Mexico weekly ledger., 1896-06-25
An OLD LANDMARK o N
Judge James Il. Shell Gone to His
Last Reward-The People of Au-
dram County Mourn the Death
of a Sturdy Citizen and
Honest Man.

AAA@o NScL Va va AtdaJ tSh
June 10, at IL O'Clock. Judge Shell
had not been strong for two or three
years but had been confined to the
house only a week or ten days and his
death was unexpected. Services were
conducted at the family residence
Sunday at 10a. m. by Rev. j. S.Shouse.
Judge Shell would have been rs years
old in August. He leaves a wife and
seven living children. His children
who survive him are j. r. Shell, of
Laddonia; Frank Shell, of Kansas
City; VIM. Shell, of Texas; Susan Hur-
ley, of Perry, Mo-; Mrs. ]. P. Gass, of
Fulton; Mrs. Howard Class, of Jeffer-
son City, and Mrs. Jennie Martin, of
Texas. Judge Shell had no enemies
and numbered among his friends
every acquaintance he had.
Judge James III. Shell was a veteran
of two wars and an old and esteemed
citizen of Audrain county. He was,
by nativity, from the old Rhomboid
State, the home of the iron willed
President, Gen. Jackson, and was born
in Sullivan county, August 6, 1918.
Growing up in East Tennessee, in 1886
he enlisted in the Florida war, and
was made sergeant of his company.
He followed the flag of his country for
fourteen long months through the
everglades and morasses of the Flow
cry Peninsula, and until the expiration
of his term of service, or rather, until
the conclusion of the war. Returning
then to his native State, like Andrew
Johnson, he learned the tallor's trade,
serving an apprenticeship of three
years, and becoming a thorough mas
ter of the art adapter; and on the 9Th
of July, 1910, he raj married to Miss
Ancret T. Payne, originally of Vir-
ginia, born October IL, 1918. Judge
Shell continued to work at his trade III
Tennessee until 1913, when he came to
Missouri and located at New London,
in Rails county, where he carried on
the merchant-tailoring business for
several years, and until the outbreak
of the Mexican war. An old soldier,
when the clash of arms was heard in
the far-off Land of the Cactus, he was
off again, and soon found keeping step
to the music of the Union as the stars
and stripes 1oated above him. He
was under the command of Gen. Price, |
then Col. Price. Judge Shell served
eleven months in the gallant ranks
of the Missouri soldiery, but unfor-
tunately was attacked by a malignant
fever then proving more fatal to our
than the death dealing mus
kerry of the dark visaged Mexican.
He was confined to the hospital some
three months; and his malady proved
so serious that he was forced to ac-
cept a discharge for disability. The
effect of the fever settled In his right
leg and hip, and he was always after
ward affected with lameness, and was
great sufferer from liberation of his
leg. Returning to Missouri after his
he resumed working 1t his
trade at New London following his
recovery; and also began farming, to
a certain extent. He continued these
in Rails county until 1856, when he
came to Audrain county and settled
on Lick Greek. The following year
Judge Shell located Oh the farm
where he died, west of town, and
had been occupied exclusively with
farming. Judge Shell was successful
a farmer and owned a good place of
nearly 200 ere A man of superior
intelligence and high character, and
having always taken an intelligent in
in the affairs of his county, he
long held the position by common
consent of one of the leading men of
this vicinity. Judge Shell served as
of his township for fourteen
years, and many times had been
warmly urged from different parts of
county to become a candidate for
county judge, but preferring the quiet
IND comforts of home life to the an
1oyances and distractions incident to
official position, he steadily declined
accept the position sought to be
upon him. His friends, how
ever, insisted upon comforting upon
him the title, even if he would not I'M
iertake the duties of the office, and he
vas everywhere called fJudge" Shell,
! compliment sincerely bestowed.
The Judge and Mrs. Shell were abun-
iantly blessed in their family, and had
line children: Melissa Canterbury,
lead; James Richard, who lives near
4addonia; Susan, now Mrs. Milton
Hurley, of Rails county; Virginia, the
widow of A. J. Gardner; Emma, now
drs. j. P. Gass; Alice, now Mrs. How
I'D Gass; William and Frank M. One,
'esides, is deceased, Charles, who
hot himself accidentally, dying at the
.ge of seventeen.
"Big" drive in clothing. Every
hing slaughtered as never before
card of at Turner, Jackson & Co.'S.