Person Page - 2798

     Alva Shireman married Vesta Viola Rhodes, daughter of William W. Rhodes and Emma Florence Stonecipher. Alva Shireman was born on 13 January 1905. He was the son of James Shireman and Margaret Mauck. Alva Shireman died on 1 February 1967 at age 62.

     Anna Elizabeth Shireman was born on 1 January 1843 at Harrison Co., IN, Father born Virginia, mother born Indiana, per 1900 census info.^1,2 She was the daughter of Noah Shireman and Eliza (?)³ Anna Elizabeth Shireman married William F. Windle, son of Augustine Windell and Sophia French, on 16 November 1865 at Harrison Co., IN.¹ Anna Elizabeth Shireman lived on 1 March 1920 at Harter Twp., Clay Co., IL, head of household, widowed, with duaghter Charity and son Arley's family.⁴ She died on 30 November 1925 at Harter Twp., Clay Co., IL, at age 82. She was buried in December 1925 at Camp Ground Cemetery, Xenia, Clay Co., IL, Findagrave #26671066.

     Bertha E. Shireman was born on 19 May 1882 at Harrison Co., IN.^1,2 She was the daughter of Eli Shireman and Angeline Gwartney.¹ Bertha E. Shireman married Willard Wood Sonner, son of Agrippa Felix Sonner and Emily Simler, on 19 May 1910. Bertha E. Shireman died on 9 January 1947 at Harrison Co., IN, at age 64.

     Bonnie Paulette Shireman was born on 31 May 1949. She died on 1 June 1949. She was the daughter of Gerald Frederick Shireman and Bonnie Jean Engleman.

     Eli Shireman was born in August 1832 at Virginia.¹ He married Angeline Gwartney on 27 February 1859 at Harrison Co., IN. Eli Shireman died on 22 May 1913 at Harrison Co., IN, at age 80.

     Emmet R. Shireman was born in December 1879 at Harrison Twp., Harrison Co., IN.¹ He was the son of John Shireman and Susan C. Windell.¹

     Gerald Frederick Shireman was born on 5 October 1925 at Washington Twp., Harrison Co., IN. He was the son of Alva Shireman and Vesta Viola Rhodes. Gerald Frederick Shireman married Bonnie Jean Engleman, daughter of Paul Engleman and Bessie Frakes, on 21 December 1946 at Corydon, Harrison Co., IN.

     Henry Hardin Shireman was born in November 1869 at Harrison Co. (probably), IN.¹ He married Ada May Huffman, daughter of Harvey Heath Huffman and Louisa Eliza Faith, on 15 August 1889 at Harrison Co., IN.

     James Shireman married Margaret Mauck.

     John Shireman was born in May 1849 at Harrison Co., IN.¹ He was the son of Noah Shireman and Eliza (?)² John Shireman married Susan C. Windell, daughter of George Windell and Catherine Hedges, on 2 January 1879 at Harrison Co., IN, Five children born, three living as of 1900, per census.¹

     Lillian Lee Shireman was born on 13 January 1894 at Harrison Co., IN. She was the daughter of Henry Hardin Shireman and Ada May Huffman. Lillian Lee Shireman married Ralph Julius Cooley, son of Charles Elmer Cooley and Emma Hannah Money, on 16 May 1918 at Clark Co., IN. Lillian Lee Shireman died in September 1984 at Georgetown, Floyd Co., IN, at age 90 OBITUARY - New Albany, Indiana Tribune; 1984 September 04; Page: 6 Column: 4:

Lillian Cooley
GREENVILLE -- Lillian Cooley, 90, of Route 1, Georgetown, died 8:30 p.m. Sunday at Floyd County memorial hospital.
She was the former Lillian Shireman and a native of Harrison County.
Survivors include two sons, O. Ralph Cooley of Georgetown and E. Ray Cooley of Pekin; five grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
The funeral will be 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Love Funeral Home in Palmyra.
Burial will be in the Greenville Cemetery.
Visitation will be after 5 p.m. today at the funeral home.

She was buried in 1984 at Greenville Cemetery, Greenville, Floyd Co., IN.

