Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 822 - 823

ELMORE SHANK, a gentleman although young in years, is one of the most energetic and enterprising agriculturists of Grant Township, where he operates a good farm on section 22, and is also engaged quite extensively in stock-raising. He was born in Sangamon County, Ill., July 12, 1862, and is the third son in a family of four children, the offspring of Jackson and Rebecca (Johnson) Shank, also natives of Illinois. To that State his paternal grandfather, a native of Pennsylvania, migrated at an early day, and located in Sangamon County, where he was one of the earliest pioneers.

            Upon the mother's side Erastus and Rachel Johnson, natives of Wisconsin, came to Kansas in 1870, settling in Sedgwick County. They are still living, and residents of Augusta. Jackson Shank followed farming pursuits all his life, inaugurating his labors in Illinois, whence he removed across the Mississippi in 1871, and settled first in Minneha Township, on the eastern line of this county. There he purchased 160 acres of Government land, while the mother pre-empted eighty acres. This Mr. Shank improved and sold five years ago, subsequently taking up his residence at Andover. From there, in 1884, he removed to the city of Wichita, where he is now engaged in a flourishing real-estate business.

            The subject of this sketch was reared to manhood in Sangamon County, Ill, making his home mostly with an uncle, and received his education in the district school. There also he was married, Jan. 26, 1886, to Miss Katie Hughes, who was born in Muskingum County, Ohio, Jan. 14, 1868, and was the fourth in a family of seven children. Her parents, Isaiah and Angeline (Simms) Hughes, were natives of Ohio, and her grandparents on both sides of the house, Caleb and Mary Hughes, and James and Lucy Simms, were natives of Virginia. Grandfather and Grandmother Simms lived near the city of Springfield, in Sangamon County, Ill.

            Mr. Shank after his marriage continued farming a year in Illinois, and then coming to this county purchased a quarter of section 22, in Grant Township, which had been considerably improved, and to the value of which he is constantly adding by the exercise of his natural industry and good judgment. The farm stock includes some high-grade cattle, Clydesdale horses, and Berkshire and Poland-China hogs, the proceeds of which yield a handsome income annually.

            Mr. Shank, in giving his close attention to his farming interests, has had little time to devote to political matters, but has studied the matter sufficiently to determine that the principles of the Republican party more nearly coincide with his views than those of any other, and accordingly gives to this his uniform support. The homestead is pleasantly located about two miles from the village of Valley Center, and the little household has been brightened by the birth of a boy, Richard Wallace, who was born Nov. 1, 1886, and is now (1888) consequently over one year old. Mr. and Mrs. Shank have started out in life under favorable auspices, blessed with a fair share of this world's goods and hosts of friends, who bespeak for them a prosperous future.

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