HIRAM SHOUS, of Oneco Township, owns and occupies a snug farm on section 28, where he leads the quiet and unobtrusive life of a farmer, contented in his sphere, and realizing each year from the fertile soil of his broad acres a comfortable living and something to spare. He came to this vicinity in the spring of 1868, and soon afterward took possession of the property which he has since transformed into an attractive and desirable homestead. His possessions are the result of his own industry, and include eighty acres of land, all under the plow, together with a substantial set of farm buildings, which, in their style of architecture and convenience for the purposes to which they are devoted, will compare favorably with anything of the kind in this part of the township.

Our subject is a descendant of substantial German ancestry, whose first representative in this country in the person of his paternal grandfather, was brought over by the British Government as one of its soldiers to fight against the Colonists. He was an intelligent man, however, and soon saw the injustice exercised by the mother country toward her American subjects. He was of Hessian blood, brave and fearless, and accordingly upon the first opportunity deserted from the British ranks and ranged himself on the side of the oppressed. He afterward married, and in the course of a few years became a resident of New York State, where he reared a family of sons and daughters. Among these was the father of our subject, who early in life learned blacksmithing, which he followed some years, and then secured possession of a small farm where he carried on agriculture in connection with his trade. This property lay in Orange County, and under the roof-tree thus established our subject opened his eyes to the light on the 12th of January, 1816.

The mother of Hiram Shous was, in her girlhood, Miss Sallie, daughter of Charles McKinney, whose family for generations had been familiarly known in Orange County, N. Y., and vicinity. Her paternal grandfather served in the Revolutionary War, and until his death carried a bullet in his arm as a memento of that memorable struggle. Young Hiram spent his childhood and youth after the manner of the boys of that day in the semi-rural districts, pursuing his first studies in the district school and completing them in the Wallkill Academy at Middletown. When he was thirty-eight years of age, he commenced teaching in his native county, and was thus occupied for some years. Subsequently he engaged as foreman on a construction train of the New York & Erie Railroad, and afterward obtained profitable contracts for material to be used on the Louisville, & Lexington Railroad. He was thus engaged until about 1858, after which he was variously occupied until after the breaking out of the Civil War, which interfered greatly with his plans for the future. He, however, was not long idle, but received the appointment of Provost Marshal at Irvin, Estill CO., Ky., where he was employed from the spring of 1861 until 1863, and was then appointed Captain of Co. H, 14th Ky. Cav.

Mr. Shous subsequently led his comrades to the scene of conflict, first meeting the rebels under Gen. Scott at Irvin, where he experienced the feelings of a soldier under his first fire. His regiment being on the division line, was upon that occasion and afterward exposed to the bullets of the enemy, but happily without any very serious results. Capt. Shous and a portion of his men were detailed as scouts, and he met with many hairbreadth escapes, but fortunately came out without a scratch. In the spring of 1864 he was appointed special Government Agent to arrest rebels and deserters, and take charge of Government property, and was thus employed until 1868. Then, reconstruction having commenced, and the necessity for such officials being done away with, he was honorably discharged from the employ of the Government, and at liberty to look about him and determine his course for the future. Not long afterward we find him in Northern Illinois making arrangements to take possession of his present property, which he had purchased in 1853 with money earned while engaged with the railroad companies in Kentucky. It proved a wise investment, and one which he has never regretted. He has brought the greater part of his land to a good state of cultivation, and besides the eighty acres in the homestead, has forty acres across the line in Green County, Wis.

The marriage of Hiram Shous and Miss Roxana C. Cadwell took place at the bride's home, May 10, 1845. Mrs. Shous is the daughter of Elisha S. and Mary (Reeve) Cadwell, natives of New England, where her father combined the occupations of farming and tailoring. Her paternal grandfather was born in England and emigrated to this country in time to distinguish himself as a soldier of the Colonial army in the Revolutionary War. Mrs. Shous was born in Orange County, N. Y., in 1821. Her union with our subject resulted in the birth of the following children: Alfred, Hiram, William H., Seward, Homer, Mary, Alice, Helen C., Gertrude, Josephine, George C., Frank, Eugene and Fannie Jane. The daughter, Gertrude, died Feb. 25, 1854, and Josephine, Sept. 7, 1855.

Mr. Shous, previous to the war and the issues which were its outcome, had identified himself with the Democratic party. Afterward he considered that he had good reasons to change, and has since been a decided Republican. He has officiated as County Surveyor since 1879, and has also served as School Director and discharged the duties of various other local offices within the gift of his townsmen. He has built up a record entirely creditable and praiseworthy, and one which his descendants will be proud to look upon and emulate.

Contributed by Carol Parrish - Portrait and Biographical Album of Stephenson County, Ill. (1888) Pg 746