Will County ILGenWeb Biographies..... 
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File contributed for use by:
Dori Leekly & Margie Glenn

Author: History of Will County, Illinois; Chicago: Wm LeBaron Jr & Co, 186 Dearborn Street, 1878.

Joseph SHIRK, farmer and stock dealer, Sec. 29; P. O. Wilmington; owns 318 acres, valued at 
$30,000; born Aug. 17, 1819, in Washington, Penn.; moved with his parents and family to 
Franklin Co., Ind., in 1824; thence to Parke Co., Ind., in 1828, with all his father's 
family, consisting of seven boys and seven girls. Married Margaret LINTON July 18, 1841, 
in Parke Co., Ind.; she was born in Crawford Co., IL, in 1824; they moved to Will Co, IL, 
in 1854; had five children - David L., Emily J., Joseph N., Sarah O. and William H. Mrs. 
SHIRK died here March 5, 1854. Married for his second wife Mary A. BROWN Dec. 15, 1854; 
she was born in 1829 in Parke Co., Ind.; had four children by second marriage - Andrew 
J., Alice, Albert and Isabell. Mr. SHIRK's grandfather was born on the Alps, Switzerland, 
and emigrated to this country on the breaking-out of the Revolution with fifteen of his 
relatives, who settled in what is now Washington Co., Penn.; he was in the Revolution, 
participating in the battles of Trenton and Yorktown, at the latter being wounded in the 
heel so as to cripple him for life. At Mr. SHIRK's residence may be seen the discharge 
from service of his grandfather in Gen. Washington's own hand-writing; he died in 
Franklin Co., Ind., at the advanced age of 81 years. Mr. SHIRK's father (David) was a 
soldier in the war of 1812, under Capt. Armstrong, whose discharge Mr. SHIRK has also 
as a relic; he (David) died in Parke Co., Ind., at the age of 73 years.