Family Files February 2022 - Person Sheet
Family Files February 2022 - Person Sheet
NameJohn SHANKS 
, M
, MBirth1789, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
Death4 Sep 1871, Lathrop, Clinton, Missouri
Misc. Notes
"Sign of the Times" a Baptist newspaper Vol. 40, #4, Feb 1, 1872. Article by A. Shanks--probably his son, Abner.
"Elder John Shanks bid a final farewell to time and to time things, Sept. 4, 1871, aged about 83 years. He joined the Regular Baptist Church in Ohio many years ago; served as deacon in the Lost Creek Church, for some time; removed to Indiana in 1830s, settled in Carroll County, and soon afterward with others constituted the Paint Creek Church. Subsequently he began to speak in public, and June 6, 1840, he was duly ordained to the work of the gospel ministry. In that holy calling he served more than thirty-one years, contending earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints, making no compromises with any of the popular isms of the times. He has we believe, fought a good fight, and now is crowned with the crown of righteousness which the righteous Judge will give unto all who love his appearings. This dear old saint traveled and preached as long as he was able to stand, and his labors were mostly in Indiana and Iowa; until like a shock of corn fully ripe, he was called to lay off his armor. His remains were buried near Plattsburg, MO."
Wanda Burns gives death date as 4 Sept 1871 in Lathrop, Clinton Co, MO, buried in Lathrop Cemetery.
From Wanda Thomas Edland Burns, Shanks: Sea -- Sea, 1760 - 1994 Vol 1, p.12
Compiled by Sara Patton
Birth of John Shanks abt 1789-PA -- The obit that Wanda found in Signs of the Times says he died Sept. 4, 1871, "aged about 83 years." His age in census records vary between 1788-90 but his place of birth—Pennsylvania-- is constant.
1870 census says 82 years. (1788)
1860 census says 70 years. (1790)
1850 census says 61 years. (1789)
Following is a summary of Wanda Burns's biography of John Shanks in "Shanks Sea-Sea", Chapter 2, unless otherwise noted. Wanda has chapter bibliographies but doesn't footnote her information. So it's not always easy to tell where she got specific dates. Some of the dates disagree with other sources and records, however.
Wanda Burns calls John the first child and first son of Joseph Shanks and Mary Clawson ( though she also states that John's sister Eleanor was the first child. p.9.) John was just a child when his family joined a group of Baptist families who moved from PA to OH in 1794. On the way to their new homes in western OH, they stopped briefly at Gerard's Landing, established on the Little Miami River. A block house stood on the side of a hill, near what is called Big Spring, and opposite Flynn's Ford. This was the second settlement above Columbia and now part of Cincinnati. They remained in Hamilton County (Cincinnati area) for a short time before settling in Washington Twp, Montgomery Co, OH --south of Dayton--with various Clawson uncles and the Abner Gerard family.] John's mother died there John married Elizabeth Gerard in Montgomery Co on March 17, 1810. Elizabeth was the daughter of Abner Gerard and Martha Lloyd and granddaughter of the well-known Baptist minister, John Garard who served many churches in northwestern Virginia. The Shanks remained in the same neighborhood with other Shanks, Lenon and Gerard families, joining the Sugar Creek Baptist church and becoming part of the community.
In 1812, John became a private in Captain Thomas) Clawson's (a cousin or uncle?) company of OH Volunteers, called to fight the Indians. He appeared on the company payroll from 23 August to 17 Sept 1812. "Money due 5 dollars and 55 cents", paid "4 dollars and 28 cents." His brother Peter Shanks and cousins? Abraham and Peter Clawson served in the same company.
In 1815, John and Elizabeth were living in Washington Twp, Montgomery Co, close to the old Bedle Station Road (now Sheehan Road) near Centerville on a portion of land originally belonging to John Clawson. Abner Gerard, Elizabeth's father, had land just across the road, while John's parents lived a short distance to the north. [See map]
By 1820, the couple had moved to the area near Staunton, Miami County, OH. The 1820 census of Lost Creek Twp, Miami Co, OH lists John and Elizabeth with 2 boys and 3 girls under ten, and another girl born in 1817 but dead before 1820 (?) They were then living between James Buckles Jr. and John's sister Eleanor (married to Ephriam Couvalt.) On the other side of Eleanor, lived another sister --Elizabeth and her husband, Abraham Buckles, family members all in close contact.
Beers’ History of Miami Co, OH calls John Shanks an old settler of Deer Creek Twp. John was listed in the 1827 Quadrant census of the white males over 21 in Lost Creek Twp, Miami Co, OH. The following year, on Oct 14, 1828, John, along with his brother-in-law, Abraham Buckles and Thomas Stretch were listed as judges for the Lost Creek Twp election. It was also noted that he voted.
In 1829, the families migrated again--this time crossing Ohio's western border into north central Indiana where land was much cheaper. They chose to go to the "New Purchase" area-- land formerly belonging to the Miami Indians, but now opened for white settlement. The area was covered with dense forest but close to the Wabash River in Carroll County.
Family tradition claims that John and his brothers went to Indiana to purchase their new land and build their cabins prior to bringing their families to this wilderness area. On the way west, Elizabeth stopped in Butler Co, OH where she gave birth to son Henry on 12 July 1829. It is thought she stayed with a relative with the children while John was in Indiana as there is no record of them living in Butler Co. In October 1829, the family moved to Hen Peck (now Deer Creek), Carroll Co, IN. The Shanks and Lenon families from the same neighborhood in Ohio were among the first families to settle that isolated section of the county.
When he purchased his 80 acres near Camden in Carroll County on Oct 23, 1829, John listed his residence as Miami Co, OH. According to subsequent statements by grandsons, Leonidas P. Shanks and James O. Shanks, they lived near Delphi, IN originally, moving to the Camden location later. Sue Zobbe writes " I have an itch in my memory that John Shanks supposedly first squatted near what is now the town of Deer Creek (aka "Henpeck"), in what is now Cass Co." John and Elizabeth Shanks thus appear to be living in Carroll County in 1830 although they are not listed in the 1830 census. Land records show that John purchased more land-120 acres at Hen Peck, in Deer Creek Twp, then situated on the State Michigan road which was then "quite a lively place." John was quite active in local affairs during this period, serving as a county commissioner, postmaster, and road supervisor.
