John Wesley Shup
Mary Elizabeth Shup Yingst's Grandfather
JOHN WESLEY SHUP PASSES AWAY
NEWTON, IL PRESS
John Wesley Shup was born in Greene county, Pennsylvania, January 29, 1828 and died at Newton, Illinois, at 5 o'clock a.m., Saturday, May 22, 1915, aged 87 years, 3 months and 24 days.
Mr. Shup was married to Elizabeth Morris, May 6, 1860, and to them were born three children - John William, Sarah Catherine and James Henry. Of these James survives. Sarah Catherine died in infancy and John W. died March 29, 1906; their mother, February __,1890.
There are also living grandchildren, one great grandchild, a sister, Mrs. James (Mary) Phillips, of Redkey, Indiana, nephews, nieces and many other relatives.
Deceased was an ideal citizen and during his long and useful life commanded the universal respect and confidence of all who knew him. He was a man of quiet, simple habits, and lived on a farm, tilling the soil and engaged in stock raising until the autumn of 1913, when age and its attendant infirmities and the going of his grandchildren, who had been keeping house for him, compelled him to quit the family homestead and reside in Newton with his son, James.
In the early 50's Mr. Shup came to Jasper County, remaining here for a year or two and then returned to Indiana, moving back in 1868 residing here ? locating first near Pleasant Ridge and later in the Buck Grove vicinity, between times in Smallwood township.
During the period he has lived in Newton much of his time has been spent weather suitable to be uptown either at the Newton State Bank or Press office with John H. and Frank L. Shup where he could meet and converse with friends oftener than elsewhere.
Never robust in appearance, and having suffered twice from severe accidents after having passed his 75th. year, he yet seemed able to get about fairly well to within the past few weeks, when his strength apparently weakened and his previous cheerful mood gave way to almost to continued silence, except when directly addressed or engaged in conversation.
Thursday he made his last trip to the Press office, remaining until late in the afternoon, when he started home and about 6 o'clock was discovered in a room at James H. Shup's lying on the floor unconscious. Medical assistance was called in, but nothing could be done availed and after continuing in a semi-conscious state for nearly ___ hours, he breathed his last early Saturday morning.
He must have had a premonition of life's closing act, for to three persons late Thursday he so expressed himself by words or inference saying "goodbye" to one, and that he would not again come to town to two others.
During Mr. Shup's four score and seven years, the greatest changes in the world's history have occurred. When he first saw the light of day steamboats and railroad trains were almost as great a curiosity as aeroplanes today; the commerce of the great oceans were carried on via sailing vessels, and on land via pack trains and caravans with horses, mules and oxen as the drawing power; Texas was a part of Mexico, and Illinois was so far west that Indians were numerous. He came to this present civilization by slow stages - living in Highland County, Ohio in Hancock and Henry Counties, Indiana and in Jasper County, Illinois, and never attempted but once to go elsewhere, and that during the quitting time of the California gold excitement, when he started for the Pacific coast, expecting to make the trip around Cape Horn, but on arriving in New York City found so many stranded prospectors who had so vainly sought their fortune in the faraway land of promised wealth that he gave up the journey, went back to the plow, and never left it as long as he walk in a furrow or hold a handle satisfactorily.
Sunday at 12:30 p.m. at the residence of James H. Shup, religious services were conducted by Revs. H.W. Smoot and A.O. Jacobs, assisted by a choir of singers of the First Christian Church, after which the remains were conveyed to the Pleasant Ridge Cemetery and laid to rest at the conclusion of a short Scripture and prayer service by Rev. Jacobs.
Back to Pansy's Family Tree