D.F. Sheffield, a farmer and stockman of Lyon township, five miles east of Glasco, is a native of Indiana, born in 1861, in Kosciusko county, twelve miles from Warsaw. When nine years of age he came with his father's family to Kansas, and settled in Linn county, and in 1876 came to Cloud county. His parents are Charles and Cynthia (Funk) Sheffield. His father was born in Rochelle, New York, in 1833, and came to Indiana with his parents when a lad, he farmed in Indiana, but in his earlier life was a school teacher. He took up a homestead in Cloud county, four miles north of Glasco, where he lived nine years, sold and then went to Topeka, where he worked in the repairing department of the Santa Fe railroad shops, and the last three years of his life was foreman there. He died in April, 1901. He was a bright and educated man. He was a Republican in politics and when the Santa Fe had any business to transact they had confidence enough in his ability to make him their representative and sent him out to campaign for them. He was an old and popular employe; had been with them thirteen years and by his kindly disposition made many friends, who were shocked to hear of his demise. He died suddenly of heart trouble after a few days of indisposition. He was of English parentage. His ancestors were seafaring men, his paternal grandfather having been captain of a British merchantman. Charles Sheffield moved to Indiana when a boy and received a high school education. He was a man of more than ordinary intelligence and a great reader. He was connected with the Cloud County Empire as a solicitor for subscriptions and advertisements and contributed articles to the newspapers which won for him commendation. He served in the Union army as a private in the Thirty-first Indiana Infantry. He was a member of the Second Presbyterian church of Topeka, of the Grand Army of the Republic and a Mason. The Monday prior to his death six children and ten grandchildren and a number of friends assembled to celebrate their forty-sixth anniversary.
D.F. Sheffield's mother is a native of Ohio, of German origin. He is one of seven children, viz.: Mrs. W.C. Scott, of Oklahoma; Mrs. F.H. Hood, of Topeka; Mrs. J.N. Hughes, of Kansas City; Charles Sheffield, of Kansas City, a conductor on the Fort Scott & Memphis railroad; J.S., a carpenter in the Santa Fe shops of Topeka; and R.E., a painter with residence in Topeka,
D.F. Sheffield has always been a farmer. He began by renting land, and in 1894 bought the splendid farm where he now lives. It then consisted of one hundred and sixty acres, but in June, 1901, he bought an adjoining quarter section, built a nice little cottage of four rooms, good cellar, ice house, etc. He has a good young orchard and fruit of every description started. He has been very successful in growing evergreen trees and has a fine lot of them started. His ground is mostly wheat land. He keeps a herd of about forty Hereford and Shorthorn cattle. In 1887, he married Frances N., a daughter of A. Newell (see sketch). Mr. Sheffield is a Republican in politics and is a member of the Knights of Pythias lodge. He is one of the rising young farmers of the Solomon valley.
Transcribed from E.F. Hollibaugh's Biographical history of Cloud County, Kansas biographies of representative citizens. Illustrated with portraits of prominent people, cuts of homes, stock, etc. [n.p., 1903] 919p. illus., ports. 28 cm.