John and Elizabeth, along with others from Ohio, formed the Paint Creek Church near Camden as early as 1832. On 12 Nov 1830, the group petitioned for a new church, primarily due to the distance to the Deer Creek Church. Records of the Paint Creek Church show how active the Shanks were in the life of the church. Yet, like his father, John refused to attend church for a time. Finally, after several years of preaching, John was ordained as a minister of the Gospel in the "Primitive Predestinarian Baptist Church" on May 2, 1840, the only minister to be ordained in that church. His title was "Elder" as was customary in this church. In that role, he baptized and married many in the neighborhood, including several of his own children.
Two months after Elizabeth's death (Sept 12 1851), John married Nancy Ball Peterson (Nov 9 1851 White Co, IN), a widow in the neighborhood. Unfortunately, Nancy only lived about 2 1/2 years after their marriage (d. Apr 5 1854) and is said to buried next to Elizabeth Gerrard Shanks in Paint Creek Cemetery. This time John waited 4 months after Nancy's death before marrying for a third and final time, this time to Mary Ann Lee (Aug 8 1854). He was then about 65 years old.
Within weeks after his third marriage (Sept 1854), John and his new wife sold their land in Carroll Co and moved to Panora, Guthrie Co IA, following John's son Abner who had moved there with his family the year before. There, John bought several tracts of unimproved land, cleared them and sold them for a nice profit. The list of purchases and sales is on the Land Deed Books of Guthrie County. At some point, John and Mary Ann got divorced and Mary Ann remarried in 1857 in Wappello Co., IN.
In Sept of 1859, John and his son Abner returned to Indiana and a visit to the family in Indiana. On Saturday, Jan 5, 1860, Elder John Shanks, from Sharon Primitive Baptist Church (in Panora) gave a "short discourse" to his old congregation in the Paint Creek Church and was active in various meetings during their two year stay. The last meeting referencing John Shanks was in August 1862. (Burns cites minutes of Paint Creek Church, p. 11).
The journey to Iowa in 1854 was undoubtedly made by team and wagon taking about a month each way. There were no railroads in nearly 100 miles of Panora at the time. John was then about 73 yrs. old.
After his divorce, he lived with his son Robert and wife Joanna (with whom he'd stayed while Robert was away during the Civil War.) He eventually moved with them to Lathrop, Clinton Co, MO in 1868. He developed an ulcer on his leg that could never be healed and he spent the last 10 years of his life in bed. He died Sep 4 1871 in MO. (Burns, 11)
Obit for John Shanks (1789-1871)
Posted 04 Dec 2016 by past4meSaraPatton
"Sign of the Times" a Baptist newspaper Vol. 40, #4, Feb 1, 1872. Article by A. Shanks--probably his son, Abner.
"Elder John Shanks bid a final farewell to time and to time things, Sept. 4, 1871, aged about 83 years. He joined the Regular Baptist Church in Ohio many years ago; served as deacon in the Lost Creek Church, for some time; removed to Indiana in 1830s, settled in Carroll County, and soon afterward with others constituted the Paint Creek Church. Subsequently he began to speak in public, and June 6, 1840, he was duly ordained to the work of the gospel ministry. In that holy calling he served more than thirty-one years, contending earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints, making no compromises with any of the popular isms of the times. He has, we believe, fought a good fight, and now is crowned with the crown of righteousness which the righteous Judge will give unto all who love his appearings. This dear old saint traveled and preached as long as he was able to stand, and his labors were mostly in Indiana and Iowa; until like a shock of corn fully ripe, he was called to lay off his armor. His remains were buried near Plattsburg, MO."
Wanda Burns gives death date as 4 Sept 1871 in Lathrop, Clinton Co, MO, buried in Lathrop Cemetery.
From Wanda Thomas Edland Burns, Shanks: Sea -- Sea, 1760 - 1994 Vol 1, p.12
John told Robert's children many stories, always insisting that his father had been born in Scotland and was very young when they came to this country, and that they settled in Pennsylvania (which disagrees with the listing of Joseph's birthplace as Delaware.) Burns conjectures that the Delaware story may have been to avoid paying a fee for naturalization. He said that their background was Scottish, French and Holland Dutch. (Burns, 11)
A bio of John's grandson, Leonidas P. Shanks, in the History of Carroll Co, IN, reads as follows: "The great grandfather of Leonidas P. Shanks came from Scotland to America in Colonial days and settled in what is now Pennsylvania. Their sons emigrated to western states. One, John Shanks, grandfather of our subject, emigrated to Indiana when the father of our subject was 5 years (5 months) old and settled near Delphi and was keeper of the first poor farm in Carroll Co. therefore being one of the first settlers in the County."
An article on James Lenon, another grandson, read "John Shanks, paternal [sic] grandfather settled in Carroll Co as early as 1830, locating near Delphi, Indiana and entered land in Jackson twp near Camden. He was a public-spirited man and was for several years superintendent of Carroll County Infirmary. His land was situated one half mile east of Deer Creek, and while living on this farm Mr. Shanks met with the loss of his wife, after which he went to Missouri to live with his son, where he died and is buried. He was the father of a large family of children, only one of whom was living in 1915, Robert Shanks, who now resides in Missouri. Mr. Shanks was a Democrat, and gave liberally to the Baptist Church of which he was a member."
Joseph Shanks, John and Elizabeth's second son, made the statement that his grandfather and grandmother were Joseph and Mary Clawson Shanks.
ROSTER OF OHIO SOLDIERS IN WAR OF 1812 Page 138http://www.ohiohistory.org/onlinedoc/war1812/roster/1812/txt/page0098. txt
ROLL OF CAPT. THOMAS CLAUSON'S (Clawson) COMPANY (From Montgomery County, Ohio). Served from August 23, until September 17, 1812. [Names in bold likely to be be interrelated]
Capt. Thomas Clauson; Lieut. John Archer, Jr; Ensign Benjamin Luce; Sergt. William Blair Privates. Allen, Jeremiah; Bigger, Thomas; Baltimore, Philiip; Codington, William; Clauson, Abraham; Clauson, Peter; Covolt, Ephraim; Day, William; Dill, William; Dunkin, John; Dunken, Peter; Ewing, Garner; Gerrard, John ; Hatfield, Owen; Hufferd, John;Lunderland, Peter; Luce, Moses; Lee, Henry; Loy, Peter; Mills, James; Majors, James; Majors, David; McKinney, John; Shanks, Peter; Shanks, John ; Snowden, James; Sanders, John; Watkins, Daniel ; Watkins, John.
