Source: Archives.org
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Biographical Review
Shinn Family
SAMUEL SHINN, who is or was a merchant, none the less respected because retired, of the town of Port Norris, N.J., and who is also the owner of the ice plant of this place, was born on the 20th of April, 1827, in Mauricetown, Cumberland County. He is a son of the late Allen R. and Abigail (Compton) Shinn. The grandfather of Mr. Shinn, of whom this slight biography is written, was also named Samuel. He was a resident of Mount Holly, N.J., during his whole life. He was accidentally killed here while he was working on the road one day, prying out the stump of a tree. His tool slipped and struck him on the forehead, killing him instantly. He left but one child — Allen R., the father of the present Samuel Shinn.
Allen R. Shinn was but a very young boy when the sad accident occurred, having been born on the first day of January, 1801, in the town of Mount Holly. There he continued to live until he was twenty years of age, when he went with a Mr. Marmaduke Taylor, a Quaker, to Mauricetown, then a very small community. After working for some time on Mr. Taylor’s farm, Mr. Shinn married and settled down on a farm which he bought at Haleyville, where he spent his life in the pursuit of agriculture. He died in 1885, at the age of eighty-four years, his wife, Abigail, having preceded him into the valley of the shadow of death on April 28, 1873. She was a daughter of Mr. Gilbert Compton, of Haleyville, Cumberland County. Her father was one of the most prominent and well-to-do residents of Haleyville in its early days, being an extensive wood dealer there. He was also a ship-owner, and shipped his lumber to Philadelphia in his own vessels, acquiring a moderate competence in this business. Apart from these interests he engaged at the same time in farming, combining the busy life of trade with the quiet existence of a farmer very happily.
In politics Mr. Allen R. Shinn was a stanch Whig while the party lasted. Afterward he became a Republican, remaining true to the old tenets of his former party. During the latter part of his life he was the incumbent of various local offices. He and his wife had ten children, namely: Elizabeth, who died the wife of Mr. Whitfield Shropshire, of Cumberland County; Samuel, the subject of this sketch; Ann, who is the widow of Mr. James Robbins, an early resident of Gloucester County, later of Millville; Jacob, who was a member of Company H, Twenty-fourth New York Volunteer Infantry, and was killed at the first battle of Fredericksburg during the late war; Ichabod, who lived in his native town until forty years of age, but who is now a merchant in Burlington, N.J. ; Mary Jane, who died in childhood, aged six years; Sarah, who is the wife of David McElwee, of Haleyville; Mary, now dead, who was the wife of George W. Sharp; Jane, the widow of Levi Sharp, a native of Vineland, but who was a resident of Haleyville until his death; and Allen R., Jr., at the present time Sheriff of the county. Mr. and Mrs. Allen R. Shinn, St., were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Haleyville.
Samuel Shinn received a common-school education, and also studied at home on his father’s farm until he was fifteen years of age, when, as his father had a large family to support, he decided to begin to earn his own living, and went off to work for a neighboring farmer. His first independent labor was driving a team and carting, and he continued to work at this and at similar odd jobs for several years. Almost as soon as he came of age, he married Miss Phoebe Ann Ladow, of Dividing Creek, and with his young wife made his first home at Mauricetown. There he took up the trade of a house carpenter, at which he worked for a few years. At the end of this period of carpentering he bought out the general merchandise store of Dallas L. Compton, at Haleyville, and carried on the business for himself very successfully for some length of time. When there was talk of the railroad coming to the adjacent town of Port Norris, with rare foresight Mr. Shinn sold out his establishment at Haleyville, and bought a store at Port Norris. The railroad not being then constructed to that point, he was obliged to cart some of his merchandise all the way from Cedarville and Millville, and to transport a portion by water. He continued in business in Port Norris for twenty-four years, becoming the oldest business man of the town. For this long term of years lie was as successful in his trade as he was clear-headed; and he has always been recognized as the head of the mercantile business in Port Norris, as he was its pioneer. On January 20, 1888, he sold out to Mr. J. O. Heritage, rightfully considering that, as he had acquired comparative wealth by his untiring industry, and being, moreover, more than sixty years of age, it was only fair that he should rest quietly from his labors and enjoy their fruits for the remainder of his life.
Mr. Shinn lost his wife on November 11, 1891. She left two children — Mary Jane and Anna. After the death of her mother, Mary Jane, who is the wife of Captain Lucius E. Yates, moved with her husband into her father’s beautiful home. Mr. and Mrs. Yates are the parents of three children — George Christie, Phoebe, and Maggie. Anna Shinn is now the wife of Mr. Milton H. Cox, of the firm of Cox Brothers & Co., of Bridgeton.
