Page:Historical and Biographical Annals of Columbia and Montour Counties, Pennsylvania, Containing a Concise History of the Two Counties and a Genealogical and Biographical Record of Representative Families.pdf/598

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COLUMBIA AND MONTOUR COUNTIES

who is o f South Evanston, (II.; Benjamin, o f Iowa, deceased; and William C., a school teacher o f Evanston. Illinois. Rudolph Shuman first settled in (^ancastcr county. Pa., but later moved to Heaver town­ ship. Columbia county, where he owned a large tract o f land and reared his family. He Itad two sons, Jacob and John. John Shuman, son o f Rudolph. w*as one of the early settlers o f Catawissa township, Co­ lumbia county, and there purchased a farm upon which he lived until his death. H e was a leading citizen o f his neighborhood. In politics he w as a Democrat. He had four sons and one daughter, as follow s: Solomon, whose children were Charles, Je rry, Rebecca, Ellen. Katherine, and a son who died in in­ fan cy: Jacob, whose children were John T., Reuben. Elizabeth, Sarah (S h etle r), M ary and D avid : John, whose children were John, Catherine and A n d re w; Christian, whose chil­ dren were George W ., Franklin L., Joseph H ., William, Eliza, Joanna, Thomas J ., Charles A. and Catherine: and Margaret (M ensch), w'hose children were John, M a­ tilda ( R erin ger). Thom as and Margaret (P a r r). Christian Shuman, son o f John, w*as torn and reared in Catawissa, and was about eigh­ teen years old when he went to Northamp­ ton county. Pa., where he learned the trade of tanner. He followecrated for several years, besides carrying on lanning. In 1855 he began merchandising at that place, and he was one of the most inffiiential and active citi­ zens of the town at one lime, owning three (arms, a tanner)*, gristm ill, store and hotel, all o f which he had in operation. Though he accumulated considerable wealth, he lost miK'h o f it through misfortune before hts death, but he w*as alw ays looked upon as one of the most intelligent and enterprising men o f his com­ munity. H e w as a Democrat and thoroughly interested in {lolitics and the success of his party, and though he never had any official aspirations he exercised great influence in the selection o f candidates in his locality. He died in 1885. H e marrietl Elizabeth Hendershot. like himself a native o f Pennsylvania and o f German tiesccnt. and they had nine children, as previously mentionetl. F r a x k m n L. S i i f v i A N. son o f Christian, was to m Oct. 6. 1834, in B eaver 'allev, Columbia county, where he was reared. He had good educational op|K>rtunities, attending

school there until nineteen years old, mean­ time assisting his father in his agricultural work and other business, the store, post office and mill, and acquiring valuable experience. H e w*as ambitious, and made the most o( his advantages. Continuing thus until his nurriage, he then engaged in the lumber busi­ ness and kept hotel a l Beaver *alley. Dur­ ing this time he had also owmcd half a dozen farms, but disposed of them, retaining only twenty acres near Catawissa. In 1870 he toilt a home in Catawissa. but after only a short residence in this dwelling business matters made a removal necessary, and M r. Shuman returned to hts old home at Beaver N'alley and again engaged in merchandising, lie soon added a coal trade, and while there car­ ried on several lines, being also postmaster. In 1875 he moved back to Catawissa. where he has resided ever since. H ts first home in Catawissa w as destroyed by fire Ju n e 7. 1885. just after his insurance had expired without being renewed. The water had ju st licen turned on in the mains of the town, but there being then no fire department o f any kind, the dwelling went up in smoke. Notwith­ standing his total loss o f property and cash he rebuilt upon the same site, putting up the large two-story fram e now standing, and re­ moved into it upon its completion. H e also built two other houses in the town. In 1881 M r. Shuman bought the Z a rr farm o f forty acres adjoining Catawissa. aiul laid it out in tow*n lots, calling it the Shuman Addition. Within a few years over a hun­ dred homes were huilt there and it soon be­ came a permanent part of the town. A school­ house. at the time o f its erection one of the finest in the cxiunty. w as also built there, and in 1884 water mains were laid in the add it km. In 1885 he laid out a new cemetery in (he eastern part of the addition, on a beautiful hill overlooking Catawissa creek. One of the most important public utilities o f Catawissa with which the Shum ans have been associated, past and present, is the water­ w orks svstcm. The comjKmy. which con­ sisted 0/ nicmtors of the family and a few other persons, w as organized and chartered in 1882. the original members being F . L. Shuman. K eu bai Shuman, P. H. Shum an. V. II. Rhawn and (lidcon M yers. T h e work< were built and in operation soon a fte r the granting of the charters and the m ains laid throughout the streets of the town. T h e serv­ ice has been very satisfactory from the I>eginning. M r. Shuman also started several other m-