The Shanks, Gerards, Lenons, and Clines were very religious; many generations of Shanks being elders in the church. Their religion was Primitive Baptist and much of their history can be found in church records.
From Primitive Baptist Family History Assistance: The Paint Creek Church in Jackson Twp (Carroll Co, IN) was organized on Feb 18, 1832 by members dismissed for that purpose from Deer Creek Church in Putnam Co, IN (west of Indianapolis) viz., Wm Nance and Sarah Nance, John and Elizabeth Lenon, Rachel Armstrong. John and Elizabeth Shanks, Levi and Elizabeth Cline, Peter and Rebecca Duncan. Presbytery composed of Elder James Buckles from big Shawnee Church and Elders John Knight and Lewis Johnson of Deer Creek Church. Brother Levi Cline served as clerk. First pastor was Elder John Shanks. Paint Creek Church was member of Sugar Creek Assoc, then Paint Creek Assoc and finally Mississinewa Assoc.
DOCUMENTATION
1820 Ohio -- Miami Co, Lost Creek Twp census, p. 93: John Shanks: 200010-30010-01 same neighborhood as John and Daniel Lennon. Two boys and 3 girls under 10, man and a woman 16-26; one in agriculture.
1829, Oct 23: John Shanks -- Washington Twp. S12-T25- R1E Carroll Co, IN Tract Book #1
1834, May 23: John Shanks-- Washington Twp S14-T25- R1E Carroll Co, IN Tract Book #1-- John purchases 2 parcels of land: 80 acre tract and a 40 acre tract at Hen Peck, Deer Creek Twp. from the govt. Deer Creek where they first settled, was the principal town in the township and was situated on the State Michigan Road, During the building of the road, Deer Creek was "quite a place". (Burns, p. 11)
1834, Sept 1-Monday: John Shanks sworn in as commissioner. On 5 Sept he was replaced by William Hance.
1835, John Shanks was postmaster at Deer Creek on the Michigan Road.
1850 Census: Carroll Co., Indiana - Rock Creek of Washington Twp.; 5 Sept 1850; p. 361 # 641/641 John Shanks...61 M Farmer $2500 b. Pennsylvania Elizabeth "......59 F b.Virginia Henry "...20 M Farmer b.Ohio Thomas J. ".....17 M Farmer b. Indiana Robert "..........16 M b. Indiana
1851, Aug 25 John Shanks sells 80 acres to Henry Shanks for $455 E/2 NW/4 S7-T25-R2E (Cass Co Gen Index Deed Bk 1 May 1830-M17 1853: Deed Bk K:85)
1851, Aug 25 John Shanks sells 80 acres to Moses Shanks for $255 W/2 NW/4 S7-T25-R2E (Cass Co Gen Index Deed Bk 1 May 1830-M17 1853: Deed BkK: 303)
1853: Township Officers Elected at April Election 1853 Carrollton, No. 4 Trustees--Samuel M. Snell, Abner Shanks, Wm. Wharton Washington; No. 5 Trustees--John Cohee, J. McKinney, John Shanks-- from The Delphi Weekly Times Delphi, Indiana April 15, 1853.
1853, July 14: Carroll Co, IN: John and Nancy Shanks sell land to son Henry for $170, part of the E/2 of the E/2 of NW S14 T25 N R1E, except for public burying ground. No acreage specified. (Burns, p. 10)
1860 Iowa Census Index. John Shanks in Guthrie Co.,IA age 70 b. PA, living with him is son Robert (26 b. Ind) and his wife Joanna (20 b. Ohio) and their son Martin (2) b. Iowa.
1870 Missouri, Clinton Co., P.O. Lathrop; 29 June 1870; p. 129B--John is living with his son Robert and family.: Shanks, Rob 37 M Farmer -- $1000 b. Indiana", Joana 28 F b.Ohio", John- 82 M $2000 $100 b. Pennsylvania", Martor -12 M Works Farm b. Indiana", Will A.- 10 M Works Farm b. Indiana", Sarah- 8 F b. Indiana", John- 3 M b. Iowa", Mary A.- 2 F b. Missouri [John looks like it was 82 and then a 32 written over it, It looks like Martor, but wonder if this is Martin?)
Marriage Note: John married 3 times, divorcing the last time. Names and dates from Wanda Burns, "Shanks: Sea to Sea" and from http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/frameset_search.asp. No documentation in either. Nancy is not listed in the Shanks book. Catherine is not listed on line. Corrections made within based on documentary evidence as cited.
Marriage: John Shanks and Elizabeth Gerard Date: 17 MAR 1810 in Troy, Miami Co, OH Note: Locations differ as to this marriage though none are documented. The Cline Book gives the Shanks-Gerard marriage in PA. The Shanks book gives Troy, Montgomery Co, OH (though Troy was in Miami not Montgomery Co) with the date and refers to the John and Elizabeth Shanks bible. Garard Gen. gives Montgomery Co which makes most sense as both the Shanks and Gerard families were living next door to each other in Washington Twp, Montgomery Co in 1812.
2nd Marriage-John Shanks to widow, Nancy Ball Peterson -- Marriage: 9 NOV 1851, White Co, IN. Marriage date given in Burns, p. 9. Married by Elder Joseph Witham in White Co, IN. No children to this marriage according to Burns.
RELIGION-a key factor in the lives of the Shanks. Sue Zobbe notes on Primitive Baptists:
Primitive Baptists didn't exist as such until the 1820s-30s. This is when the great anti-Mission controversy came up. Gotta be careful when talking to PBs, because they still maintain that it is those other Baptists that took the wrong path. That's why it's such a godsend that Elder Webb has set up the Primitive Baptist Library and that great website. I don't pretend to understand all their ideology, but essentially they are much more fundamental than the mainstream Baptists (American, Southern, etc.) are. And it's "Elder" not "Rev."
