Person:William Shankland (5)

"The present representative of Henry County in the lower house of the general assembly was born in Preble County, Ohio, on the 22d of December, 1826, and was an only child. His father, Robert M. Shankland, was a native of Kentucky, and his mother, whose maiden name was Elizabeth Gobble, was born in Virginia. William's early days were spent in Washington County, West Virginia, where he had access to good school facilities, of which he was not slow to avail himself. After attending the academy at Abington for some time he came to this state in 1849, in company with his parents. They located in Moniteau County, and there his father died in 1868; his mother died in 1857, at the same place. Young Shankland entered the state university (at that time presided over by Dr. Shannon) soon after coming to the state, and in 1851 he graduated from that institution, and among his classmates were two who are his coworkers in the present assembly, Senator James H. Walker, of Cooper, and Harry W. Cockrell, of Howard. After leaving school he served as surveyor for one year of Moniteau County, and sold goods for some time, and then taught school at Warsaw for over one year. He began the study of medicine under his father about 1853. In 1854-5 he attended the medical department of the Louisville University. The same year he began to practice in Camden County, where he remained until the outbreak of the war, when he located at California, continuing his practice, and in 1864-5 he completed his medical course at the Jefferson College, Philadelphia, where he graduated in March, 1865. In 1866 he came to Henry County and secured a tract of land where he now lives and has since been engaged in the practice of his profession as well as the duties of the farm. His patronage extends for many miles in every direction and he has had remarkable success in his practice and stands in the front rank of his profession. Dr. Shankland was married in Camden County, December 5, 1855, to Miss Jane Wilson. Her death occurred March 15, 1867, and she left three children: Elizabeth, who died at thirteen; William M., now a student at the university, and Josephine. In October, 1868, he was married to Miss Minerva Shankland, born October 30, 1833, in Nicholas County, Kentucky. {'1883 History of Henry Missouri, National Historical Co., pg: 791', Henry Co. Missouri USGenWeb, <http://www.rootsweb.com/~mohenry/biography/hcbioS.htm>}

 In the 1860 census for Camden Co., Missouri, William L. Shankland is 33, physician from Ohio; with Jennie 22? KY; Elizabeth 3; William M. 1; Anne Wilson 49 KY; Sarah E. S. Acre 12 KY.  [Brother-in-law] (Golson?) Willson is next door, a farmer 25 from KY; with wife Eliza [nee Acre?], children and Mary J. Acre 8 MO.
 In the 1870 census for Clinton, Grand Rapid, Henry Co., Missouri, Wm. L. Shankland is a farmer, age 43 from Ohio.   His wife Minerva is 36, born Kentucky.  His children are Elizabeth, 13; William 12; and Josephine, 9 -- all born Missouri. {p. 293}
 In the 1880 census for Bethlehem, Henry Co., Missouri, W. L. Shankland is a physician and farmer, age 53 from Ohio (father Kentucky, mother Virginia).  His wife Minerva A. is 46, born Kentucky (father Kentucky, mother Virginia). The children [from his first wife] are Wm. M., 21, born Missouri (father Ohio, mother Missouri), working on farm; and Josie, 18, born Missouri (father Ohio, mother Missouri).  {NARA T9-0689, p.379a}
 In the 1900 census for Bethlehem, Henry Co., Missouri, William L. Shankland is 73, born Dec 1826 in Ohio (father Kentucky, mother Virginia), married 30 years, physician; with wife Minerva 66, born Oct 1833 in Kentucky (father KY, mother VA). {ed 74, sh 1a, p. 10}
 "Dr. William Lane Shankland, a veteran practitioner of Henry County, passed away at 2 o'clock Tuesday afternoon, Oct. 12th, aged 82 years, 9 months and 20 days. He was born in Eton, Ohio, Dec. 22, 1826, and grew to manhood in Virginia and Eastern Tennessee, attending school while a boy in Abington, Tenn. He attended Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, Pa., and the Louisville Medical College, and after coming to Missouri with his parents, who located in Moniteau County, in 1849, he attended the State University, graduating in 1851. He taught school in Warsaw a few years and in 1866 moved to Henry Co., Mo., where he resided thereafter and practiced medicine. In 1855 he was married to Miss Jane Wilson, whose death occurred on March 15, 1867. To them were born three children - Lizzie, who died while a child, and Dr. William M. Shankland and Mrs. Josie Logan, both of who reside in Clinton. He is also survived by four grandchildren, one great-grandchild, and his second wife, Mrs. Minerva Shankland. Dr. Shankland was a man of cool judgment and forceful character. He was honored by the Democratic party with the nomination and election to the legislature in 1882, and he represented this county with credit to himself and his party. The funeral occurred on Wednesday afternoon, interment being in Bethlehem cemetery east of Clinton. {Obituaries, Henry Co. Missouri Archives, <http://www.rootsweb.com/~mohenry/obituary/s2obit.htm>, 10 Oct 2003}
 He is buried in the Bethlehem Cemetery in Bethlehem, Henry Co., Missouri.  His headstone reads "Shankland, William L., Dr. - b: Dec 22 1828 Preble Co, OH - d: Oct 12 1909 - son of Robert M. & Elizabeth Gobble Shankland - 1st m: Dec 5 1855, Camden Co, MO to Jane Wilson - ch: Elizabeth A., William M., Josephine - 2nd m: Oct 1868 to Minerva." {Henry Co., Missouri Archives, <http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/mo/henry/cemeteries/bethbe.txt>}