Shriver, William Ingram

The following data is extracted from A Standard History of Kansas and Kansans.

William I. Shriver. The financial interests of a section of country are exceedingly important and their healthy growth an indication of public prosperity. Directly connected with this growth are the men whose knowledge, judgment, foresight and energy are necessary in the organization and maintenance of these enterprises and in the retention of public confidence. Capital with no wise directing hand or stabilizing intellect would be useless and the results of unregulated effort would be unsubstantial and retrogressive. William I. Shriver, cashier of the Farmers and Merchants National Bank of El Dorado, is one of the men well known as a helpful force and factor in banking circles of Butler County. He had won his way, step by step, to his present position, having been continuously identified with this institution since 1898.

William Ingram Shriver was born at Bristol, Perry County, Ohio, February 25, 1846, and is a son of John and Elizabeth (Rhinchart) Shriver. The family was founded in Pennsylvania during colonial times by immigrants from Germany, and the grandparents of William I. Shriver, William and Delilah Shriver, were born in the Keystone State. William Rhinehart, the maternal grandfather of Mr. Shriver, was born in Greene County, Pennsylvania, went to Perry County, Ohio, as a pioneer, and there passed the rest of his life in agricultural pursuits. John Shriver, father of William I., was born September 23, 1818, in Greene County, Pennsylvania, and was about twenty years of age when he went with his parents to Perry County, Ohio. He had received an ordinary public school education, but was possessed of good inherent business talents, and became one of the leading business men and citizens of the City of Bristol, where his activities were centered. For a number of years he was engaged in mercantile pursuits, also carried on agricultural operations and was the proprietor of a sawmill, and through honorable dealing won and held the confidence of his associates and the patronage of the people. He was a whig originally and later a republican, and served as constable and postmaster of Bristol for a number of years. He was fraternally affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Mr. Shriver died at Bristol, April 22; 1871. He was married March 24, 1844, to Miss Elizabeth Rhinehart, who was born March 16, 1826, near Bristol, Perry County, Ohio, and died there May 10, 1890, and they were the parents of the following children, all of whom were born in Perry County: Mary Elizabeth, born January 13, 1845, was married to George Ellis April 14, 1869, who was born July 23, 1844, at New York City, and died June 16, 1911, at El Dorado, where he was a farmer and stockraiser, and in which vicinity, in Sycamore Township, Mrs. Ellis is now the owner of a finely-cultivated farm of 560 acres; William I., of this notice; John Henry, who was born May 4, 1848, was a partner of his brother, S. C. Clay Shriver in merchandising, and died in Perry County, Ohio, February 28, 1907; Delilah J., born April 9, 1850, died as the wife of D. W. Saffell, a property owner of Columbus, Ohio, June 9, 1910; Martha A., born March 23, 1853, who was married November 24, 1898, to John Burgess, a farmer, and resided in the vicinity of Shawnee, Ohio; Isaac A., born April 29, 1855, who for many years taught school and engaged in merchandising and died February 25, 1876, at Bristol, Ohio; S. C. Clay, born February 23, 1858, who had banking interests at El Dorado; Ida May, born April 20, 1861, who died March 21, 1862; William E., born May 21, 1864, who died May 26, 1864.

William Ingram Shriver attended the rural schools of Perry County, Ohio, and the high school at Bristol, and resided with his parents until the Civil war came on. Like many of the youths of his day he was fired with patriotism and anxious to join the ranks of those marching to the front, but his parents felt that he was too young and would not allow him to enlist. Therefore, in 1863, he ran away from home and enlisted as a substitute in the One Hundred and Sixtieth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, with which he served until the winter of 1864-5, when he received his honorable discharge. His service was principally in West Virginia, along the border, where his regiment came into frequent contact with the guerillas. After the completion of his military service he returned to his home at Bristol, but soon went to Ross County, Iowa, and there was engaged in teaching school. He soon returned to Bristol to assist his father, but in 1869 again struck out for the West, this time coming to Butler County, Kansas, where for a time he was engaged in farm work. After 1½ years he was called home by the fatal illness of his father, of whose business he took care and wound up the estate, and then went to Shawnee, Ohio, a new town, where he was engaged in the mercantile business on his own account. During all the years, however, Mr. Shriver had remembered Kansas, and in 1898 he came to El Dorado, where he entered the Farmers and Merchants National Bank in a minor capacity. Starting at the bottom, he steadily worked his way up to the office of cashier, and that position he retains today. He had a wide acquaintance in banking circles, and is considered a sound, conservative and careful financier, with an excellent knowledge of banking affairs and special ability to apply this knowledge. At the present time he is the owner of his residence, at No. 388 Washington Street, a modern home which he completed in 1916. He had disposed of other real estate holdings at El Dorado and recently sold the farms which he owned in Butler County. Mr. Shriver is a republican in his political views, and while a resident of Ohio served for four years as treasurer of Perry County.

Mr. Shriver was married in Perry County, Ohio, in 1872, to Miss Harriet J. Kinsel, who died in that county, of which she was a native, in 1896. One child was born to this union: William H., who had held a Government position at Washington, District of Columbia, for twelve years prior to his death in Perry County, Ohio, in March, 1915. Mr. Shriver was again married, in 1916, at El Dorado, to Miss Sadie A. Jamison, of Illinois, whose parents were pioneers of Butler County, Kansas.

Source: A Standard History of Kansas and Kansans

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