I couldn't find anything on Mr. Shipton's business so far.. but I did find information that Thomas D. Shipton was born 5 January 1860 in IL the son of Joseph & Mary ( McGrath) Shipton. He married Harriet A. Campbell 8 October 1884 in Jo Daviess County. They were the parents of two children - William Joseph and Charles Custer William and his wife Harriet are buried at Elizabeth Cemetery.

The biography of Mr. Shiptons parents can be found here