John G. Shryock

    John C. Shryock is a native of Boone County, Kentucky, his birth occurring November 7, 1830. He is the third of nine children born to Valentine J. and Mary (George) Shryock. The grandparents moved to Kentucky at an early day, locating at Lexington. The father when a young man went to Boone County, Kentucky, where his marriage occurred in 1824. He worked at the carpenter's trade for about fifteen years, and then engaged in the manufacture of chewing tobacco, continuing until 1848, when he moved to Greene County, Indiana, and remained on a farm until 1853, when he moved to Posey County and engaged in farming until 1862, when he came to Folsomville, this county (Warrick), and purchased a large tract of farming land in Owen Township, and resided there until his death, March 2, 1881. His wife died in Posey County August 8, 1862.

    Our subject passed his youth in Kentucky without noteworthy event, receiving a fair education, and came with his parents to Greene County, this State, where his marriage with Miss Sarah J. Utterback occurred August 5, 1851. Her parents came form Boone County, Kentucky, to Greene County, this State, soon after the removal of the Shryocks.

    Soon after his marriage our subject engaged in the manufacture of chewing tobacco and farming in Greene County, but in 1856 removed to Posey County, where he bought a farm, upon which he lived about two years and then moved to Mount Vernon, Indiana, and again began to manufacture chewing tobacco. In November, 1859, he came to Folsomville, this county, and engaged in the leaf tobacco and general merchandising business. He bought a large tract of land there, some of which he yet owns. In 1873 he opened the same business in Boonville, but soon sold out and returned to Folsomville. In 1880 he returned to Boonville, where he now lives a somewhat retired life. He owns the factory at Folsomville, superintended by his son-in-law, Marion Folsom. The firm handles 500,000 pounds of tobacco annually. He owns 500 acres of land and other valuable property.

    He has three children, two living: Mrs. Marion Folsom and Emma C. He is a Republican and Odd Fellow. His wife is a member of the Methodist Church. The county has no better citizen.

Source: History of Warrick, Spencer, and Perry Counties, Indiana, By: Goodspeed Bros. & Co., 1885.