Biography of Lt. Edgar Shannon

as found in

History of Cattaraugus County, New York with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Some of It's Prominent Men and Pioneers, 1879



Hon. Edgar Shannon * was born in Leon, [NY] Feb. 23, 1842. He was adopted by and lived with his uncle, Lorenzo Shannon, a substantial farmer and old resident of the town of Leon. During the time he lived with his uncle he obtained a good English education by attendance upon the common school in the district, and in the two terms spent at Randolph Academy.

From boyhood until the age of Twenty-one he worked with his uncle on his farm, while not attending school, and engaged in teaching in the common schools in the vicinity a few terms during the latter part of the time.

In August, 1862, Mr. Shannon enlisted in Compnay B, 154th Regiment New York Volunteers, and served until the order for the general discharge of the volunteer forces.

On or about the 1st of March, 1864, having been for some time previous first sergeant, he was promoted, to the rank of first lieutenant and quartermaster of the 154th Regiment, in which capacity he served until the close of the war.

During his military service in the corps commanded by Generals Hooker and Sigel, he was in the battles of Chancellorsville, Lookout Valley, and Missionary Ridge; was in the army of General Sherman in his march throught Georgia and the Carolinas, and at the seige of Savannah.

Soon after his discharge from the army Mr. Shannon became engaged in the merchantile business in hi snative town, and soon merited the reputation of being "a successful contry merchant."

In 1868 and 1869 he was elected supervisor of the town, serving two years in that capacity, to the general satisfaction of his townsmen. He was re-elected to and served in the same office in 1875.

In the fall of 1876 he received the Republican nomination for Assemblyman from the Second district of Cattaraugus Conty, and was elected by a large majority. He was reniminated, and elected by an increased vote the following year. While in the Legislature, Mr. Shannon served on several important committees, and made a record pleasing and satisfactory to his constituents.

It is needless to say that Mr. Shannon has always been a staunch Republican, his election as representative from the strong Republican Second district of Cattaraugus County sufficiently attests that fact.

Mr. Shannon is still engaged in the merchantile business, as the head of the firm Shannon & Co., dry-goods merchants and general dealers. He was married April 15, 1866, to Miss Francelia Hunt, oldest daughter of Captain H. N. Hunt, of Leon, captain of Company K, 64th New York Volunteers.

His family at present consists of himself, wife and one daughter.

* By E. C. Durfee

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Towns and Taverns

James Dunlap erected the first store-building at Leon Centre, in 1833, on the corner opposite the Noyes tavern. In this building have been merchants, Amaziah Strong, Jenks & Cooper, Ezra W. Cooper, Cooper & Brand, Spencer Horton, J. H. Chaffee, W. O. Tyrer, and one or two others for short periods. It is present occupied by William Babcok for a furniture room. On the west corner, the second business house in the place was erected in 1843, by Ira B. Jones, and a store kept in it by Jones and Porter Dudley. In time, Edgar Shannon followed here in trade, and 1873 displaced the old house with a very good business block, which he yet occupies as a merchant




Source: History of Cattaraugus County, New York with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Some of It's Prominent Men and Pioneers, Philadelphia, L. H. Everts, 1879, Press of J. B. Lippincott & Co., Philadelphia

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