THOMAS B. SHANNON.

THOMAS B. SHANNON.—One of the enterprising merchants of Iola, successfully conducting an extensive hardware establishment is T. B. Shannon, who since 1897 has been a well known factor in commercial circles in this city. He was born in Attica, Indiana, January 28, 1871, and is a son of G. W. Shannon, whose birth occurred in Virginia, May 31, 1835. The grandfather, Thomas Shannon, was also a native of the Old Dominion, born at Sharon Springs, Bland county, March 20, 1817, and in that state the father of our subject resided until 1865, making his home upon a farm. He then removed to Fountain county, Indiana, where he again followed farming until the spring of 1871, when he came to Kansas, settling in Woodson county, on the present townsite of Vernon. In 1873 he removed to Neosho Falls, where he learned the tinner's trade under the direction of ex-Governor Finney. In 1880 he engaged in the hardware business in Toronto, Kansas, where he remained ten years, and in the fall of 1890 he became a resident of Anacortes, Washington, where he is now successfully conducting a hardware establishment. He was married in Wythe county, Virginia, to Miss Callie Brown, who was born in Wythe county, Virginia, October 7, 1831, a daughter of Josiah Brown, also a native of Virginia. She died in Neosho Falls, Kansas, August 26, 1874, leaving two children, namely: T. B., of this review, and G. D., who is connected in business with his father in Anacortes, Washington.

The subject of this sketch is indebted to the public school system for his educational privileges, and in his youth he became familiar with the hardware trade in his father's store. At the age of nineteen he entered upon an independent business career in Blaine, Washington, as a dealer in hardware, since which time he has been connected with that line of commerce. In the spring of 1897 he disposed of his store in Blaine and came to Iola, where he entered into partnership with Frank M. Horville under the firm name of Shannon & Horville. This connection was maintained until September 1898, when Mr. Shannon purchased his partner's interest and has since carried on business alone. During the summer of 1900 he remodeled and added to his store building and now occupies both floors and an eighty foot basement with his large stock of shelf and heavy hardware. He carries everything found in a first-class establishment of the kind, and in the rear of the store he has a tin and plumbing shop, doing all kinds of work in those trades. He deals in buggies, wagons and farming implements in addition to hardware, stoves and ranges, tinware, paints and oils, guns and cutlery, and his patronage is constantly increasing.

On the 30th of November, 1892. Mr. Shannon married Miss Lulu Brewer, of Greenwood county, Kansas. She was born in Colorado, January 8, 1873, a daughter of E. J. Brewer, a native of Massachusetts. Their only child died October 25, 1894, and the mother passed away on the 12th of December, following. On the 1st of February, 1899, Mr. Shannon was again married, his second union being with Miss Agnes Mitchell, who was born in Franklin county, Kansas, February 12, 1872, and is a daughter of David H. Mitchell, a native of Missouri. Their home is now blessed with

the presence of a little daughter, Winifred, born July 1900. Mr. Shannon is connected with the Knights of Pythias fraternity and the B. P. O. Elks, and he and his wife are well known and highly respected residents of Iola, the hospitality of many of its best homes being freely extended to them.

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