     Mary C. Shireman was born in December 1853 at Indiana.¹ She was the daughter of Noah Shireman and Eliza (?)² Mary C. Shireman married Alfred Windell, son of Augustine Windell and Sophia French, on 15 August 1889 at Harrison Co., IN.¹

     Noah Shireman was born circa 1822 at Virginia.¹ He married Eliza (?).¹

     Dr. Benjamin Franklin Shirer Jr. was also known as Benjamin Franklin Schirer Ben was born to Ben Schirer, Sr., but used "Shirer" in adulthood. He was born on 4 July 1913 at Peoria, Peoria Co., IL.¹ He was the son of Benjamin Franklin Scheurer and Emma Jane Kloos.¹ Dr. Benjamin Franklin Shirer Jr. married Thelma Borgstrom, daughter of Edward Leander Borgstrom and Thora Evelina Carlson (Karlsdotter). Dr. Benjamin Franklin Shirer Jr. lived on 16 October 1940 at Batavia, Kane Co., IL, WW II draft registration. He lived in 1950 at St. Charles, DuPage Co., IL, physician, per city directory. He died on 23 July 1968 at Batavia, Kane Co., IL, at age 55. He was buried in July 1968 at West Batavia Cemetery, Batavia, Kane Co., IL, Findagrave #16850243.

     Eileen Inga Shirer was born on 26 February 1938. She was the daughter of William Lawrence Shirer and Theresa Caroline Giselle Anna Stiberitz. Eileen Inga Shirer married John W. Dean in 1977. Eileen Inga Shirer died on 5 July 2011 at Lenox, Berkshire Co., MA, at age 73.

     John Tanner Shirer was born on 29 April 1906 at Illinois date from SSDI. He was the son of Seward Smith Shirer and Elizabeth Josephine Tanner. John Tanner Shirer married Erna G. M. Berndt on 7 May 1932 at Manhattan, New York Co., NY. John Tanner Shirer lived on 12 May 1940 at 1729 North Harrison Street, Arlington, Arlington Co., VA.¹ He died on 16 March 1969 at San Diego, San Diego Co., CA, at age 62 date from SSDI.

     Lt. Col. John Vergie Shirer was born on 2 October 1914 at DuPage Co. (probably), IL, per SSDI.¹ He was the son of William Garfield Shirer and Bessie Vergie.^1,2 Lt. Col. John Vergie Shirer married Margaret Soberg, daughter of Carl John Soberg and Hilda L. Duenkel, before 4 April 1940, three daughters and at least six grandchildren. Lt. Col. John Vergie Shirer began military service on 21 January 1942 WW II service, U.S. Army, enlisted, discharged 6 FEB 1946.

Korean War service, U.S. Army, enlisted 10 APR 1951, discharged 11 DEC 1953. He lived in 1980 at Wauwatosa, Milwaukee Co., WI. He died on 6 November 1983 at Milwaukee, Milwaukee Co., WI, at age 69

Obituary -- The Sheboygan Press, Sheboygan, Wisconsin; Monday, 14 NOV 1983, p. 4 (Newspapers.com):

John V. Shirer

Memorial services for retired Lt. Col. John V. Shirer, U.S. Army, were held last week in Wauwatosa. Col. Shirer died of cancer Nov. 6.

He is survived by his wife, Margaret Soberg Shirer of Wauwatosa and formerly of Sheboygan, three daughters, and six grandchildren.

He was buried in 1983 at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Arlington Co., VA, Findagrave #34241197.

     Josephine Ayre Shirer was born on 24 June 1900. She was the daughter of Seward Smith Shirer and Elizabeth Josephine Tanner. Josephine Ayre Shirer died in October 1973 at New Jersey at age 73.
Note: Did not marry.

     Note: Was the oldest of her siblings, but outlived the others by a substantial number of years. Music was a great love -- she was an accomplished pianist and piano teacher.

Lillian Vogelgesang Shirer was born on 3 January 1870 at Benton Co., IA.² She was the daughter of William Walter Shirer and Caroline M. Triem. Lillian Vogelgesang Shirer married Thomas George Ferreby, son of Lt. Col. Thomas G. Ferreby and Cynthia Ann Oxley, on 9 September 1896 at Mt. Vernon, Linn Co., IA. Lillian Vogelgesang Shirer died on 7 May 1952 at Westfield, Union Co., NJ, at age 82.