However, in the mass exodus from Montgomery/Miami/Greene/Butler etc. in OH, with this particular bunch, a lot of it was the religious split. For instance, in the Sugar Creek Baptist Church near present Centerville, the split was so acrimonious that the church wouldn't release those records for historical study in the early 1980s. Who was saved was a serious topic!
Primitive Baptist Faith and Practice http://www.ls.net/~newriver/nrv/primitiv.htm ;
A great many of the early settlers of Appalachia were members of the Primitive Baptist Church. What were the beliefs of these people and their practices and why were they inclined to join such a church? This short article will attempt to explore these issues.
BELIEFS: Each Primitive Baptist Church has been constituted on a set of beliefs summarized in Articles of Faith, which vary church to church, but contain several key elements in common, most of which are common to all Christian Religions. The first article is a belief in One True and Living God, and that Jesus was his only son and that the Holy Spirit was the Comforter that was promised to come into the world. The second broad category of belief is that baptism should be by immersion, most practicing baptizing backward, although a few baptizing face first. Third, a belief that the Lord's Supper and Baptism, are ordinances or sacraments and that only those ministers and deacons properly ordained may administer the ordinances....Membership is obtained by baptism or transfer by letter from another church of the same faith....
Most, but not all, Primitive Baptist Churches do not permit their members to belong to secret societies, such as the Masonic Lodge, Odd Fellows or any other society which does not permit anyone to attend. This rule seems to have been developed just after the American Civil War to prohibit membership in the Union League and in the Ku Klux Klan and in order to make the rule fair extended to any institution which didn't permit general membership. Most Primitive Baptist Churches in the pre-Civil War era and for sometime after the war, permitted membership of black persons, in fact I know of none that prohibit black membership at the present time, though most black persons formed their own churches in the Reconstruction period of American History.
The key point that makes the Primitive Baptist Church unique, at least in the current time, is a belief in Predestination. The belief is that God, before the world began knew the fate of all of the human race, and that cannot be changed by anything the person does while he lives and this issue goes to the very belief of what God is. In Primitive Baptist theology, God is an all powerful God, knowing the end from the beginning, and that by the weight of his foreknowledge, all things are set and cannot be changed. This does not relieve the person of responsibility for sins which the person may commit while here on earth. Since God is God and knows all things, and man cannot know all things, there is no certainty of eternal life, but what is referred to as a lively hope that one day that will be the case. The relationship between man and God, should be as if Heaven would be the person's eternal home. [There are varying degrees of belief in the doctrine of Predestination and the above is an attempt to point a middle ground, and does not necessarily represent the view of any church or any one person, including myself.]
PRACTICES: There are several church practices which might seem a bit odd to the outside observer, but in many cases are just as important to the formal articles of faith. First of note is singing and lack of musical instruments in worship services. There is no reference to musical instrumentation being used in the New Testament, and being based on the New Testament and not the old, unless specifically authorized by the New Testament, musical instruments are omitted. In this same vein, Sunday Schools, tithing, salaried ministers are also not done. It is unusual for a "collection" to be taken up at a Primitive Baptist Church in Appalachia, though it is practiced in Northern Primitive Baptist Churches. Singing is usually still done in a very old style, which is the object of some scholarly study, and apparently is a direct importation from Scotland, England and Wales, with some Irish influences. Most hymn books in use in Appalachia are printed without musical notes. This style of singing sometimes known as "short metre" is also practiced among some Old Regular Baptists, and some Presbyterians. Many Presbyterians are known as "Primitive Baptists who went to town."
Since Primitive Baptist Churches don't take up a collection, a question might come up of how do the churches take care of their normal operating expenses. Since these meeting houses are usually very simple, the usual expense is a light bill, and that is usually very low. When a major project is to be undertaken, the membership gets together and gets it done. This is a difficult concept to explain to those who do not belong to these churches.
... Regular Church services are held once a month in many areas, with members driving many miles to visit other churches when their own church is not in session. Ministers, known as Elders, never Reverend, travel great distances to serve small churches, and usually more than one minister is present at church services and all are given an opportunity to preach, pray or express their views, leading to some lengthy services.
These churches are congregational in polity, and this leads to many divisions. Each church may issue a decision on theology or practice which comes before it. This leads to divisions and "multiplication by division".
Two or more Associations may cover the same geographic area due to these divisions, as well, there may be several independent churches in the same area.... Issues dividing these Associations are: Absolute Predestination of All Things, The issue of What From Eternal Punishment will take, What constitutes the Resurrection of the Body, What constitutes proper practice and whether or not a minister should preach on radio or TV.
WHO AND WHY: It seems to be worth noting how the Primitive Baptist Church rose to prominence in the early 19th century. Many immigrants to America in the 18th century were from Northern Ireland and Scotland and members of Presbyterian congregations. In fact, many of the first churches formed on the frontier were Presbyterian.
Presbyterians have a practice of having their ministers be seminary trained, even in the early days. There was a severe shortage of ministers to go around and the frontier was not an inviting field to serve in. Baptists had and have not such requirements. Theologically, in this time, the only significant difference was the issue of immersion versus sprinkling, and the Primitive Baptist Church seemed to suit many of these churchless Presbyterians. In addition, Baptists had been persecuted in Virginia prior to the Revolution, the Church of England was the established church. Baptist ministers, after the Revolution felt a large burden lifted and preached when and where they could and "evangelized" the frontier. In these early days, the Church of England was somewhat Calvinistic in theology and though a further stretch than Presbyterians had to make, many did leave the Episcopal Church to join these Baptist Churches. In addition, many of the German sects were similar in theology to the Primitive Baptist Church, and many joined, again due to lack of ministers....
Sources:
Census Records, Indiana Land and Deed Books
History of Miami Co, OH, W. H. Beers & Company: 1880
Robert and Carolyn Gerard, "Garard/Garrard/Gerard/Gerrard/Girard ": Descendants of Rev. John, Elias, and William., 1999
Ellen Brozka, The Cline Book (Spokane, WA) --Chapter 16: The Shanks of Carroll Co, IN
Carroll Co, IN Tract Book #1-abstract in Carroll Co, IN Historical Society
Wanda Thomas Edland Burns, Shanks: Sea -- Sea, 1760 - 1994 : Burns gives a bibliography of sources but information is not footnoted so it is difficult to tell what of her information has been specifically documented. Info also differs from other records and authors.
