SHINN, HENRY G. AND DOROTHY MATILDA (KNAPP)

by Mr. and Mrs. Ralph H. Shinn

Entry F384 from the History of Hooker County Nebraska
with permission of the Hooker County Historical Society

Mrs. Dorothy Shinn and sons Ralph and Ivan

Henry G. Shinn and his wife Dorothy
Matilda (Knapp) were married at Hebron,
Nebraska Jan. 5, 1904 and lived in Thayer
County Nebr. where Henry farmed and
Dorothy taught school. One son, Ralph
Henry Shinn, was born May 11, 1912 near
Hebron, (Thayer County) Nebr.

They moved in an immigrant car to
Mullen, Nebr. and worked for Col. L.E.
Harding on a ranch south of Mullen. Later
took a Homestead.

Dorothy Shinn returned to her family at
Hebron for the birth of her second son,
Harold Ivan, who was born Dec. 23, 1916.

While his wife and sons were in Hebron
Henry had the flu which later developed into
leakage of the heart.

They filed for a Homestead south of
Mullen on SE 1/4 SE 1/4 - Sec. 19 Lot 1; NE
1/4 NW 1/4, NE 1/2 NE 1/4 - Sec. 30, TWP 23N
R-32W - 192.07 acres, and lived on the land
until it was proved up. In a year or so Henry
became terribly ill, so his wife took him to his
Mother's in Moline, Ill. where he passed away
Sept. 11, 1919.

Dorothy taught in Center School for
several years to help with the family income.
She also taught at Jess Furrow School - the
Bill Davis School and one year in Cherry
County, Nebr. at the Mann Mclntosh School.

Both of her boys graduated from Hooker
County High School, Mullen, Nebraska.

In 1932 the shinn family moved to Perkins
County where they farmed until her death on
Sept. 28, 1935.

Ralph H. Shinn served in the U.S. Navy -
WWII for 3 years, 3 months, 3 days. Later
married Lucille (Bussell) June 26, 1948 and
they have 2 daughters, Phyllis adopted, and
Dorothy.

Harold Ivan married Vesper (VanDyke) on
June 22, 1941. They moved to Pueblo, Colo.
where he worked in the Steel Mill until
retirement. They have two sons, Russel &
Arthur.

                  by Ralph H. Shinn

My Walk To School By Dorothy M. Shinn

The school house stood on a rolling prairie
A mile and a half from our house
The way we always went lay by the pond
in our pasture and then along the public road.
This particular morning of which I write was
the latter part of May
I was so impressed with the beauty of nature
and the widom of the Creator that I have
never forgotten it
The dew which had fallen during the night
had been
evaporated by the early sun. There was no
wind, yet it was just
cool enough to be pleasant.
As I passed the pond I could not refrain from
stopping to see
the ducks as they swam on the smooth surface
of the water and the
mud-shallow as he worked at his task.
Just below the pond in the clover bottom
I found Violets and Jonny-Jump-Up growing
in abundance,
Then up on the hill I gathered the blue and
white Daisies
On reaching the road I picked the early Roses
and other flowers.
On either side of the road the corn grew
fresh and green from six to twelve inches
high.
I stopped at the cross roads, but could see no
one
Everything seemed as still as asleep.
Next I passed a farm house but all here
was a noiseless as I had found the rest.
Nearing the orchard on the adjoining farm I
thought
of the birds that were usually singing here;
but I neither heard nor saw them this time.
I felt as though I was an intruder or a stranger
Who had no palace in his strange world of
peace.
And even after I had reached the school house
And heard the boys shouting and the girls
laughing at their play
I retained this feeling.
I have never since experienced a morning so
quiet and so harmonious.

"I think this poem describes what kind of
a person Mrs. Shinn really was."

                  by Mrs. Ralph H. Shinn