     Mabel May Shirer was born on 4 May 1876 at La Porte City, Black Hawk Co., IA.¹ She was the daughter of William Walter Shirer and Caroline M. Triem. Mabel May Shirer married James Craig Boyd, son of David Lindsey Boyd and Margaret Craig, on 17 November 1896 at Mt. Vernon, Linn Co., IA, Ceremony by Rev. A. K. Knox. Mabel May Shirer died on 4 June 1939 at Eldora, Hardin Co., IA, at age 63. She was buried in June 1939 at Mt. Vernon Cemetery, Mt. Vernon, Linn Co., IA, Find A Grave Memorial #142292696.

     Margaret Lee Shirer was also known as "Peggy". She was born on 23 February 1946 at Sheboygan, Sheboygan Co., WI. She was the daughter of Lt. Col. John Vergie Shirer and Margaret Soberg.
Note: Margaret Babcock is listed in public records with residence at Hanover Park and Bartlett, Illinois. Margaret Lee Shirer died on 25 January 2005 at Ventura Co., CA, at age 58.

     Mary Elizaberth Shirer was born on 15 September 1942. She was the daughter of Dr. Benjamin Franklin Shirer Jr. and Thelma Borgstrom. Mary Elizaberth Shirer died on 16 October 2017 at age 75. She was buried in October 2017 at Union Cemetery, Chatham, Barnstable Co., MA, Findagrave #201571424.

     Richard Kent Shirer was born on 26 October 1918 at West Chicago, DuPage Co., IL, per SSDI, or 1917 per WW II draft registration.¹ He was the son of William Garfield Shirer and Bessie Vergie. Richard Kent Shirer married Ruth Lenore Roe, daughter of Harry Austin Roe and Irene Violet Phillips. Richard Kent Shirer lived in April 1950 at Lombard, DuPage Co., IL, accountant. He died in April 1968 at age 49 Date per SSDI.

     Seward Smith Shirer was born on 17 September 1871 at Benton or Black Hawk Co., IA.¹ He was the son of William Walter Shirer and Caroline M. Triem. Seward Smith Shirer married Elizabeth Josephine Tanner, daughter of Franklin Tanner and Josephine M. Laurence, on 20 February 1899 at Cedar Rapids, Linn Co., IA, Seward met Bessie at Cornell College, Mt. Vernon, Iowa. Seward Smith Shirer died on 6 February 1913 at Chicago, Cook Co., IL, at age 41. Cause of death: Peritonitis from burst appendix. Seward was an Assistant U.S. Attorney, and was trying a case at the time of the appendicitis attack. He refused medical attention until it was too late.

He was buried in February 1913 at Oak Hill Cemetery, Cedar Rapids, Linn Co., IA, Findagrave #102410727.

     William Garfield Shirer was born on 11 September 1880 at La Porte City, Black Hawk Co., IA. He was the son of William Walter Shirer and Caroline M. Triem. William Garfield Shirer married Bessie Vergie, daughter of Hiram Burns Vergie and Isabella Patterson, circa 1913. William Garfield Shirer lived in January 1920 at Milton Twp., DuPage Co., IL. He lived in April 1930 at Glen Ellyn, DuPage Co., IL.¹ He died in July 1934 at age 53. Cause of death: in July 1934 Auto accident.

     William Lawrence Shirer was born on 23 February 1904 at Chicago, Cook Co., IL. He was the son of Seward Smith Shirer and Elizabeth Josephine Tanner. William Lawrence Shirer was graduated in 1925 at Coe College, Cedar Rapids, Linn Co., IA. He married Theresa Caroline Giselle Anna Stiberitz in January 1932 at Vienna, Austria. William Lawrence Shirer and Theresa Caroline Giselle Anna Stiberitz were divorced in July 1970. William Lawrence Shirer died on 28 December 1993 at Boston, Suffolk Co., MA, at age 89

Obituary -- (Findagrave.com):