"Elder John Shanks bid a final farewell to time and to time things, Sept. 4, 1871, aged about 83 years. He joined the Regular Baptist Church in Ohio many years ago; served as deacon in the Lost Creek Church, for some time; removed to Indiana in 1830s, settled in Carroll County, and soon afterward with others constituted the Paint Creek Church. Subsequently he began to speak in public, and June 6, 1840, he was duly ordained to the work of the gospel ministry. In that holy calling he served more than thirty-one years, contending earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints, making no compromises with any of the popular isms of the times. He has we believe, fought a good fight, and now is crowned with the crown of righteousness which the righteous Judge will give unto all who love his appearings. This dear old saint traveled and preached as long as he was able to stand, and his labors were mostly in Indiana and Iowa; until like a shock of corn fully ripe, he was called to lay off his armor. His remains were buried near Plattsburg, MO."
Wanda Burns gives death date as 4 Sept 1871 in Lathrop, Clinton Co, MO, buried in Lathrop Cemetery.
From Wanda Thomas Edland Burns, Shanks: Sea -- Sea, 1760 - 1994 Vol 1, p.12
Compiled by Sara Patton
Birth of John Shanks abt 1789-PA -- The obit that Wanda found in Signs of the Times says he died Sept. 4, 1871, "aged about 83 years." His age in census records vary between 1788-90 but his place of birth—Pennsylvania-- is constant.
1870 census says 82 years. (1788)
1860 census says 70 years. (1790)
1850 census says 61 years. (1789)
Following is a summary of Wanda Burns's biography of John Shanks in "Shanks Sea-Sea", Chapter 2, unless otherwise noted. Wanda has chapter bibliographies but doesn't footnote her information. So it's not always easy to tell where she got specific dates. Some of the dates disagree with other sources and records, however.
Wanda Burns calls John the first child and first son of Joseph Shanks and Mary Clawson ( though she also states that John's sister Eleanor was the first child. p.9.) John was just a child when his family joined a group of Baptist families who moved from PA to OH in 1794. On the way to their new homes in western OH, they stopped briefly at Gerard's Landing, established on the Little Miami River. A block house stood on the side of a hill, near what is called Big Spring, and opposite Flynn's Ford. This was the second settlement above Columbia and now part of Cincinnati. They remained in Hamilton County (Cincinnati area) for a short time before settling in Washington Twp, Montgomery Co, OH --south of Dayton--with various Clawson uncles and the Abner Gerard family.] John's mother died there John married Elizabeth Gerard in Montgomery Co on March 17, 1810. Elizabeth was the daughter of Abner Gerard and Martha Lloyd and granddaughter of the well-known Baptist minister, John Garard who served many churches in northwestern Virginia. The Shanks remained in the same neighborhood with other Shanks, Lenon and Gerard families, joining the Sugar Creek Baptist church and becoming part of the community.
In 1812, John became a private in Captain Thomas) Clawson's (a cousin or uncle?) company of OH Volunteers, called to fight the Indians. He appeared on the company payroll from 23 August to 17 Sept 1812. "Money due 5 dollars and 55 cents", paid "4 dollars and 28 cents." His brother Peter Shanks and cousins? Abraham and Peter Clawson served in the same company.
In 1815, John and Elizabeth were living in Washington Twp, Montgomery Co, close to the old Bedle Station Road (now Sheehan Road) near Centerville on a portion of land originally belonging to John Clawson. Abner Gerard, Elizabeth's father, had land just across the road, while John's parents lived a short distance to the north. [See map]
By 1820, the couple had moved to the area near Staunton, Miami County, OH. The 1820 census of Lost Creek Twp, Miami Co, OH lists John and Elizabeth with 2 boys and 3 girls under ten, and another girl born in 1817 but dead before 1820 (?) They were then living between James Buckles Jr. and John's sister Eleanor (married to Ephriam Couvalt.) On the other side of Eleanor, lived another sister --Elizabeth and her husband, Abraham Buckles, family members all in close contact.
Beers’ History of Miami Co, OH calls John Shanks an old settler of Deer Creek Twp. John was listed in the 1827 Quadrant census of the white males over 21 in Lost Creek Twp, Miami Co, OH. The following year, on Oct 14, 1828, John, along with his brother-in-law, Abraham Buckles and Thomas Stretch were listed as judges for the Lost Creek Twp election. It was also noted that he voted.
In 1829, the families migrated again--this time crossing Ohio's western border into north central Indiana where land was much cheaper. They chose to go to the "New Purchase" area-- land formerly belonging to the Miami Indians, but now opened for white settlement. The area was covered with dense forest but close to the Wabash River in Carroll County.
Family tradition claims that John and his brothers went to Indiana to purchase their new land and build their cabins prior to bringing their families to this wilderness area. On the way west, Elizabeth stopped in Butler Co, OH where she gave birth to son Henry on 12 July 1829. It is thought she stayed with a relative with the children while John was in Indiana as there is no record of them living in Butler Co. In October 1829, the family moved to Hen Peck (now Deer Creek), Carroll Co, IN. The Shanks and Lenon families from the same neighborhood in Ohio were among the first families to settle that isolated section of the county.
When he purchased his 80 acres near Camden in Carroll County on Oct 23, 1829, John listed his residence as Miami Co, OH. According to subsequent statements by grandsons, Leonidas P. Shanks and James O. Shanks, they lived near Delphi, IN originally, moving to the Camden location later. Sue Zobbe writes " I have an itch in my memory that John Shanks supposedly first squatted near what is now the town of Deer Creek (aka "Henpeck"), in what is now Cass Co." John and Elizabeth Shanks thus appear to be living in Carroll County in 1830 although they are not listed in the 1830 census. Land records show that John purchased more land-120 acres at Hen Peck, in Deer Creek Twp, then situated on the State Michigan road which was then "quite a lively place." John was quite active in local affairs during this period, serving as a county commissioner, postmaster, and road supervisor.
John and Elizabeth, along with others from Ohio, formed the Paint Creek Church near Camden as early as 1832. On 12 Nov 1830, the group petitioned for a new church, primarily due to the distance to the Deer Creek Church. Records of the Paint Creek Church show how active the Shanks were in the life of the church. Yet, like his father, John refused to attend church for a time. Finally, after several years of preaching, John was ordained as a minister of the Gospel in the "Primitive Predestinarian Baptist Church" on May 2, 1840, the only minister to be ordained in that church. His title was "Elder" as was customary in this church. In that role, he baptized and married many in the neighborhood, including several of his own children.
