Henry Yocom Shirk

  General Notes:

In 1914, at the age of 82, Henry published a book entitled "Shirk Family History and Genealogy from 1665 to 1914." This is what he wrote about himself: "In the year 1835 he [Henry Yocom Shirk] came to Lancaster Co., with his parents and in 1839 to Mount Joy, Lancaster Co., Pa., where he attended the common schools of that date during the winter only until he reached the age of 15 years, when he was apprenticed to the printing trade at Lancaster, Pa., at the office of the "Volksfreund & Beobachter", a German paper of some distinction in those days. It not being of his own choice, he left the place and in 1851 traveled across the Allegheney Mountains on foot nearly all the way to Louisville, Stark Co., Ohio, where he remained on a farm, working for 50c day; in 1854, went back to Lancaster Co., and taught school; after the close of the term, again went to Ohio. When the Civil War commenced he volunteered for service under Capt. Manderson, Com. A, 19, Ohio. At the expiration of his term of service, married Miss Margaret Trump of Stark Co., Ohio, daughter of Michael and Salome (Simmons) Trump."
note: The American Civil War Soldiers database records that Henry Y. Shirk enlisted into Company A of the 19th Ohio Infantry at Canton, Ohio on April 27, 1861 and mustered out August 31, 1861 at the age of 28. The 19th was composed of recruits from several counties in Ohio who were enrolled under president Lincoln's call for 75,000 troops for three months.



The following is the Obituary as published in The Plymouth Democrat on Thursday, January 2, 1919 (pg. 5, col. 8):

Henry Y. Shirk, of Lapaz, died at his home Sunday night about 8:40 o'clock, age 86 years, 7 months and 20 days.

Mr. Shirk was well and favorably known in his community and during his active years had frequent business transactions in and about Plymouth. He was a prosperous merchant and stock dealer and retired in 1902 from active life with comfortable property. He came from Pennsylvania to Starke county, Ohio, in 1851. He enlisted in company A. 19th Ohio regiment during the civil war and was a member of Miles H. Tibbetts post. G.A.R. At the close of the war he married Miss Margaret Trump of Starke county, Ohio, and to this union were born six children. Mr. Shirk came to Marshall county in 1869 and bought a 160 acre farm where Lapaz is built. Later he bought the Grover & Sykes farm, one half mile south of Lapaz, of 196 acres where he resided twenty-three years and reared and educated his children. In 1892 he started the first hardware store in Lapaz and continued in business. He remarried about three years ago, his wife being a widow of Columbia City, who survives him.


The following is the Obituary as published in the Louisville Herald, 1/9/1919 (pg. 1):

Henry Y. Shirk died at his home at LaPaz, Indiana, December 29, at the age of 87 years. Mr. Shirk was born near Reading, Penna., and at the age of 15 was apprenticed to the printer's trade in Lancaster, Penna. He did not remain long at this work and in 1851 traveled over the Allegheny mountains on foot to Louisville where he remained on a farm working for 50 cents a day. When the Civil War broke out Mr. Shirk enlisted under Capt. Manderson in Co. A, 19th Ohio. At the close of his term of service he was married to Miss Margaret Trump and six children were born to this union. In 1869 Mr. Shirk moved to LaPaz where he first engaged in farming and afterwards in the hardware business, retiring in 1902. Mr. Shirk is survived by the wife of his second marriage and two daughters and three sons. In recent years Mr. Shirk visited in Louisville upon a number of occasions and it did him good to meet his old time friends. The funeral was held at LaPaz where burial was made.

His son Henry gave the information for his death certificate. His wife was Geneva Shirk. He was born May 9, 1832 and died at age 86 years, 7 months and 20 days. He was a retired merchant in the hardware trade. His was born in PA. His parents were Samuel Shirk and Mary Yocum, both of whom were born in PA. He died December 29, 1918.

The following was the preface written by Henry Yocum Shirk for his book entitled "The Shirk Family History and Genealogy from 1665 to 1914."

In October, 1912, I was visiting my old native home in Lancaster County, Pa. In looking over the Steinmetz Cemetery at Schoeneck, Pa., I found the inscriptions on the various tombstones of our ancestors interred there many years ago, and I felt a great desire to have a genealogy of our ancestry, and made the remark to a niece of mine, "I wish some one would write a genealogy of the Shirk family." In reply she said, "Uncle Henry, no one could do that better than you."

Upon these encouraging words, having decided upon the undertaking, it was begun with a firm and confident determination to spare no effort or expense to effectually accomplish the great task of connecting the ten generations of the Shirk family, from 1665 to 1914.

My dear and respected kindred of the present and future generations, I have taken great pains in diligently gathering the data of the many different branches of the family tree of the Ulrich and Anna Swar Shirk descendants, in the belief and hope that my effort in compiling this book correctly will be appreciated and prove of interest to the present and future generations of the Shirk family. H. Y. Shirk"

The 1850 Federal Census in Manheim, Lancaster County, PA: SHIRK, Samuel (65); Polly (55); Eliza (16); Catherine (9); Henry (17); Daniel (19); Rudy (15); Levi (20). Everyone in the household was born in PA. Samuel, Henry and Daniel were farmers.

The 1860 Federal Census in Nimishillen, Stark County, Ohio, Louisville P.O.: SHERVICK, Samuel (36); SHERVICK, Catherine (29); SHERVICK, Jacob (8); SHERVICK, Samuel (1); Henry SHIRK (28); Kate BILDEAN (23). Samuel, Sr. was a farmer; Henry was a farm hand. Samuel, Sr. and Henry were born in PA; Everyone else in the houshold was born in Ohio. It of interest that the Samuel Shervick (as indexed) is actually Henry Shirk's 1/2 brother Samuel Shirk. This Samuel and Catherine and family move with Henry to Indianna and can be found living next door to Henry in the 1880 census.

The 1870 Federal Census in North Township, Marshall County, Indiana, Walnut Hill P.O., page 32 B: Henry SHIRK (38-PA) (indexed as Shull at ancestry.com) and wife Margarett (28-Ohio) with children Clara (6-Indiana), Byron (5-Indiana), and Flora (3-Indiana).

The 1880 Federal Census in North Township, Marshall County, Indiana, District 110 records Henry Y. SHIRK (48-PA) with wife Margaret (38-Ohio) and children Clara (16-Indiana), Byron (15-Ohio), Flora (13-Ohio), Raymond (9-Indiana), and Henry (1-Indiana). Henry is a farmer. Next door is Henry's half brother, Samuel Shirk and family.

The 1900 Federal Census in North Township, Marshall County, Indiana, District 79, page 158B records SHIRK, Henry (May 1832-PA) and wife Margaret (Aug 1842-Ohio). They have been married 39 years with 6 children of which 5 are still living.

The 1910 Federal Census in North Township, Marshall County, Indiana, District 109, page 166A records SHIRK, Henry Y. (77-PA) and wife Margrette (67-Ohio) living on Michigan Street. Henry reports that he has been married 48 years and has his own income. Margrette reports that she has been married 41 years [the 41 is an error ... hard to read].

Note: La Paz, Marshall Co., Indiana is about 15 miles south of South Bend, Indiana on Route 31.

  Noted events in his life were:

• Occupation: Hardware Dealer (1900) / Author of the Shirk Family History and Genealogy (1914).

Henry married Margaret Trump, daughter of Michael Trump and Salome Simmons, circa 1861 in Ohio. (Margaret Trump was born on 26 Aug 1842 in Ohio and died on 4 Sep 1914 in Marshall Co., Indiana.)