Find A Grave Memorial# 30890815
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Published Biographical Sketch of Albert C. Shope
ALBERT C. SHOPE, one of the well-known citizens of Buchanan County, who has been one of the successful farmers of Platte township, and now lives practically retired on his farm in section 24, township 55, range 34, consisting of 56 acres of fine land.
The Shope family is of German extraction, but as far back as the grandfather its members have been of Virginia birth. John Shope served in the War of 1812, and was a large property owner in Virginia. His son, James Shope, was born near Lynchburg, Virginia, August 12, 1812, and was a small boy when his parents removed to Scioto County, Ohio, where he was reared and married. In 1835 he moved to Cass County, Indiana, where he followed an agricultural life and died in 1900, aged 87 years. He married Armina CHATFIELD, who was born in New York in 1813, and died in Indiana. Their four children were: Elias, who died at the age of eight years; Amy, who died in infancy; Mary Ann, wife of William P. Chick, of Scioto County, Ohio, and Albert C., of this sketch. Our subject has a half brother, Emmett Shope, of Cass County, Indiana, by his father’s second marriage. James Shope was always a stanch supporter of the principles of the Democratic party.
Albert C. Shope was 12 years old when his parents left Ohio and his education was then about completed. After settling in Indiana he assisted his father in farming and in operating a steam thresher until the opening of the Civil War. At that time he did not long hesitate between the call of his country and his own personal advantage, but offered his services as a private, enlisting August 16, 1861, in Company A, 39th Reg. Indiana Vol. Inf., under Col. Thomas Harrison, who belonged to the distinguished Harrison family which has figured so prominently in the affairs of the country; in fact, he was a cousin of the late President Benjamin Harrison. Under Capt. Horace Blake, Company A was assigned to duty in the Army of the Cumberland, and the list of battles in which our subject fought for his flag and country includes those of the greatest importance in the whole period of the war. At Shiloh; Perryville, Kentucky; Stone River, Tennessee; Deccord’s Ford; Chickamauga; Lookout Mountain; Missionary Ridge; Buzzard’s Roost; and in numerous skirmishes, marches, hardships and dangers, Mr. Shope did his duty as a true and loyal soldier. After the battle of Stone River, he was transferred to the mounted infantry, under General Wilder, but later was changed again, to the Eighth Regiment, Indiana Cavalry, under General Kilpatrick, and under this gallant soldier our subject remained until his honorable discharge on August 24, 1864. He has an enviable record, having been with his regiment at every roll-call, although after the battle of Perryville he was disabled on account of performing picket duty in a terrific snow-storm. Confined to an ambulance for two days, he refused to leave the regiment and returned to active duty when many a less courageous man would have rested in a hospital. This exposure resulted in a kind of muscular rheumatism of the back, which entitles him to his pension of $60 a month. He went out of the service a private, although he had been offered promotion.
At the end of his military service, he returned to Indiana, where he continued to farm for a time and was then led to take an interest in the rich farming sections of Kansas. He finally invested $900 in a quarter section of land in Sumner County, Kansas, and established his family there. This proved a most unfortunate move as that year the scourge of grasshoppers came upon Kansas and the crop which he had worked so hard to raise was entirely destroyed. Discouraged by this misfortune, he decided to remove from that locality and, as he found a good opportunity to trade his quarter section of land in that State for a quarter section in Buchanan County, Missouri, he settled here. Prior to the consummation of this deal, however, he had removed to Platte County, Missouri, and secured employment which paid him $1 a day and he worked for three years at these wages for one employer. Subsequently he traded his quarter section of land for his present farm of 56 acres in section 24, township 55, range 34. Misfortune again attended him in his new home. On July 29, 1898, one of those mysterious atmospheric conditions arose in his locality, which soon developed into a cyclone of terrific force, and, as his farm was immediately in its path, complete devastation was left behind, and the lives of himself and family were preserved only by their providently sheltering themselves in the cellar of their home.
Space forbids extended mention of the great loss sustained by Mr. Shope in this terrible visitation, or lengthened comment upon the courage with which this old soldier, who had bravely faced the enemy’s bullets, began to rebuild his home from the very bottom. Everything had been swept away, residence, barns, fences, crops and stock, including two horses, three cows, 14 head of hogs, 400 chickens and 100 turkeys. His land was left him, but that was all, but still not all, for his courage remained and his native genius for almost any kind of work. He understood carpentering and had operated a steam threshing machine and a sawmill prior to the cyclone, and he soon had rebuilt and restocked his place. He does general farming now and raises some stock, but the greater part of the work is delegated to younger hands.