Two months after Elizabeth's death (Sept 12 1851), John married Nancy Ball Peterson (Nov 9 1851 White Co, IN), a widow in the neighborhood. Unfortunately, Nancy only lived about 2 1/2 years after their marriage (d. Apr 5 1854) and is said to buried next to Elizabeth Gerrard Shanks in Paint Creek Cemetery. This time John waited 4 months after Nancy's death before marrying for a third and final time, this time to Mary Ann Lee (Aug 8 1854). He was then about 65 years old.
Within weeks after his third marriage (Sept 1854), John and his new wife sold their land in Carroll Co and moved to Panora, Guthrie Co IA, following John's son Abner who had moved there with his family the year before. There, John bought several tracts of unimproved land, cleared them and sold them for a nice profit. The list of purchases and sales is on the Land Deed Books of Guthrie County. At some point, John and Mary Ann got divorced and Mary Ann remarried in 1857 in Wappello Co., IN.
In Sept of 1859, John and his son Abner returned to Indiana and a visit to the family in Indiana. On Saturday, Jan 5, 1860, Elder John Shanks, from Sharon Primitive Baptist Church (in Panora) gave a "short discourse" to his old congregation in the Paint Creek Church and was active in various meetings during their two year stay. The last meeting referencing John Shanks was in August 1862. (Burns cites minutes of Paint Creek Church, p. 11).
The journey to Iowa in 1854 was undoubtedly made by team and wagon taking about a month each way. There were no railroads in nearly 100 miles of Panora at the time. John was then about 73 yrs. old.
After his divorce, he lived with his son Robert and wife Joanna (with whom he'd stayed while Robert was away during the Civil War.) He eventually moved with them to Lathrop, Clinton Co, MO in 1868. He developed an ulcer on his leg that could never be healed and he spent the last 10 years of his life in bed. He died Sep 4 1871 in MO. (Burns, 11)
Obit for John Shanks (1789-1871)
Posted 04 Dec 2016 by past4meSaraPatton
"Sign of the Times" a Baptist newspaper Vol. 40, #4, Feb 1, 1872. Article by A. Shanks--probably his son, Abner.
"Elder John Shanks bid a final farewell to time and to time things, Sept. 4, 1871, aged about 83 years. He joined the Regular Baptist Church in Ohio many years ago; served as deacon in the Lost Creek Church, for some time; removed to Indiana in 1830s, settled in Carroll County, and soon afterward with others constituted the Paint Creek Church. Subsequently he began to speak in public, and June 6, 1840, he was duly ordained to the work of the gospel ministry. In that holy calling he served more than thirty-one years, contending earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints, making no compromises with any of the popular isms of the times. He has, we believe, fought a good fight, and now is crowned with the crown of righteousness which the righteous Judge will give unto all who love his appearings. This dear old saint traveled and preached as long as he was able to stand, and his labors were mostly in Indiana and Iowa; until like a shock of corn fully ripe, he was called to lay off his armor. His remains were buried near Plattsburg, MO."
Wanda Burns gives death date as 4 Sept 1871 in Lathrop, Clinton Co, MO, buried in Lathrop Cemetery.
From Wanda Thomas Edland Burns, Shanks: Sea -- Sea, 1760 - 1994 Vol 1, p.12
John told Robert's children many stories, always insisting that his father had been born in Scotland and was very young when they came to this country, and that they settled in Pennsylvania (which disagrees with the listing of Joseph's birthplace as Delaware.) Burns conjectures that the Delaware story may have been to avoid paying a fee for naturalization. He said that their background was Scottish, French and Holland Dutch. (Burns, 11)
A bio of John's grandson, Leonidas P. Shanks, in the History of Carroll Co, IN, reads as follows: "The great grandfather of Leonidas P. Shanks came from Scotland to America in Colonial days and settled in what is now Pennsylvania. Their sons emigrated to western states. One, John Shanks, grandfather of our subject, emigrated to Indiana when the father of our subject was 5 years (5 months) old and settled near Delphi and was keeper of the first poor farm in Carroll Co. therefore being one of the first settlers in the County."
An article on James Lenon, another grandson, read "John Shanks, paternal [sic] grandfather settled in Carroll Co as early as 1830, locating near Delphi, Indiana and entered land in Jackson twp near Camden. He was a public-spirited man and was for several years superintendent of Carroll County Infirmary. His land was situated one half mile east of Deer Creek, and while living on this farm Mr. Shanks met with the loss of his wife, after which he went to Missouri to live with his son, where he died and is buried. He was the father of a large family of children, only one of whom was living in 1915, Robert Shanks, who now resides in Missouri. Mr. Shanks was a Democrat, and gave liberally to the Baptist Church of which he was a member."
Joseph Shanks, John and Elizabeth's second son, made the statement that his grandfather and grandmother were Joseph and Mary Clawson Shanks.
ROSTER OF OHIO SOLDIERS IN WAR OF 1812 Page 138http://www.ohiohistory.org/onlinedoc/war1812/roster/1812/txt/page0098. txt
ROLL OF CAPT. THOMAS CLAUSON'S (Clawson) COMPANY (From Montgomery County, Ohio). Served from August 23, until September 17, 1812. [Names in bold likely to be be interrelated]
Capt. Thomas Clauson; Lieut. John Archer, Jr; Ensign Benjamin Luce; Sergt. William Blair Privates. Allen, Jeremiah; Bigger, Thomas; Baltimore, Philiip; Codington, William; Clauson, Abraham; Clauson, Peter; Covolt, Ephraim; Day, William; Dill, William; Dunkin, John; Dunken, Peter; Ewing, Garner; Gerrard, John ; Hatfield, Owen; Hufferd, John;Lunderland, Peter; Luce, Moses; Lee, Henry; Loy, Peter; Mills, James; Majors, James; Majors, David; McKinney, John; Shanks, Peter; Shanks, John ; Snowden, James; Sanders, John; Watkins, Daniel ; Watkins, John.
The Shanks, Gerards, Lenons, and Clines were very religious; many generations of Shanks being elders in the church. Their religion was Primitive Baptist and much of their history can be found in church records.
