From History of Walworth County Wisconsin by Albert Clayton Beckwith, Vol. II, 
publ. 1912, Page 1412-1413
 
HENRY J. SHAVER.  It is a pleasure to meet an old settler, one who came here 
in early days when much of the Badger state was a wilderness, and then learn 
from his lips of the trials which were endured for the sake of the happy homes 
which now dot the county of Walworth.  Such a man was Henry J. SHAVER, the 
late venerable and well known merchant of Spring Prairie.  Many of his earlier 
impressions were gained in the woods of the pioneer period in this and the old 
Empire state and he related many interesting reminiscences of those times.  
The pioneers were happy.  It is singular how easily a person can adapt himself 
to any surroundings and derive comfort therefrom, and yet it fails to be at 
all singular when account is taken of the selfish desire to be comfortable.  
If we have enough to eat and enough to wear and little ahead and an outlook 
for some good books, we can manage to worry along and derive some satisfaction 
out of life.  So the old settlers were happy; they were more sociable, 
neighborly, obliging, as everyone will emphatically tell you.
 
Mr. SHAVER was born in Chautauqua county, New York, November 7, 1832, and 
there he grew to manhood and received such educational advantages as the early 
schools of the county afforded in those days.  He came to Elkhorn, Wisconsin 
in 1853.  He learned the blacksmith's trade in early life and also engaged for 
some time in the manufacture of wagons and buggies.  He was a very skilled 
workman and his services were in great demand, his vehicles owing to their 
superior quality, finding a very ready market.  He came to Spring Prairie, 
eastern Walworth county, in 1865 and engaged in blacksmithing.  He maintained 
his shop here many years, building up a wide trade with the surrounding 
country.  In 1897 he bought the store building in the village of Spring 
Prairie and he and his son, William H., engaged in the mercantile business, in 
which they were successful from the first, enjoying a liberal patronage.  Old 
age coming on, he desired to give up active business and lead a quiet life, so 
in 1910 he sold out to his son and lived in retirement in his pleasant home 
here, surrounded with the comforts of life as a result of his long years of 
close application and honest dealings with his fellow men.
 
Politically, Mr. SHAVER was a Republican, and while he was always ready to 
support any measure looking to the general welfare of the community in which 
he resided, he was not a seeker after political favors.
 
Mr. SHAVER was married in 1856 to Julia HAY, who died in Spring Prairie in 
1876.  She was the daughter of Horace M. HAY, and a native of the state of New 
York.  She came to Elkhorn, Wisconsin, in early life, with her father, who 
engaged in the mercantile business here, in fact he was one of the early 
pioneers of this section.  In 1852 he went to California, as a result of the 
gold excitement and his death occurred on the Pacific ocean the same year.  
Mrs. SHAVER's mother was known in her maidenhood as Margaret FULLER, who was 
born in New York, and whose death occurred on April 8, 1870, in Elkhorn.
 
Seven children were born to Mr. and Mrs. HAY.  Mr. and Mrs. SHAVER had two 
children.  One of the sons, William H. SHAVER, mentioned above, was born April 
8, 1870, and was educated in Spring Prairie public schools and Lawrence 
University.  In early life he learned the blacksmith's trade, took up 
merchandising at Spring Prairie some fifteen years ago and here maintains his 
store, carrying a carefully selected stock of general merchandise and enjoying 
a good trade with the surrounding country, having always done an increasing 
business.  Politically, he is a Republican, but not an active partisan.  He 
was married in 1894 to Ada E. COLE and they have two children, Lyle and 
Warren.  Julius, the other child, died in infancy.
 
The first wife of Henry J. SHAVER died in 1876 and in 1878 he was united in 
marriage with Martha M. HAY, a sister of his former wife, and to this second 
union one daughter was born, Mabel I., who married Herbert E. BALL, and they 
have one child, Robert K.  Mr. SHAVER died March 29, 1912.
 
Submitted by Carol