They have three children — Mary Y. ; Milton, Jr. ; and Hannah. Amanda, another daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Shinn, died in her youth, at the age of five years and eleven days. Although Mr. Shinn has retired from business he will not consent to remain entirely inactive, and to occupy his time he puts up ice winters and supplies the whole town with this commodity. His handsome house, which he built some twelve or thirteen years ago, stands on the corner of Main and High Streets, and is worthily accounted one of the finest in the town of Port Norris, attracting the eye as it does, even at sonic distance, with its smooth cement walks and shade trees. Besides his dwelling-place, he also owns his old store building, which he once occupied.
Mr. Shinn has been a most active supporter of the Republican party and a member of the Township Committee for the last ten years or more. His fellow-citizens have chosen him a delegate to party conventions a number of times. He is a member of the Order of Knights of Pythias, Lodge No. 76, of which he is Past Chancellor; and he is also a member of Ariel Lodge, No. 56, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, being Past Grand and the representative of his lodge to the Grand Lodge. Mr. Shinn has been intimately connected with the church history of Port Norris, belonging to the Methodist Episcopal church here, in which he at one time held the office of steward. When he first came to Port Norris he was the builder of the first church here; and when that edifice was accidentally destroyed by fire he wyas again called upon and helped to build the second, being each time a member of the Building Committee. For over thirty-two years Mr. Shinn has been a loyal supporter of the church he was so instrumental in establishing, invariably7 proving himself as active as he is zealous.
Samuel SHINN 1827–1906
BIRTH 20 APR 1827 • Mauricetown, Cumberland, New Jersey, USA
DEATH 14 DEC 1906 • Commercial, Cumberland, New Jersey, United States
Age 1 — Birth of Sister Ann SHINN(1828–)
Nov 1828 • New Jersey, USA
Age 3 — Birth of Brother Jacob Compton SHINN(1830–1862)
23 Aug 1830 • Commercial, Cumberland, New Jersey, United States
Age 4 — Birth of Brother Ichabod Compton SHINN(1832–1898)
ABT 1832 • Maurice River, Cumberland, New Jersey, USA
Age 8 — Birth of Sister Sarah Sallie Compton SHINN(1836–1885)
Apr 1836 • New Jersey, USA
Age 12 — Birth of Sister Mary Jane SHINN(1840–1846)
abt 1840 • New Jersey, USA
Age 14 — Birth of Sister Mary Jane SHINN(1842–1885)
26 Mar 1842 • Haleyville, Cumberland, New Jersey, USA
Age 17 — Birth of Sister Jane L. SHINN mrd SHARP(1845–1933)
27 Mar 1845 • Haleyville, Cumberland, New Jersey, United States
Age 19 — Death of Sister Mary Jane SHINN(1840–1846)
abt 1846 • New Jersey, USA
Age 20 — Birth of Brother Allen Owen Rogers SHINN JR.(1847–1912)
13 Oct 1847 • Haleyville, Cumberland, New Jersey, United States
Age 22 — Birth of Sister Sallie SHINN(1850–)
ABT 1850 • Downe, Cumberland, New Jersey, United States
Age 35 — Death of Brother Jacob Compton SHINN(1830–1862)
30 Dec 1862 • Civil War at Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, Virginia, USA
Age 46 — Death of Mother Abigail L COMPTON(1807–1873)
28 Apr 1873 • Commerical Twp, Cumberland Co, New Jersey
Age 57 — Death of Father Allen Owen Rogers SHINN SR.(1801–1884)
31 Jul 1884 • Mauricetown, Cumberland, New Jersey, USA
Age 58 — Death of Sister Mary Jane SHINN(1842–1885)
5 Aug 1885 • Haleyville, Cumberland, New Jersey, United States
Age 58 — Death of Sister Sarah Sallie Compton SHINN(1836–1885)
Aug 1885 • Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Age 62 — Death of Sister Caroline Elizabeth SHINN(1825–1889)
21 Jul 1889 • Mauricetown, Cumberland, New Jersey, United States
Age 71 — Death of Brother Ichabod Compton SHINN(1832–1898)
1898 • Maurice River, Cumberland, New Jersey, USA
Age 79 — Death
14 Dec 1906 • Commercial, Cumberland, New Jersey, United States
Parents
Allen Owen Rogers SHINN SR. 1801–1884
Abigail L COMPTON 1807–1873