Will County ILGenWeb Biographies..... 
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.

************************************************

File contributed for use by:
Dori Leekly & Margie Glenn

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

M. W. SHURTS, railroad contractor, Joliet; was born in Hunterdon, Co., N. J., Aug. 29, 1820; 
in 1846, he left New York for California, being a member of the Ist N. Y. Regt. I. V., raised 
for the Mexican war, Col. J. D. STEVENS commanding; they were five months and eight days 
making the voyage, and on reaching San Francisco, theirs was the only vessel in the harbor; 
at that date, there were just six houses in the now prosperous city of San Francisco, and 
these were unworthy the name; the regiment was not actively engaged in the war, though it 
made several excursions after the Indians; in 1849, he returned to New York, occupying seven 
months on the eastern passage; in 1850, he came West, and located in Fulton Co.,. Ill., 
where he engaged in various pursuits; in 1859, he returned Fast, and subsequently went to 
Virginia; here he contracted on the Richmond & York River R. R.; afferward, he contracted 
work on Long Island and on the south side of Long Island; in 1870, he again came West, and 
subsequently went to Texas and engaged two years in railroading; he built 240 miles of the 
Houston & Texas Central R. R.; in 1875, he made a trip to Europe, and since then has spent 
much time in pleasure seeking. His first wife was Agnes HAGEMAN, a native of New Jersey; 
his second marriage was to Maria SIMONDS, a native of New York State. For the past few years 
Mr. SHURTS has led a retired life, and is now devoting himself to the improvement of his 
farm, near the limits of the city, on which he hopes to lead a quiet and happy life during 
his declining years.