On May 5, 1863, Mr. Shope was married to Ann Noel, who was born in Vigo County, Indiana, five miles from Terre Haute on September 14. 1838, and is a daughter of Isaiah and Eliza (Tritt) Noel, the former of whom was born in Kentucky and the latter in Virginia, both of whom died in Indiana.
Prior to coming to Missouri, Mr. Shope voted with the Republican party, but since locating here has been led to change his views and is now identified with the Democratic party. As a man of experience and intelligence, he has always taken great interest in public affairs and his efficiency has been recognized on many occasions with proffers of political position, but he has never been willing to accept any local office except in connection with the township schools. Upon one occasion he was put forward as his party’s legislative candidate in the Third Legislative District, but was defeated by Mr. Stewart, a very prominent man in the county whose personal following was large.
For many years Mr. Shope has been connected with the Masonic fraternity and has always continued in good standing. He is an honored member of Edgerton Post, Grand Army of the Republic.
From on line records at Ancestry.com: mtaftj21 15 Feb 2015
Source: History of Buchanan County and the City of St. Joseph
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1930 Census had Albert living at the Veteran's home at Fort Leavenworth. He was a veteran of the Civil War, Company A, 8th Indiana Calvary.
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USA Veterans Administration Pension Payment Cards
Name Albert C Shope
Event Type Pension
Event Date 1907-1933
Event Place USA
Form Type Army Invalid
Death Date 17 Apr 1930
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USA Census, 1870
Name: Albert Shope
Event Place: Indiana
Gender: Male
Age: 27
Race: White
Birth Year (Estimated): 1842-1843
Birthplace: Ohio
Page Number: 143
Household Role Gender Age Birthplace
Albert Shope M 27 Ohio
Ann Shope F 31 Indiana
Mary C Shope F 5 Indiana
Grace Shope F 1 Indiana
Dudly Nelson M 13 Indiana
Geo W Sheets M 20 Ohio
Household ID: 18 , Line Number: 10 , GS Film number: 000545801 , Digital Folder Number: 004263287 , Image Number: 00205
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USA Census, 1880
Name: A C Shope
Event Place: Platte, Buchanan, Missouri
Gender: Male
Age: 38
Marital Status: Married
Race: White
Occupation: Farmer
Relationship to Head of Household: Self
Birth Year (Estimated): 1842
Birthplace: Ohio
Father's Birthplace: Ohio
Mother's Birthplace: Ohio
Household Role Gender Age Birthplace
A C Shope Self M 38 Ohio
Ann Shope Wife F 42 Indiana
May Shope Dau F 16 Indiana
Grace Shope Dau F 11 Indiana
Peter Noel Brother-in-law M 27 Indiana
District: 77 , Sheet Number and Letter: 483B , GS Film Number: 1254675 , Digital Folder Number: 004241872 , Image Number: 00770
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USA Census, 1900
Name: Abert C Shope
Event Place: Platte Township, Buchanan, Missouri
Gender: Male
Age: 58
Marital Status: Married
Race: White
Relationship to Head of Household: Head
Years Married: 36
Birth Date: Apr 1842
Birthplace: Ohio
Marriage Year (Estimated): 1864
Father's Birthplace: Kentucky
Mother's Birthplace: New York
Household Role Gender Age Birthplace
Abert C Shope Head M 58 Ohio
Anne Shope Wife F 62 Indiana
District: 37 , Sheet Number and Letter: 6B , Household ID: 115 , Line Number: 68 , GS Film Number: 1240841 , Digital Folder Number: 004118758 , Image Number: 00206
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USA Census, 1910
Name: Abert C Shope
Event Place: Platte, Buchanan, Missouri
Gender: Male
Age: 68
Marital Status: Married
Race: White
Relationship to Head of Household: Head
Birth Year (Estimated): 1842
Birthplace: Ohio
Father's Birthplace: Kentucky
Mother's Birthplace: New York
Household Role Gender Age Birthplace
Abert C Shope Head M 68 Ohio
Ann Shope Wife F 71 Indiana
District: 39 , Sheet Number and Letter: 5B , Household ID: 109 , GS Film number: 1374785 , Digital Folder Number: 004330355 , Image Number: 00798
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USA Census, 1930
Name: Albert C Shope
Event Place: Delaware, Leavenworth, Kansas
Gender: Male
Age: 88
Marital Status: Widowed
Race: White
Birth Year (Estimated): 1842
Birthplace: Ohio
Father's Birthplace: Kentucky
Mother's Birthplace: New York
District: 0004 , Sheet Number and Letter: 2A , Line Number: 32 , GS Film number: 2340442 , Digital Folder Number: 004584463 , Image Number: 00874
