Bios: HIRAM C. SHIRA : Lawrence County, Pennsylvania

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  Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Lawrence Co transcribers.
  Coordinated by Ed McClelland

  Copyright 2004.  All rights reserved.
  http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
 
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  Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens
  Lawrence County Pennsylvania
  Biographical Publishing Company, Buffalo, N.Y., 1897
  
  An html version with search engine may be found at 
  
  http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/lawrence/1897/
  
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    HIRAM C. SHIRA,
    
    [p. 647] a respected citizen of Mahoningtown, is a trusted and efficient
  employee of the Pennsylvania R. R., serving that company as its car inspector
  at Lawrence Junction. He was born in Butler Co., Pa., Nov. 14, 1860, and is a
  son of Robert C. and Mary A. (McCoy) Shira, to whom were born four children:
  William McC., deceased; Theodore McA.; Alfred C.; and Hiram C.
    
    Robert C. Shira was born in Parker township, Butler Co., Pa., May 4, 1824,
  and during the War of the Rebellion helped to support the flag of the Union.
  He is a Republican, politically. His wife was born in Harrisville, Pa., and
  was a daughter of Hon. Hiram C. McCoy, who married a Miss McCallen. Hiram C.
  McCoy served in the State Legislature of Pennsylvania, and left a creditable
  record, untarnished and unstained by any disreputable act. His father, Thomas
  McCoy, was born at Harper's Ferry, Va., of Irish parentage, his father having
  been born on the "ould sod."
    
    The subject of this biography lived in Butler County the first seven years
  of his life, and then the family moved to New Castle, where he attended the
  schools till the age of sixteen. When eighteen years old, he worked in a meat
  market, located on the south side of Washington Street, for two years, and in
  the following year went to Cleveland, Ohio, where he labored at the
  carpenter's trade, working the two succeeding years for the W, N. Y. & P. R.
  R. in the bridge and construction department. From that time until 1884 he
  served as car inspector for that company at Stoneboro, Mercer County, this
  State. He then resigned, came to New Castle, and served in the same capacity
  for the P. & W. R. R. for the space of a year, after which he again entered
  the employ of the W. N. Y. & P. R. R., and worked for that company as car
  inspector in the yards at New Castle until Jan. 22, 1888, when he accepted a
  position as car inspector for the Pennsylvania R. R. at Mahoningtown, where
  he is pleasantly located at present.
    
    Mr. Shira was married at Sandy Lake, Mercer Co., Pa., Oct. 11, 1884, to
  Agnes Spence, who was born near Ahoghill, County Antrim, Ireland, one of ten
  children born to her parents, of whom the following four survive: Agnes (Mrs.
  Shira); John; Isabel; and Thomas. Her father, William Spence, came to America
  in 1866, and the family followed a year later; his death occurred Dec. 23,
  1892, at the age of forty-eight years. He was a business man, and lived first
  in Hoytdale, where he kept store many years. His parents were John and Isabel
  Spence. Mrs. Shira's mother was Agnes Craig, daughter of Thomas and Agnes
  (Campbell) Craig. To Mr. and Mrs. Shira have been born three children: Lucy
  F., who, died Jan. 2, 1894, at the age of eight years, five months and eleven
  clays; Lee L.; and an infant, son, deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Shira are members of
  the Presbyterian Church. Our subject is a Republican in regard to his
  political principiles, and has served two years in the borough council of
  Mahoningtown.