My Genealogy Hound

WARD SHUE, a native of Pennsylvania, was born in 1849. His father, E. H. Shue, was born in 1812, in New York State, whence he moved, when a young man, to Wayne county, Pa. He was a successful farmer, and for years was a deacon and ruling-elder in the Presbyterian church. In politics he was a republican. About 1881, while visiting our subject, he was taken sick, and a short time after returning to his home in Pennsylvania, passed away to his long home. Vashti (Wright) Shue, the mother of Ward Shue, was born in Pennsylvania, in 1820, and for some time was a school teacher. In 1848 she was married to E. H. Shue, to whom she bore four children, namely — Ward, Nancy A., Elizabeth P., who died young, and Edward A., who died in 1881.

Ward Shue was reared a farmer and was educated at Deposit Academy. He taught school for a while, and at the age of twenty-six went to Iowa. In 1878 he came to Nebraska and settled in Kearney county, on section 34, township 7, range 16 west. For some time after arriving here he was engaged in teaching, often being away from home a week at a time, leaving his newly-wedded wife alone, half a mile from a neighbor, and seeing no human being except her husband for weeks at a time. His worldly possessions on reaching Nebraska were very limited, but he now owns a quarter section of well stocked and well improved land. He has always made it a rule of his life not to go in debt for anything, and to this rule he attributes much of his success. In politics he is a republican and a prohibitionist.

In 1878 Mr. Shue married Miss Amelia Vaupel, an estimable German lady, who was born in 1855, and who was left an orphan at the age of seven years. Her father was George Vaupel, a native of the city of Hanover, Germany, and a tailor by trade. Her mother was Minnie (Bergmuller) Vaupel, also a native of Germany, who bore her husband five children, namely — Anna, now teaching in Brooklyn, N. Y., and who has traveled through Europe, studied French in Paris, and who has given lessons in French and German for years; Mary, now Mrs. Reynolds; Amelia, now Mrs. Shue; Minnie and Antoinette, who died in infancy. To Mr. and Mrs. Ward Shue have been born four children, as follows — Emma Elizabeth, who died when young; Anna Althea; Minnie Vashti, who died last winter of scarlet fever; and Eddie Ezra. Upon the death of Minnie, her uncle, Mr. Reynolds, wrote the following touching lines:

Dear Minnie is dead!
So gentle and beautiful,
Loving and dutiful —
Her last prayer is said.

So trusting and mild,
So sweet in her purity
She rests in security.
By sin undefiled.

But God’s way is best!
We give her up tearfully,
Yet think of her cheerfully
In heaven at rest.