Person:Benjamin Shankland (2)

In the 1880 census for Watseka, Iroquois Co., Illinois, Benjamin F. Shankland is a deputy county clerk, age 31 from Indiana (father Ohio, mother Indiana). His wife Nancy M. is 24, born Ohio (father Ohio, mother Virginia). Their son 'Ken. M.' is 1. {T9-0214, p.248d}

 BF Shankland is listed on the 1890 Iroquois County Tax List for Prairie Green Township. {Iroquois Co Illinois USGenWeb, <www.rootsweb.com>}
 "Benjamin F. Shankland, editor of the Watseka Republican and President of that publishing company, was born in Warren County, Ind., on the banks of the Wabash, February 20,1849, and is a son of Kendal and Amanda (Harris) Shankland. He was a lad of only five summers when he came with his parents to Illinois. He was reared on his father's farm, which was situated in Prairie Green Township, Iroquois County, near the Illinois and Indiana State line. His primary education was acquired in the country schools, after which he attended the Danville High School and Grand Prairie Seminary, thus acquiring a good education. For four years in succession, he taught his home school in Prairie Green, and in 1872 entered the State University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, where he took a two-year law course and was graduated in the Class of '74. The following year, Mr. Shankland located in Watseka and obtained the position of Deputy County Clerk of Iroquois County, under Henry A. Butzow, a Democrat. It speaks well for both the Clerk and his Deputy that the former, while a supporter of the Democracy, had the independence to appoint and retain as his assistant a pronounced Republican, and that the Deputy made his services so valuable that he was retained seven years in spite of the partisan influence brought to bear to accomplish his removal. After leaving the County Clerks office, Mr. Shankland practiced law in Watseka. Not finding the legal profession to his taste, he, in 1884, bought the Watseka Republican and has been connected with it ever since as editor and publisher, except one year-the latter part of 1887 and the early pant of 1888, when he was in California, connected with the San Diego Union. On his return to Watseka in 1888, he repurchased the Republican and has since been its editor. In the spring of 1892, the present Watseka Republican Company was incorporated and Mr. Shankland was chosen its President. A sketch of the paper is given elsewhere in this work.  On the 26th of December, 1877, our subject was united in marriage in Lovejoy Township, Iroquois County, with Miss Nancy R. Miskimen, who was born in Bridgeville, Ohio, September 17, 1855, and is a daughter of William and Emma Miskimen. They have one child, Ken M., who was born in Watseka, Ill., March 7, 1879..."{From the History of Iroquois County., Iroquois Co Illinois Genealogical Society, <http://www.rootsweb.com/~ilicgs/bio/page3.htm>}
 In the 1900 census for Pontiac, Livingston Co., Illinois, Benjamin F. Shankland is 50, born Feb 1850 in Indiana (parents Ohio), married 23 years, editor; wife Nancy M. is 43 b. Sept 1856 in Ohio (father OH, mother Virginia), with 1 of 1 child living; son Ken M. is 21 b. Mar 1879 in Illinois 'at school.' {ed 113, sh 42b, p.213}
 In the 1910 census for Belmont, Iroquois Co., Illinois, B. F. Shankland is 61 born Indiana, (father Ohio, mother Indiana), 'editor - paper', married once for 32 years; wife Nancy M. is 50 born Ohio (father Maryland, mother OH), married (2?), with 1 of 1 child living. {ed  67, sh 4a, p. 268, roll 292} Their son Kendall is in Chicago with wife Helen and daughter Helen, 'stenographer - insurance co.'.
 "B. F. Shankland - Editor dies. Editor of Watseka Republican Stricken at his Home Sunday Afternoon. B. F. Shankland, editor of the Republican, died very suddenly at his home in this city at 8:30 p.m, Sunday evening, aged 68 years. Mr. Shankland was stricken with his fatal illness about 1:30 Sunday afternoon while going to his room to rest. His wife and his son Ken were at his side at the time.  For the past six weeks the health of Mr. Shankland had been seriously impaired by valvular heart trouble. He fully realized his condition and remarked to those near him, that his end was approaching and that he had but a short time to live. He had no fear of death, but kept up his daily work to the very end. Benjamin F. Shankland was born February 20, 1849, in Warren County, Indiana, on the banks of the Wabash, a son of Kendal and Amanda (Harris) Shankland. When he was five years old his parents came to Illinois, settling on a farm in Prairie Green township, Iroquois County. He grew to manhood on the farm, acquiring his primary education in the country schools. He later attended Danville High School and Grand Prairie Seminary acquring an excellent education. In 1872 he entered the State University at Ann Arbor, Michigan, taking up the study of law in which he graduated in 1874. In 1875 Mr. Shankland came to Watseka, accepting the position of Deputy County clerk of Iroquois county under Henry A. Butzow... After leaving the County Clerk's office, Mr Shankland took up the practice of law which he followed until 1884, when he purchased the Watseka Republican. He sold his interest in the Republican in 1887 and moved to California where he became connected with the San Diego Union. He returned from California in 1888 and again purchased the Republican, remaining at its helm until 1893 when he sold his interest to L. F. Watson and later went to Fairbury where he purchased the Fairbury Blade. He edited the Blade until 1898 when he sold his interests in that paper and went to Pontiac and purchased the Pontiac Daily Leader. He sold that journal and returned to Watseka, January 1904, purchasing the interest of L. F. Watson in the Republican and has since been its editor. Mr. Shankland was united in marriage to Miss Nancy R. Miskimen, December 26, 1877, in Lovejoy Township. To this union was born one son, Ken M. of Chicago. Both widow and son survive...The remains are to be taken to Hoopeston for burial in the family lot at Floral Hill Cemetery. "  
"B. F. Shankland, publisher of the Watseka Republican, was born in Indiana, in 1849, but was brought to Iroquois county by his parents in 1854. His father, Kendall Shankland, a native of Ohio, took up his abode in Prairie Green Township on coming to Illinois and bought and improved a farm there... His wife, Amanda Harris, was a native of Indiana, and it was in that state that they were married, coming at an early day to Iroquois county with their family, including B. F. Shankland. The son supplemented his preliminary education by study in Grand Prairie Seminary, at Onarga. He then took up the study of law in the University of Michigan, and following the completion of his course he practiced for some time in Watseka. The law, however, was not to his taste and he served as deputy county clerk for seven years, after which he entered the field of journalism as publisher of the Watseka Republican, a weekly paper. It was established in May, 1856, by J. A. Graham and D. T. Lindley, and was called the Iroquois Republican...In 1877 Mr Shankland was united in marriage to Miss Nancy Miskimen, of Lovejoy Township, who was born in Ohio. They have one son, Kendall, who is assistant editor of the paper and a graduate of Lake Forest (Illinois) College." {Obits transcribed by Cathea Curry, 11 Oct 2007, 'Harris and Allied Families of Kentucky', <http://www.freewebs.com/kyharris/obits.htm>; 27 Dec 2007}

1. ↑ Illinois State Library. Illinois Statewide Death Index, 1916-1950. (<http://www2.sos.state.il.us/genealog>).