Joseph Shultz, a retired farmer, settled in North Dixon in 1880 after moving from South Dixon Township, where he had farmed successfully since 1864. Born in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, on May 30, 1819, he was the son of Conrad Shultz, who had German ancestry. Joseph’s first wife, Catherine Hannah, died young, leaving him with thirteen children, of whom four survived. He later married Maria McCloskey, who bore him three children. Joseph was active in the Evangelical Association and served as Justice of the Peace, aligning with the Republican Party throughout his life.
Joseph Shultz, who is a retired farmer, now living in North Dixon, has made this his place of residence since the winter of 1880, at which time he came from South Dixon Township, where he had been engaged for some years as a successful farmer. He became a resident of the latter place in the fall of 1864, coming there from Somerset County, Pennsylvania, in which county he was born, May 30, 1819. He lived there until forty-five years of age, when he came to Illinois.
The father of our subject, Conrad Shultz, was also a native of Somerset County, and came of German parentage on his father’s side, his mother being of English descent. His paternal grandfather, John Shultz, came from Germany when young, settling in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, in an early day before the Revolutionary War, in which he served as a soldier. He followed the occupation of a farmer and died at a good old age. He was a Lutheran in his religious belief. The grandmother of our subject, whose maiden name was Mary Sample, was a native of England, emigrating when young to America and settling in Delaware and from there to Somerset County, Pennsylvania, where she spent the remainder of her life, surviving her husband for some years and dying at the advanced age of eighty-five. She also was a member of the Lutheran Church.
Conrad Shultz was one of a family of four sons and two daughters. He was born in 1780, and followed the calling of a farmer in his native county, where he spent his entire life, and died when about seventy-three years of age. He was married in Somerset County to Miss Catherine Kooser, who was born and reared in that county, her parents being of German descent. She died when seventy-six years of age. She and her husband were members of the Lutheran Church from their early childhood. Of the family of this worthy couple but two children survive—our subject and his sister, Mrs. Henrietta Thaler, who resides in Somerset County, Pennsylvania.
Joseph Shultz was reared to manhood in his native county and was there married to Miss Catherine Hannah, who was born and reared in that county, where she died at the age of forty-two years. She left a family of thirteen children, four of whom are living. One daughter, Minerva, died after her marriage to Augustus Dorsey, and the birth of a family of children, while a resident of Nebraska; her husband is now living in Kansas. David married Miss Fannie Bagley and they reside in Mills County, Iowa; Norman, whose wife was Miss Addie McPherron, is a farmer in Fremont County, Iowa; George married Miss Addie Fritz and is a hardware dealer in Imogene, Fremont County, Iowa; Mary E., who became the wife of James Kingston, resides on a farm in York County, Nebraska. The mother of these children was a most estimable woman and a worthy member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Our subject was again united in marriage to Miss Maria McCloskey, who was born in Elk Lick Township, Somerset County, Pennsylvania, April 10, 1840, and was the daughter of Thomas and Alice (Johnson) McCloskey. Her father was born in the North of Ireland and came of sturdy Scotch-Irish stock. His wife was of American birth and of Scotch ancestry and their marriage took place in Pennsylvania. He was a fuller by trade and died in Somerset County, at the age of seventy-one years. His wife, who was many years younger than himself, departed this life when sixty-eight years old. She was a member of the Methodist Church.
The present wife of our subject is one of six children, who are all that survive of a large family. She was carefully reared by her parents and given a good home training and an excellent education. She was the mother of three children, two of whom are deceased, Richard dying at the age of fourteen years and William when six years old. The daughter, Sarah Alice, is the wife of Marion Sneed. They reside in Dixon, and are the parents of one child, named Kathleen L. Sneed. Mr. Shultz and his family are members of the Evangelical Association. In politics he is a stanch Republican and has for a number of years held the office of Justice of the Peace.