Wilson B Shannon (1802 - 1877)

Born 24 Feb 1802 in Belmont, Ohio, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Elizabeth Ellis — married 30 Nov 1825 in Belmont Co, OH

Husband of Sarah Osbun — married 27 Nov 1832 in Cadiz, Harrison Co, OH

Died 30 Aug 1877 at age 75 in Lawrence, Douglas, Kansas, United States

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Preceded by 13th Governor Joseph Vance 15th Governor Thomas Corwin Preceded by 1st Territorial Governor Andrew Horatio Reeder

Wilson Shannon 14th Governor of Ohio 1838—1840 16th Governor 1842—1844 2nd Governor of Kansas Territory 1855—1856

Succeeded by 15th Governor Thomas Corwin 17th Governor Thomas W. Bartley Succeeded by 3rd Territorial Governor John W. Geary

Biography

Wilson Shannon is Notable.

Wilson Shannon was the first white child born in Warren Township, Belmont County, Ohio. Wilson was the youngest child of George David and Jane Milligan Shannon. George David Shannon migrated from Ireland with his parents around 1760. His mother passed away on the journey. His father, a merchant, settled in Wilmington, DE and, when George was around 4 years of age, returned to Ireland leaving his son in the care of an Episcopal minister. The father died a short time afterwards, never returning to Delaware. At some point young George migrated to Cumberland Co, PA where he served in the militia during the Revolution.

After the war he migrated to Bedford Co, PA where he married Jane Milligan in 1783. The newlyweds settled first in Washington Co, PA, then Ohio Co, VA, and finally in what became Belmont Co, OH.

The death of George David Shannon is reported in the following excerpt from Historical Collections of Ohio by Howe, p. 313, to wit., "In Jan. following the birth of his son (Wilson), he went hunting one morning. Late in the day while making his was home through the woods a heavy snow storm set in. He became bewildered and lost his way. After wandering about in a circle that grew constantly smaller, he tried to light a fire, and being overpowered with exhaustion, he seated himself close to a large sugar tree in the center of his beaten circle, where he was found in the morning frozen to death."

Wilson Shannon married twice, first to Elizabeth Ellis in 1825^[1] and the second to Sarah Osbun, a native of Harrison Co, OH in 1832.^[2]

Wilson passed away in 1877 and is buried in Oak Hill Cemetery, Lawrence, Douglas County, Kansas.^[3]

Sources

1. ↑ Ohio, County Marriages
2. ↑ Ohio, County Marriages
3. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #12050

• [Wikipedi, Wilson Shannon
• Transactions of the Kansas State Historical Society, (Topeka: The Kansas State Historical Society, 1883 - 1885), volume 3, pages 279 - 283. [This source is freely available from The Hathi Trust (hathitrust.org); user accounts available. Accessed 5 Jan 2020. "Permanent" URL is here:

https://hdl.handle.net/2027/inu.30000126341811?urlappend=%3Bseq=287 This is a five-page article about Wilson Shannon, but the discussion refers to several other brothers, as well. Extracts of these sections have been attached to as many siblings as possible.]