CHAPTER XXVIII - POLITICS (CONT'D)

One of the very notable campaigns in Shelby county was the “free-silver” campaign of 1896. At this time there were many new party alignments, men who had been lifelong Democrats voting for President McKinley, and others who had been lifelong Republicans supporting Hon. W. J. Bryan and free silver.

As is indicated by the half century vote on President in Shelby county, herein set forth, the county has been comparatively close politically from the very beginning.

It would appear that the men belonging to the following pioneer families were Republicans: A. Johnson, Hack, M. K. Campbell, Custer, Waterbury, Johnston, Redfield, Bowman, McConnell, Truman, Holcomb, John Fritz, Platt Wicks, W. J. Davis, Newby, George D. Ross, William McGinness, McCord, Booth, H. Harrod, Frost, Paul, Beckley, Slates, Bell, Patterson, Kinsey, M. H. Adams, Bartlett, Henry Lee, Gibbs, Poling, Ledwich, McKeig, Thomas Leytham, George M. Williams, C. A. Reed, Charles Kidd, Keairnes, Swinehart, Graves, Penniston, Ford, McCoid, Eliab Myers, Long, Washington Wyland, Dr. Bayer, Dr. R. M. Smith, Buckman, Irwin, Chatburn.

Of the early pioneers, men of the following families were Democrats: Wyland (with the exception of Washington Wyland), Sunderland, Louis, Caleb Smith, J. J. Miller, Shorett, Roundy, McDonald, Terrill, Billeter, Cuppy, Kimball, DeSilva, Tinsley, Gish, Swain, Nance, Kuhl, Schmitz, Bergstresser, Baughn, Sweat, McNaughton, D. Carter, Rubendall, Cleveland, George S. Barr, Howlett, J. O. Ramsey, Cox, Richard Leytham, Malick, Black, Obrecht, Crandall, J. H. Philson, John A. McIntosh.

Among the prominent members of the Greenback party were A. N. Stamm, J. M. Pratt and others.