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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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