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1907 Past and Present Biographies

William Shearman

William Shearman, who since the spring of 1906 has lived retired in Jefferson, was for many years closely and actively associated with farming interests and is still the owner of three hundred and twenty acres of valuable land. He was born in Lincolnshire, England, in 1841, and was reared in his native country, acquiring his education in the schools not far from his father’s home. He remained in England until twenty-eight years of age, when, in 1869, he crossed the Atlantic to the new world and made his way to Iowa, settling first in Clinton county. He worked during the summer in the malt house at Rock Island and afterward was employed by the government on the island.

In 1870 he came to Greene county and purchased forty acres of land on section 26, Jackson township. He did not make a permanent location at that time, however, but again spent two years in Rock Island, Illinois, and in the spring of 1873 located on his farm in Jackson township. To this he added forty acres more, which was raw prairie, but with characteristic energy he began its cultivation and development and in the course of time the sod, which was covered with the prairie grass, was made fertile through cultivation and brought forth rich crops. After some time he made another purchase whereby he became owner of eighty acres, and twelve years ago he bought one hundred and sixty acres on section 27, Jackson township, that was partially improved. Mr. Shearman with characteristic energy carried on the work of developing his place, set out all of the trees, erected substantial buildings and added many modern equipments. He built a good residence and two barns, one fifty by fifty-six feet, and the other forty-eight by fifty feet. He has also laid many rods of tiling and has thus promoted the fertility of his place by drainage. He is today the owner of three hundred and twenty acres, constituting very valuable farm property, and his sons also own eighty acres. In addition with the tilling of the soil he always raised cattle and hogs of good grades. Year by year he continued the work of the farm until the spring of 1906, when he put aside the more arduous duties of farm life and established his home in Jefferson, where he has since lived retired.

Mr. Shearman was married in Rock Island, Illinois, in 1873, to Miss Elizabeth Holden, a native of Ireland, and he brought his bride to the farm in Greene county which he had previously purchased. They became the parents of two children, Mathew W. and Archie G., both of whom are now married, and there are now three grandchildren.

Mr. Shearman is a member of the Presbyterian church and has served as road commissioner and school director. He is interested in community affairs to the extent of giving hearty and efficient support to many measures for the public good and his labors have been of value in the community. For more than a third of a century he has lived in this county and has therefore witnessed much of its growth and progress, while in business affairs he has made an excellent record as one who has at all times been progressive and reliable, thereby justly meriting the gratifying success which has crowned his efforts.

Transcribed from "Past and Present of Greene County, Iowa Together With Biographical Sketches of Many of Its Prominent and Leading Citizens and Illustrious Dead,"
by E. B. Stillman assisted by an Advisory Board consisting of Paul E. Stillman, Gillum S. Toliver,
Benjamin F. Osborn, Mahlon Head, P. A. Smith and Lee B. Kinsey, Chicago: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1907.

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