From Primitive Baptist Family History Assistance: The Paint Creek Church in Jackson Twp (Carroll Co, IN) was organized on Feb 18, 1832 by members dismissed for that purpose from Deer Creek Church in Putnam Co, IN (west of Indianapolis) viz., Wm Nance and Sarah Nance, John and Elizabeth Lenon, Rachel Armstrong. John and Elizabeth Shanks, Levi and Elizabeth Cline, Peter and Rebecca Duncan. Presbytery composed of Elder James Buckles from big Shawnee Church and Elders John Knight and Lewis Johnson of Deer Creek Church. Brother Levi Cline served as clerk. First pastor was Elder John Shanks. Paint Creek Church was member of Sugar Creek Assoc, then Paint Creek Assoc and finally Mississinewa Assoc.
DOCUMENTATION
1820 Ohio -- Miami Co, Lost Creek Twp census, p. 93: John Shanks: 200010-30010-01 same neighborhood as John and Daniel Lennon. Two boys and 3 girls under 10, man and a woman 16-26; one in agriculture.
1829, Oct 23: John Shanks -- Washington Twp. S12-T25- R1E Carroll Co, IN Tract Book #1
1834, May 23: John Shanks-- Washington Twp S14-T25- R1E Carroll Co, IN Tract Book #1-- John purchases 2 parcels of land: 80 acre tract and a 40 acre tract at Hen Peck, Deer Creek Twp. from the govt. Deer Creek where they first settled, was the principal town in the township and was situated on the State Michigan Road, During the building of the road, Deer Creek was "quite a place". (Burns, p. 11)
1834, Sept 1-Monday: John Shanks sworn in as commissioner. On 5 Sept he was replaced by William Hance.
1835, John Shanks was postmaster at Deer Creek on the Michigan Road.
1850 Census: Carroll Co., Indiana - Rock Creek of Washington Twp.; 5 Sept 1850; p. 361 # 641/641 John Shanks...61 M Farmer $2500 b. Pennsylvania Elizabeth "......59 F b.Virginia Henry "...20 M Farmer b.Ohio Thomas J. ".....17 M Farmer b. Indiana Robert "..........16 M b. Indiana
1851, Aug 25 John Shanks sells 80 acres to Henry Shanks for $455 E/2 NW/4 S7-T25-R2E (Cass Co Gen Index Deed Bk 1 May 1830-M17 1853: Deed Bk K:85)
1851, Aug 25 John Shanks sells 80 acres to Moses Shanks for $255 W/2 NW/4 S7-T25-R2E (Cass Co Gen Index Deed Bk 1 May 1830-M17 1853: Deed BkK: 303)
1853: Township Officers Elected at April Election 1853 Carrollton, No. 4 Trustees--Samuel M. Snell, Abner Shanks, Wm. Wharton Washington; No. 5 Trustees--John Cohee, J. McKinney, John Shanks-- from The Delphi Weekly Times Delphi, Indiana April 15, 1853.
1853, July 14: Carroll Co, IN: John and Nancy Shanks sell land to son Henry for $170, part of the E/2 of the E/2 of NW S14 T25 N R1E, except for public burying ground. No acreage specified. (Burns, p. 10)
1860 Iowa Census Index. John Shanks in Guthrie Co.,IA age 70 b. PA, living with him is son Robert (26 b. Ind) and his wife Joanna (20 b. Ohio) and their son Martin (2) b. Iowa.
1870 Missouri, Clinton Co., P.O. Lathrop; 29 June 1870; p. 129B--John is living with his son Robert and family.: Shanks, Rob 37 M Farmer -- $1000 b. Indiana", Joana 28 F b.Ohio", John- 82 M $2000 $100 b. Pennsylvania", Martor -12 M Works Farm b. Indiana", Will A.- 10 M Works Farm b. Indiana", Sarah- 8 F b. Indiana", John- 3 M b. Iowa", Mary A.- 2 F b. Missouri [John looks like it was 82 and then a 32 written over it, It looks like Martor, but wonder if this is Martin?)
Marriage Note: John married 3 times, divorcing the last time. Names and dates from Wanda Burns, "Shanks: Sea to Sea" and from http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/frameset_search.asp. No documentation in either. Nancy is not listed in the Shanks book. Catherine is not listed on line. Corrections made within based on documentary evidence as cited.
Marriage: John Shanks and Elizabeth Gerard Date: 17 MAR 1810 in Troy, Miami Co, OH Note: Locations differ as to this marriage though none are documented. The Cline Book gives the Shanks-Gerard marriage in PA. The Shanks book gives Troy, Montgomery Co, OH (though Troy was in Miami not Montgomery Co) with the date and refers to the John and Elizabeth Shanks bible. Garard Gen. gives Montgomery Co which makes most sense as both the Shanks and Gerard families were living next door to each other in Washington Twp, Montgomery Co in 1812.
2nd Marriage-John Shanks to widow, Nancy Ball Peterson -- Marriage: 9 NOV 1851, White Co, IN. Marriage date given in Burns, p. 9. Married by Elder Joseph Witham in White Co, IN. No children to this marriage according to Burns.
RELIGION-a key factor in the lives of the Shanks. Sue Zobbe notes on Primitive Baptists:
Primitive Baptists didn't exist as such until the 1820s-30s. This is when the great anti-Mission controversy came up. Gotta be careful when talking to PBs, because they still maintain that it is those other Baptists that took the wrong path. That's why it's such a godsend that Elder Webb has set up the Primitive Baptist Library and that great website. I don't pretend to understand all their ideology, but essentially they are much more fundamental than the mainstream Baptists (American, Southern, etc.) are. And it's "Elder" not "Rev."
However, in the mass exodus from Montgomery/Miami/Greene/Butler etc. in OH, with this particular bunch, a lot of it was the religious split. For instance, in the Sugar Creek Baptist Church near present Centerville, the split was so acrimonious that the church wouldn't release those records for historical study in the early 1980s. Who was saved was a serious topic!
Primitive Baptist Faith and Practice http://www.ls.net/~newriver/nrv/primitiv.htm ;
A great many of the early settlers of Appalachia were members of the Primitive Baptist Church. What were the beliefs of these people and their practices and why were they inclined to join such a church? This short article will attempt to explore these issues.
