Re: Shuster PA through IN
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In reply to:
Re: Shuster PA through IN
1/15/02
Thanks for your reply Dotti,
You are already taking steps, to solve some of the Shuster Family ancestoral mysteries. My first suggestion would be to write down all that you know or even have heard already, about your branch of the Shuster family. Second, would be to attempt to find relevant references through historical documentation, that may tie your more immediate generations of Shusters, to earlier generations. There is a wealth of Shuster history in the Westmoreland County History books, to be found in the libraries of that county in SW PA. Below is some data, from my branch of the Shuster Tree, but is only a portion, of what's to be found there.
There are many other possible sources of geneological information, through recorded births, marraiges,
deaths, many with names of the preceding generations
of parents and grandparents. Family bibles, old letters,
diaries, journals and other written documents.
I do not currently have the extra time and resource to return to that area and copy all the Shuster information, to be found. But,I am in touch with a James Shuster, living in Maryland, who may indeed be a direct relative from a common Great-Great Grandfather in Westmoreland County, PA.
James tells me his branch has an annual reunion there each Fall.....Another recent contact, also through this forum, is a lady looking for a George Shuster...I have e-mailed her that my dad had a great uncle named George, who's birth and death dates may be the same as the one for which she is searching....and so it goes...
I remember hearing from my dad's older sisters about uncles, aunts, cousins who moved west to Indiana, Nebraska, one to Canada and yet others who went south...
Who knows where they all went??
Truth is, somebody knows and we just need a few breaks, to get the answers.
OK now for the excerpt from Westmorland County History.
Remember, I wrote only what I though pertainent back in the '80s, now wishing I had it all. I look forward to further communication "cousin"??:-)
Richard G. Shuster
[email protected]
SHUSTER FAMILY SEARCH
PATERNAL
Prepared by Richard G. Shuster
12/03/88
At least sixth generation of Shusters born in the U.S.A.
(Edward Russel Jr., William Steele and Richard Gregg).
The earliest substantiated by family record was
Issac Shuster who was born in Westmoreland County , Pennsvlvania in
1788 and died in 1859. Family lore indicates his parents came to western
Penna., from southeastern Penna. and his mother (or grandmother) was Welch born
of a family named Johns. Issac's paternal origins were of Austrian ancestry and
were driven out of the Austrian Alps, in the 1500's. According to lore, the
Austrian Shusters had embraced Martin Luther`s protest and as a result were
persecuted, by their Catholic neighbors. This persecution would start a 200
year emigration through Europe and to the New World.
Emigration to the New World (U.S.A.) took a wandering path through Germany,
France (Alsace Lorraine Region), the Dutch Netherlands, Wales and England
before crossing the Atlantic, to America. It is unknown the specifics of that
period of time but it is believed several generations passed in the Netherlands.
The Shuster family name origin is likely to be from the Shooter or
Shootist, indicating a Warrior or Hunter, as evidenced by the Bow and Arrow on
the coat of arms (Austrian and Holland Dutch). Some discussion that the
Shuster name is a derivation of the Schummacher or Cobbler (Boot and Shoe
Maker) appears only to have merit if the origin was German not Austrian.
This paternal lineage starting with Issac Shuster (1788/1859) and his wife
Anna Blose (1786/1882) provides recorded uninterrupted family history that can
be verified by public history. (Refer to the "History of Westmoreland County",
for the 1788 to 1905 period spanning four generations, of native U.S.A born Shusters.)
Gen. 1; Issac Shuster,
Gen.2; William Garrett Shuster,
Gen. 3; William Irwin Shuster, and
Gen. 4. Edward Russell Shuster (Senior),
William Irwin Shuster.Among the active and successful businessmen of the
town of Jeannette, Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, may be mentioned the name
of William I. Shuster, son of William Garrett and Sophia (Smail) Shuster, and
grandson on the paternal side of ISSAC SHUSTER, who was born in Westmoreland
county, Pennsylvania in 1788 and died in 1859. He was an industrious and
prosperous farmer and a member and Deacon of the Evangelical Lutheran church
of Greensburg. His wife, whose maiden name was Anna Blose, was born in 1786,
died in 1882, and was mother of ten children, as follows:
Elizabeth, Married Jacob Shutt
Joseph, George, Daniel, John
Ann, married Michael Kepple
Sarah, Married Christian Huffman.
William Garrett
Isaiah
Eli (died at age 18)
The maternal grandfather of William I. Shuster was Captain John Smail, who was
born February 15, 1804, in Hempfield township, son of Peter and Sophia Smail,
natives of Northampton county, Pennsylvania, who emigrated to Westmoreland
county near the close of the last century. He was a farmer by occupation, and
derived his title of captain from his election to that position in the "Brush
Creek Militia." He married Catherine Huber, who bore him twelve children,
seven of whom grew to maturity and resided in Westmoreland county.
WILLIAM GARRETT SHUSTER, (father) was born in Hempfield township,
Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, April 5, 1834. He was educated in the common
schools of the neighborhood, and began his active career as a farmer, later
engaging in stock dealing and butchering, all of which lines he pursued
successfully for about two decades. In 1864 he removed to Harrison City where
he purchased forty acres of land underlaid with coal and limestone, a tannery,
two dwelling houses, and a general mercantile store which he successfully
conducted. He also engaged in the undertaking business for twenty years, and in
all these varied enterprises achieved a large degree of financial prosperity.
