GEORGE SHANE

From "Past and Present of Eaton county" - 1906

GEORGE W. SHANE is one of the honored citizens of Grand Ledge and was a
representative of Michigan as a soldier during the war of the Rebellion. he was born in MAuncy, Lycoming county, Pennsylvania, May 30, 1833, and when he was a child his parents removed to Ohio, where his mother died when he was but ten years of age. His father, Peter Shane, was a millwright by trade, and passed the closing years of his life in Michigan.

George W. received very limited educational advantages, and soon after the death of his mother he began providing for his own maintenance. For seven years he worked at the trade of carriage-making, until he was twenty-two years of age, and thereafter he followed the carpenter's trade until he was thirty years old. On Christmas day of the year 1863, at Leslie, Michigan, Mr. Shane enlisted as a member of Battery C, First Michigan Light Artillery, with which he served until the close of the war, having taken part in a number of important engagements and having been with Sherman on the memorable march from Atlanta to the sea, while he also participated in the Grand Review, in the city of Washington. He received his honorable discharge, in Detroit, Michigan, June 22, 1865.

After the close of his valiant and faithful service as a soldier of the Union Mr. Shane returned to Leslie, where he was engaged in the operation of a saw mill for the ensuing two years, at the expiration of which he disposed of his mill and removed to Locke township, Ingham county, where he was in the saw mill business for a short time, then locating in Williamston, that county, where he was engaged in business three years, operating a saw mill and planing mill and also doing business as a contractor and builder. He then removed to Lake county, where he operated a mill one year, then locating in Baldwin, that county, where he took a contract for the erection of a saw mill and grist mill, remaining a resident of that place for five years, and having been foreman in a saw mill for three years of the time.

In 1873 he went to California, spending some time there in his vocation. In 1888 he took up his residence in Grand Ledge, where he has since maintained his home, while he has made his vocation that of working at the trade of millwright, in connection with the building of domes and installing machinery in various plants, and in connection with his work visiting the Columbia river, in Oregon and Washington in 1892, and Tennessee in 1893.

Mr. Shane is a stanch adherent of the Republican party, is affiliated with the Grand Army of the Republic and the Masonic fraternity, including the Order of the Eastern Star, while Mrs. Shane is also identified with the local chapter of the last mentioned organization and with the Woman's Relief Corps; she is a devoted member of the Methodist Episcopal church. September 26, 1852, Mr. Shane was united in marriage to Miss Eunice DeLamater, who was born in the province of Ontario, Canada, February 17, 1833, being a daughter of Emory DeLamater, who was born in the state of New York but who passed the greater portion of his life in Ohio, having been a farmer by vocation; his death occurred in Leslie, Michigan.

Mr. and Mrs. Shane have four children: Henry P. is a resident of Bancroft, Shiawassee county, where he is engaged in the jewelry business, and also holds the office of express agent and is identified with the telephone business. He first married Miss Rose Disbrow, who died, the only child having died in infancy. He then married Miss Eva Shipman. and their only child, Clarence, died at the age of fifteen months. After the death of his second wife Henry P. Shane married Miss Kittie Shipman. The only child died in infancy. Delbert D., the second child of the subject of this review, is individually mentioned elsewhere in this volume. Willard and Willis are twins, the former being a resident of Chisholm, Minnesota, where he conducts a general store and is also engaged in the jewelry business. Willis resides in Grand Ledge and is associated with his brother Delbert in the telephone business. Willard married Miss Annie Bradford, and they have two children,
Millie and Rhea. Willis married Miss Minnie McCrumb, and they have three children: Lamoyne, Charles and Henry.