Shipman, and is also deceased. Alexander made his home at Hutchinson, Kansas, and is deceased. Meshach, the father of our subject. Mary Jane married Andrew Arndt, of Maryland, and died in Shipman. Amanda is the wife of Rev. Isaac N. Augustine, of Grand Island, Nebraska. John A. J., who is also deceased, was president of the Shultz Belting Company and of the St. Louis Manufacturers Association. Van Buren located at Shipman and is now deceased. Sarah Ann, who is also deceased, was the wife of Samuel Brown, of Lexington, Missouri. George M. D. is now living at Kansas City, Missouri, and is engaged in the real-estate business. Upton, the youngest of the children, died at Denver, Colorado. The grandmother of our subject was a member of one of the old Pennsylvania Dutch families and was a daughter of Christian and Barbara Shockey. Her father assisted in the patriot cause at the time of the Revolutionary war and spent six years and seven months in the army.

Meshach Shultz grew to manhood at Grantsville, Maryland, and was married to Charlotte Augustine, March 20, 1853. He engaged in various lines of business until 1869, when he sold out and emigrated with his family to Illinois, settling in Shipman township, Macoupin county. He was highly prosperous as a farmer and business man and became the owner of about six hundred acres of good land in this county. He was one of the organizers of the Shipman Banking Company and was its first president. In 1891 he took up his residence in Shipman and died in this place December 3, 1907. Mrs. Shultz is a daughter of Jacob F. R. and Justinah (Null) Augustine and is a member of a prominent Pennsylvania family. Her father died at the age of forty-one years, leaving ten children, namely: Elizabeth, who married William Starner, of St. Paul, Minnesota, and is now deceased; Isaac, of Grand Island, Nebraska; Charlotte, who married Meshach Shultz; Rebecca, who became the wife of Michael Hoy, of Somerset county, Pennsylvania, and is now deceased; Catharine, the wife of Andrew Kramer, of Somerset county; Joseph, who resides in Wisconsin, near St. Paul, Minnesota; Jacob L., of Grantsville, Maryland; Matilda, who became the wife of James Arndt, of Litchfield, Illinois; Diana, who married Fred Gorman, of Oklahoma; and Cornelia, the wife of John Mitchell, of Moberly, Missouri. Eight children were born to Meshach and Charlotte (Augustine) Shultz. Marshall died at the age of four years. Alonzo Meshach is now living at Shipman. Nancy Jane is the wife of William A. Fischer, of St. Louis, Missouri. Franklin S. is a resident of Shipman and a sketch of his career appears elsewhere in this work. Cora May is the wife of Milton Dodson, of Jerseyville, Illinois. Herman J., the sixth in order of birth, is the subject of this review. Alice Lotta married Chester Miller, of Carlinville. Chesty Anna married Rev. Peter B. Fasold and is now deceased.

Herman J. Shultz spent his youthful days acquiring the rudiments of an education in the public schools and later pursued the higher branches in Carthage College at Carthage, Illinois. He taught school for three years, beginning at the age of nineteen, and then went to Kansas City where he engaged in the grocery business and also conducted a meat market and milk depot. In 1894 he sold out, came to Shipman and entered the dairy business in section 24 of Shipman township. Six years later he purchased two hundred and forty-five acres upon which he now lives and in 1910 acquired eighty-two' acres additional in section 19 of Hilyard township, being now the owner of three hundred and twenty-seven acres which is practically in one body. He keeps about seventy head of milch cows and in addition to his dairy business he is a breeder of registered Holstein cattle, Duroc Jersey hogs and Shropshire sheep. His farm is known as the Elmview Dairy Farm and is finely located within the corporate limits of Shipman. He has made many improvements including the erection of cow, horse and sheep barns, tool sheds and fences, and also has put in five miles of tiling. He is now the owner of a model dairy farm and also of one of the most attractive country homes in the state, which he has acquired through indefatigable industry and sound business judgment. As a breeder of live stock he has gained an established reputation. He is thoroughly alive to the advances made in all branches pertaining to farming and stock-breeding and is a valued member of the National and Illinois Holstein-Friesian Associations and the Duroc Jersey Association.

On the 27th of September, 1887, Mr. Shultz was married to Miss Winifred Maud Smith, a daughter of Phineas H. and Mary (McCombs) Smith, record of whom appears elsewhere in this work, in connection with the sketch of Lester D. Smith. Mr. and Mrs. Shultz are the parents of four children, Clarence M., William Albert, Gladys Winifred and Herman J. Melville, all of whom are living at home.

Mr. Shultz is a member of Lodge No. 212, A. F. & A. M., of Shipman, and also of the Modern Woodmen of America. His religious belief is indicated by membership in the Evangelical Lutheran church of Shipman, in which he is now serving as deacon. Ever since he arrived at manhood he has been an adherent of the democratic party. He was president of the village board of Shipman in 1910 and is now a member of the village board and also of the school board. A genial, courteous and accomplished gentleman, his worth to the community is freely acknowledged and it requires no prophet to foretell that as the years pass his influence and his sphere of usefulness will be largely extended.

Extracted 15 Nov 2018 by Norma Hass from History of Macoupin County, Illinois: Biographical and Pictorial, by Charles A. Walker, published in 1911, Volume 2, pages 345-347.