BELIEFS: Each Primitive Baptist Church has been constituted on a set of beliefs summarized in Articles of Faith, which vary church to church, but contain several key elements in common, most of which are common to all Christian Religions. The first article is a belief in One True and Living God, and that Jesus was his only son and that the Holy Spirit was the Comforter that was promised to come into the world. The second broad category of belief is that baptism should be by immersion, most practicing baptizing backward, although a few baptizing face first. Third, a belief that the Lord's Supper and Baptism, are ordinances or sacraments and that only those ministers and deacons properly ordained may administer the ordinances....Membership is obtained by baptism or transfer by letter from another church of the same faith....
Most, but not all, Primitive Baptist Churches do not permit their members to belong to secret societies, such as the Masonic Lodge, Odd Fellows or any other society which does not permit anyone to attend. This rule seems to have been developed just after the American Civil War to prohibit membership in the Union League and in the Ku Klux Klan and in order to make the rule fair extended to any institution which didn't permit general membership. Most Primitive Baptist Churches in the pre-Civil War era and for sometime after the war, permitted membership of black persons, in fact I know of none that prohibit black membership at the present time, though most black persons formed their own churches in the Reconstruction period of American History.
The key point that makes the Primitive Baptist Church unique, at least in the current time, is a belief in Predestination. The belief is that God, before the world began knew the fate of all of the human race, and that cannot be changed by anything the person does while he lives and this issue goes to the very belief of what God is. In Primitive Baptist theology, God is an all powerful God, knowing the end from the beginning, and that by the weight of his foreknowledge, all things are set and cannot be changed. This does not relieve the person of responsibility for sins which the person may commit while here on earth. Since God is God and knows all things, and man cannot know all things, there is no certainty of eternal life, but what is referred to as a lively hope that one day that will be the case. The relationship between man and God, should be as if Heaven would be the person's eternal home. [There are varying degrees of belief in the doctrine of Predestination and the above is an attempt to point a middle ground, and does not necessarily represent the view of any church or any one person, including myself.]
PRACTICES: There are several church practices which might seem a bit odd to the outside observer, but in many cases are just as important to the formal articles of faith. First of note is singing and lack of musical instruments in worship services. There is no reference to musical instrumentation being used in the New Testament, and being based on the New Testament and not the old, unless specifically authorized by the New Testament, musical instruments are omitted. In this same vein, Sunday Schools, tithing, salaried ministers are also not done. It is unusual for a "collection" to be taken up at a Primitive Baptist Church in Appalachia, though it is practiced in Northern Primitive Baptist Churches. Singing is usually still done in a very old style, which is the object of some scholarly study, and apparently is a direct importation from Scotland, England and Wales, with some Irish influences. Most hymn books in use in Appalachia are printed without musical notes. This style of singing sometimes known as "short metre" is also practiced among some Old Regular Baptists, and some Presbyterians. Many Presbyterians are known as "Primitive Baptists who went to town."
Since Primitive Baptist Churches don't take up a collection, a question might come up of how do the churches take care of their normal operating expenses. Since these meeting houses are usually very simple, the usual expense is a light bill, and that is usually very low. When a major project is to be undertaken, the membership gets together and gets it done. This is a difficult concept to explain to those who do not belong to these churches.
... Regular Church services are held once a month in many areas, with members driving many miles to visit other churches when their own church is not in session. Ministers, known as Elders, never Reverend, travel great distances to serve small churches, and usually more than one minister is present at church services and all are given an opportunity to preach, pray or express their views, leading to some lengthy services.
These churches are congregational in polity, and this leads to many divisions. Each church may issue a decision on theology or practice which comes before it. This leads to divisions and "multiplication by division".
Two or more Associations may cover the same geographic area due to these divisions, as well, there may be several independent churches in the same area.... Issues dividing these Associations are: Absolute Predestination of All Things, The issue of What From Eternal Punishment will take, What constitutes the Resurrection of the Body, What constitutes proper practice and whether or not a minister should preach on radio or TV.
WHO AND WHY: It seems to be worth noting how the Primitive Baptist Church rose to prominence in the early 19th century. Many immigrants to America in the 18th century were from Northern Ireland and Scotland and members of Presbyterian congregations. In fact, many of the first churches formed on the frontier were Presbyterian.
Presbyterians have a practice of having their ministers be seminary trained, even in the early days. There was a severe shortage of ministers to go around and the frontier was not an inviting field to serve in. Baptists had and have not such requirements. Theologically, in this time, the only significant difference was the issue of immersion versus sprinkling, and the Primitive Baptist Church seemed to suit many of these churchless Presbyterians. In addition, Baptists had been persecuted in Virginia prior to the Revolution, the Church of England was the established church. Baptist ministers, after the Revolution felt a large burden lifted and preached when and where they could and "evangelized" the frontier. In these early days, the Church of England was somewhat Calvinistic in theology and though a further stretch than Presbyterians had to make, many did leave the Episcopal Church to join these Baptist Churches. In addition, many of the German sects were similar in theology to the Primitive Baptist Church, and many joined, again due to lack of ministers....
Sources:
Census Records, Indiana Land and Deed Books
History of Miami Co, OH, W. H. Beers & Company: 1880
Robert and Carolyn Gerard, "Garard/Garrard/Gerard/Gerrard/Girard ": Descendants of Rev. John, Elias, and William., 1999
Ellen Brozka, The Cline Book (Spokane, WA) --Chapter 16: The Shanks of Carroll Co, IN
Carroll Co, IN Tract Book #1-abstract in Carroll Co, IN Historical Society
Wanda Thomas Edland Burns, Shanks: Sea -- Sea, 1760 - 1994 : Burns gives a bibliography of sources but information is not footnoted so it is difficult to tell what of her information has been specifically documented. Info also differs from other records and authors.
Spouses
1Elizabeth GERARD , F
, FBirth12 Sep 1789, Berkeley, James, Virginia
Death2 Sep 1851, Jackson, Carroll, Indiana
Marriage17 Mar 1810, Troy, Miami Co, OH
2Nancy Ball PATTERSON , F
, FDeath5 Apr 1854
Marriage9 Nov 1851, White County, Indiana
3Mary Ann LEE , F
, FMarriage8 Aug 1854