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JACOB W. SHUTT, farmer, section thirty-five post office Virden, was the son of Jacob and Elizabeth (Wagoner) Shutt; was born in Sangamon county, Illinois, on the 10th day of October 1834. His father was of German descent, and was born in North Carolina; mother a native of Georgia, born July 31, 1799. In 1810, came to Muhlenburg, Kentucky, where they were married. There were thirteen children, ten of whom lived to be men and women. In 1829, they emigrated to Sangamon county, where he bought a small piece of land of a man by the name of Black. Being in limited circumstances, he had to commence at the bottom and work up. Mr. S. accumulated a fine property prior to his death, owning five hundred acres of valuable prairie. He died in 1856. He had to put up with all the privations of the pioneers, going to Springfield and St. Louis with his grain and to do his trading, with ox teams. When coming from St. Louis, was overtaken by the darkness, and lost his way, and had to remain until morning. The country was full of wolves at that time, and it was anything but pleasant to lie and hear the wolves how.
Jacob W. was reared on a farm, and received an elementary school education. When twenty-one years of age, went to work for himself. When twenty-six, he married Miss Susan C. Gates, daughter of Daniel Gates, of Kentucky. By this marriage, there were six children, one of which died in infancy. The living are as follows: Laura C., Charles M., Elizabeth L., Amos E., Phineas E. Mrs. S. died April 1, 1873. For his second wife, married Miss Fannie Bevins, of Kentucky, where she was born in 1844. By this union, there were three children, two of whom, James J. and Lewis B., are still living. Mr. S. has one hundred and twenty acres of land, all of which is under a high state of cultivation, with a fine home, valued at $10,000. He has been identified with the county all his life, and has seen all its various changes.