Newspaper Correspondent, Historian and Author. He is best remembered for his books on the rise of Nazi Germany and on World War II in Europe. He spoke French, German, Italian and Spanish fluently. Born in Chicago, Illinois, his father was US Attorney there and a populist in philosophy, which had great influence on young Shirer. When Shirer was nine, his father suddenly died, and the family moved to his maternal grandmother's house in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Lacking much money, he attended Coe College, a small school in Cedar Rapids, graduating in 1925. Shirer then worked his way to Europe on a cattle boat, intending to stay for only the summer, but remained for the next 15 years. In 1925, he found work with the "Chicago Tribune," covering assignments all over Europe, the Near East and India, including his forming a deep friendship with Mohandas Gandhi. Starting in 1933, he covered the growth of the Nazi Party in Germany, including Hitler's peaceful triumphs of the return of the Saarland to Germany and the remilitarization of the Rhineland. In 1937, Edward R. Murrow recruited him to work for CBS Radio, reporting from Vienna. In March 1938, Shirer was first to report on the Austrian Anschluss, scooping all of the rival radio correspondents at the time, and beating Hitler's own announcement of the Anschluss. Shortly afterwards, CBS Radio set up a "European Roundup," a 30 minute broadcast from five European capitals: Berlin, Vienna, Paris, Rome and London, with Shirer anchoring the Berlin position. Shirer reported on the Munich Agreement, Germany's march into Czechoslovakia, the German invasion of Poland, and the start of World War II. In May 1940, he traveled with German troops in the invasion of France, and from Paris, reported the French capitulation on 22 June 1940 to the American public before the Germans or French announced the news. As German press censorship became increasingly more intense, he learned the Gestapo was about to arrest him, and so he escaped from Germany in December 1940. Using his notes that he smuggled out, he wrote "Berlin Diary" (1941), a chilling account of the Nazi rise to power and the start of the war. In 1945, Shirer returned to Germany to report on the Nuremberg War Crimes trials. This assignment resulted in his follow-on book, "End of a Berlin Diary" (1947). In 1947, he left CBS, over disagreement with Murrow on the role of journalism in broadcasting. During the McCarthy years, Shirer found himself blacklisted as "pro-communist" and was unable to find work; he used these years to write "The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich," (1960), perhaps his best work ever. Shirer's second of three memoirs, "The Nightmare Years, 1930-1940" (1984) gives his first hand account of a correspondent observing the coming World War. Of special note to historians was his excellent account of the fall of France in "The Collapse of the Third Republic" (1969). Near the end of his life, Shirer donated his diaries and notes to his alma mater, Coe College. He had just finished proofreading his last book, "A Native's Return" (1990), about the life of Leo Tolstoy, when he passed away. In his obituary, the "Times of London" perhaps best summed up his life in the statement, "William Shirer belongs to that select group of journalists who successfully made the transition from recording the news to the writing of history."

Bio by: Kit and Morgan Benson.

He was buried at Mountain View Cemetery, Lenox, Berkshire Co., MA, Findagrave #7316239.
Note: Author of numerous books, including Berlin Diary and Rise and Fall of the Third Reich.

Unlike his counterpart, Ed Murrow, Bill Shirer was born in a large city, Chicago, and was raised for his first nine years in a rather intellectual family. His father had been a U.S. Attorney and was a populist in philosophy. Friends with Clarence Darrow, who was a frequent guest in the Shirer household, Shirer's father was constantly espousing on the likes of John Dewey and Theodore Dreiser. But very quickly, Bill Shirer's world would change. At age nine, his father suddenly died of acute appendicitis and Shirer's mother with little money moved the family to his maternal grandmother's home in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. But because of his previous life in Chicago, Bill Shirer came to dislike the squeaky-clean life he lived in Iowa.

The lack of money only allowed Shirer to attend Coe, a small Presbyterian school in Cedar Rapids. He found it boring, but became the editor of the school's newspaper, which he promptly used as a forum to eschew bourgeois lifestyles. Upon graduation he took off for Europe where he was able to garner a job with the Paris Tribune. His newspaper career was born but Shirer would find himself in and out of work until he met Ed Murrow.

Murrow was trying to establish CBS as a news organization and felt hiring a journalist would add even more credibility to the task. Shirer, out of work at the time, accepted even though he did not feel he had the voice for broadcasting. Paul White, Murrow's boss felt the same way, but Murrow prevailed.

