Source: "Portrait and Biographical Record - Published 1894 by Excelsior Publishing Co., Chicago" Pages 574 - 575

John Shaver, an honored pioneer of the town of Holland, is a son of John and Maritta (Dowd) Shaver, and a native of the Empire State, born in Onondaigua County, February 4, 1832. His parents were natives of the Mohawk Valley; the family, however, is of German extraction. His father was twice married, and by the first union there were five children, two sons and three daughters, as follows: Louise, who became the wife of John Plopper, a farmer of Lima Township, Sheboygan County, Wis.; Nelson, a farmer near Sacramento, Cal.; Lavina, who wedded John Pool, a merchant in Missouri; John, the subject of this article; and Maria, who became the wife of William J. Turner, a farmer in the town of Holland. The mother of this family passed from the scenes of this life in 1834. About one year later, Mr. Shaver wedded Miss Alsina Churchill, who was also a native of the State of New York. Of this marriage there were seven children born, namely: Marette, who is the wife of Harvey De Groff, a farmer near New Hampton, Chickasaw County, Iowa; Alsina, deceased, who married William Ballard, of Missouri; Catherine, who married Allan Dunn, a farmer of Kansas; Emma, who wedded William Gilligan, of Fond du Lac; Silas who is deceased; Nancy, who became the wife of John Gilligan, who also resides in Fond du Lac; and William, who is a resident of Sheboygan. In the spring of 1845, Mr. and Mrs. Shaver, with their family, emigrated to Wisconsin, locating in Gibbsville, Lima Township, Sheboygan County. The following year they removed to the town of Holland, where they rented a house and lived for about a year, when Mr. Shaver bought one hundred and sixty acres of timbered land on section 14, erected a log house, and began clearing a farm. Here he and his wife spent the remainder of their lives. The latter's death occurred in 1851, while the father died November 17, 1879. In politics, Mr. Shaver was a Democrat until Lincoln's time, but afterward supported the principles of the Republican party. He was a man well known in his section of the county, and was a successful and prosperous farmer.

The gentleman whose name heads this record attended the common schools in Cicero, in his native State, until his father came to Wisconsin, after which he attended one term, completing his education in the schools of Gibbsville. In a new country, where the homes must be built, farms cleared, and all improvements made, there was not time or opportunity for acquiring knowledge, save that of the most practical nature.

Mr. Shaver was united in marriage, March 11, 1853, with Miss Mary Dennings, a daughter of Hiram and Clarissa (Westcott) Dennings. Mrs. Shaver was born April 21, 1834, in Cicero County, N. Y., but was reared in Mentor, Ohio, where her parents passed the greater part of their lives. Mr. and Mrs. Shaver have seven children, two sons and five daughters, whose names and the dates of their births are as follows: Nelson M., born February 20, 1855, at home; Mary C, January 26, 1857, the wife of Henry Nusz, a farmer of Waupaca County, Wis.; George H., January 17, 1859, a farmer of Holland Township; Sarah M., June 6, 1862, the wife of Edgar Loomis, a farmer of Lima Township; Emma A., November 10, 1867, who married Maletus York, a blacksmith of Hingham, this county; Flora I., December 14, 1872; and Cora F., February 16, 1875. The last two-named are at home.

Mr. Shaver owns a fine farm of one hundred and sixty acres, well improved and in an excellent state of cultivation. His residence was erected in 1875, with additional improvements made during the last year. He has been a resident of the county since 1845, and has lived on section 14 since 1846. He is a man well and favorably known throughout this section of the county, with which he has been identified for so many years. He is a Republican in politics, and an advocate of whatever promises to be of advantage to his fellow-man.

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