He served fifteen years as school director, three terms as assessor, a similar
period as treasurer, twice as tax collector of Penn township, county auditor,
to which he was elected in 1875, and poor house director, serving from 1883 to
1886. He was a deacon in Brush Creek Lutheran church for eighteen years, and
later became a member of the Lutheran church at Harrison City. He was a member
of Manor Lodge, No. 90, A.O. of U. W., and Harrison City Lodge, No. 112, K and
L. of H. William G. Shuster married, March 1, 1855, Sophia Smail, daughter of
Captain John and Catherine (Huber) Smail, of Hempfield township,
aforementioned, and they had six children; four of whom are as follows:
William Irwin
Emery M.
Anna, married A.M. Hoey
Solomon G.
WILLIAM IRWIN SHUSTER, was born in Hempfield township, Westmoreland
county, Pennsylvania, March 11, 1859. He attended the public schools in the
vicinity of his home until about nineteen years of age, his parents having
removed from his native township to Harrison City in 1864, and after attaining
his twelfth birthday his leisure time was devoted to clerking in his father`s
general mercantile store in Harrison City. In June 1902 , he removed to the
town of Jeannette and at once engaged in the real estate business, establishing
an office for the conduct of the same where he attended to all the various
branches, including life accident and fire insurance. (HISTORY 1905 VINTAGE,
1905 to 1945 not included). William I. Shuster was well known for his
integrity, honorable business transactions, and executive ability. He was an
active member of the Lutheran church for seventy years and served as trustee of
Holy Trinity Evangelical Lutheran church for many years. He was a Democrat in politics.
He married February 14, 1884, Sarah Jane, daughter of Ezra and Catherine Sarver, of Harrison City.
Their children were as follows:
Morris Otis, born November 11, 1884
Pearl May, born July 18, 1886
Mary Catherine, born October 27, 1888, died January 12, 1889
Hetty Mabel, September 18, 1890, died July 15, 1891
Clara Irene, born June 16, 1892
Eula Marie, born November 14, 1896
Ethyl Margaret, (Marg) born December 23, 1899
Edward Russell Shuster (Senior), born May 28, 1902
(Father of Edward Russell Shuster Jr., William Steele Shuster and Richard Gregg Shuster).
EDWARD RUSSELL SHUSTER, was born at Harrison City, Westmoreland county,
Pennsylvania, May 28, 1902. At age one month, along with his family removed to
Jeannette, Pa. where he was reared, by his parents William I. Shuster and Sarah
Jane (Sarver) Shuster. He attended public schools, of the community and
attended Holy Trinity Lutheran church. During his school years he participated
in sports with basketball being his favorite. He was an industrious youth
performing his expected household chores and from age nine involved himself in
selling of candies and newspaper delivery, to earn savings and spending money.
At age seventeen, he removed to Bellefonte, Centre county, Pennsylvania, to
attend college prepatory classes at Bellefonte Academy, for the period from
1918 to 1920. While a prep. school student, he was also involved in music and
played the C Melody saxophone, in the original "Pennsylvanians", later to
become a popular dance orchestra under the leadership of Fred and Tom Waring.
In 1920, he returned to Jeannette to become involved in the then family
business, Shuster-Gormley Wholesale/Retail Groceries and General Mercantile.
until the 1929 Stock Market Crash. During this period, Shuster-Gormley became a
major purveyor of foods and sundries to a three state area (Pa., Ohio & W.Va.)
and established the first supermarket chain, under the brand name White Goose.
After the market crash, like many other businesses, Shuster-Gormley ceased to
operate due to the losses incurred.
Edward R. Shuster soon found employment with the Atlantic and Pacific Tea
Company and assisted them in establishing A & P stores and route sales programs. After several years, organized criminal elements infiltrated the A & P organization and Edward chose to remove himself from that affiliation.
Throughout the years to follow, Edward pursued a career of Sales endeavors,
until his death, in 1971, at age 68.
In the early 1930s, Edward married a Grace Beech of Apollo, Pa. The marriage
was short lived and dissolved without children, within one year's time. He
would later marry again and enjoy a family, with three sons (Edward Jr.,
William & Richard).
On August 6th, 1936 Edward R. Shuster married Virginia Margarette Gregg,
daughter of John Andrew Gregg and Margaret Emma (Steele) Gregg, then of the
town of Indiana, Indiana county, Pennsylvania.
Edward and Virginia were married in West Virginia (Either Wheeling or
Winchester, W. Va.). That year they removed to Madison, Dane county, Wisconsin
where their first son was born on December 19, 1937 (Edward R. Shuster, Jr.).
In 1938, they decided to return to Pennsylvania and took up residence at
Rochester, Beaver county, Pennsylvania, for a short time. Later moving to
Zelienople, Butler county, Pennsylvania. While living in that community, the
next two sons were born. On February 15, 1943 William Steele Shuster was born,
at St. Francis Hospital in Pittsburgh, Allegheny county, Pennsylvania. On
November 7, 1944 Richard Gregg Shuster was born, also at St. Francis Hospital
in Pittsburgh, Allegheny county, Pennsylvania. The family continued to reside
at the Zelienople home until October 1946 when they purchased a home at Union
City, Erie County, Pennsylvania, where they would reside, to rear their children to adulthood.
Edward Russell Shuster Sr. died January 6, 1971, at Union City, Pa. and is
buried there in the Evergreen Cemetery Annex on Concord Street, next to his wife, Virginia.
Virginia Margarette Gregg (Virginia Gregg Shuster) died October 19, 1970, at
Union City, Pa. and is buried there in the Evergreen Cemetery.
SHUSTER FAMILY SEARCH
Prepared by Richard G. Shuster
12/04/88