Shirer's work on CBS is a standout. He was able to get to the heart of what was happening to the people of Europe, especially Germany, in light of Hitler's rise. He was able to ferret out a story and reported with not only the people's comments, but with some wit of his own. As Nazi power increased, Shirer was increasingly in danger and had to be careful how he reported the news. Eventually, he had to escape Germany wherein he returned to the USA and began reporting news and commentary on his own news program in New York. He eventually left CBS and broadcast journalism and began working on several books detailing his own experience (Berlin Diary) in Germany. His most famous work was The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich which reports in details how Nazism was able to come to power, and how it ultimately fell from grace.

During the Red Scare (McCarthyism era) William L. Shirer's early anti-bourgeois pronouncements cost him his reputation for many years, as well as his job with CBS. For Bill there were some difficult years when he lectured and wrote books that had modest sales. Then he started work on Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, which came out in 1960 (and still sells quite well all over the world). He used to say that if he had not been fired from CBS he would probably never have gone back to his first love - writing. He was very grateful for that firing in the end -- it gave him a much longer career as a writer.

     William Walter Shirer was born on 16 March 1846 at Herkimer Co., NY, 1860 census erroneously shows "Wisconsin."^2,3,4 He was the son of Johann Friedrich Scheurer and Maria Eva Brenneisen. William Walter Shirer lived on 21 September 1850 at Germantown, Washington Co., WI.² He lived on 15 June 1860 at Germantown, Washington Co., WI.³ He married Caroline M. Triem, daughter of Ludwig Triem and Elizabeth Huppert, on 12 November 1868 at near Plainfield, Will Co., IL. William Walter Shirer lived in August 1870 at Bruce Twp., Benton Co., IA, in the household of his father. He lived in 1880 at La Porte City, Black Hawk Co., IA, Moved the family to Mt. Vernon in 1889 as children approached college age. He died on 27 October 1930 at Humboldt Co., IA, at age 84

Obituary -- The Humboldt Republican, Humboldt, Iowa; Friday, 31 OCT 1930, p.1 (Newspapers.com):

SHIRER SERVICES HERE TUESDAY; MT. VERNON WEDNESD'Y

Funeral services for W. W. Shirer, the father of Mrs. T. G. Ferreby, Humboldt, were held at the Duncan funeral home in Humboldt Tuesday afternon at 3 o'clock. The body was shipped over the Northwestern railway Tuesday evening for services in Mt. Vernon Wednesday. Mt. Vernon is the former home of Mr. Shirer.

W. W. Shirer, 84, passed away at the home of his daughter, Mr. T. G. Ferreby, in Humboldt, Monday afternoon after an illness of several weeks. He was born in Herkimer county, New York, March 16, 1846 shortly after his parents arrived in America from south Germany. From New York the family moved to Wisconsin near Milwaukee. Later the family moved to La Porte, where Mr. Shirer was engaged in farming and stock raising. In 1868 he married Caroline Triem.

In 1889 Mr. Shirer moved to Mt. Vernon in order to give his children an opportunity of a college education. Most of the following years were spent there until eight years ago, when he retired from business. Since then Mr. Shirer has made his home in Humboldt most of the time. Mr. Shirer is survived by three children; Lillian, Mrs. T. G. Ferreby, Humboldt; Mabel, Mrs. J. W. (sic) Boyd, Eldora; William G. Glenn Ellyn, Illinois.

He was buried in 1930 at Mt. Vernon Cemetery, Mt. Vernon, Linn Co., IA, Find A Grave Memorial #102415496.

     Blanche Rudisill Shirey was born on 26 July 1892 at West Virginia. She was the daughter of George A. Shirey and Blanche Rudisill.¹ Blanche Rudisill Shirey married William Obediah Tracy, son of Capt. Buford Allen Tracy and Elizabeth Hillyer Holloway. Blanche Rudisill Shirey died on 7 October 1990 at Mercer Co., WV, at age 98 Dates per SSDI.

     George A. Shirey was born in August 1855 at Virginia.¹ He married Blanche Rudisill circa 1888.¹

     Abraham Shirk married Christina Bowman. Abraham Shirk was born on 5 March 1773 at Greene Twp., Franklin Co., PA. He died on 12 February 1852 at age 78.