Alfred W. Shipman, son of Thomas Shipman and Rachel Gates, was born in Kemptville, Canada, on 24
November 1842. He came to the United States, specifically South English,
Iowa, in his early youth, about 1847 when he was about 15 years old. In July
1861 he joined Company K, Fifth Division, Iowa Volunteer Infantry and served
until March 1863. He participated in the battles of Farmington, Booneville,
Athens, Iuka, and the Seige of New Madrid Island 10.
After his discharge, he served as captain of the South English Guards. He
gathered over one thousand troops to resist a Copperhead uprising in Iowa.
He was in command of the post during what was known as the Skunk River War.
Editors Note: This has been question this as Alfred was ``Medically
Discharged'' ``this Thirtieth day of March 1863, at Keokuk, Iowa, by
reason of Surgeon's Certificate of Disability''. The statement ``(No
objection to his being reenlisted is known to exist)'' has been line
out. In other words; Not medically fit for service. However, the ``South
English Guard'' may have been a reserve type unit. If this was the case,
it is very possible that he could have been assigned as indicated.
Further research must be made to confirm this statement.
In South English, on 28 April 1864, he married Permelia Matthews, a teacher
in South English. They had eleven children. Two died in infancy. Permelia
was the daughter of Tunstal Quarles Matthews and Harriet Stone of
Pleasantville, Indiana.
Alfred Shipman's ambition was a devoted life to ministering the sick. He
attended the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Keokuk, Iowa and
graduated in 1867. Later he received a certificate from the University of
the City of New York to practice medicine in New York State.
He started his fifty year medical career in Sterling, Nebraska, around 1867,
where he built the first brick building to house a much needed drug store.
About 1886, he moved to Plattsmouth, Nebraska, where he rounded out the
first twenty-five and most rewarding years of his career. He was
instrumental in establishing the Nebraska State Medical Association and the
Bellevue Medical School where he lectured.
He was a dedicated physician. He rode horseback over the prairies, or drove
his horse and buggy in urban areas to answer calls day or night. The hour
often was dictated by the arrival of the stork which seemed to prefer night
travel. During these years his family lived on the fat of the land as
farmers, many of whom he served without fee, came bearing gifts of their
choicest products, from quarters of beef and hogs to fruits and vegetables
of all kinds.
Prior to her marriage, Permelia had taught school in Sough English, Iowa and
was engaged to Alfred's friend who was killed during the Civil War. When
Alfred and Permelia's first son was born, he was named ``Milo'' in honor of
this friendship. With Milo in her arms and carrying Harriet, yet unborn,
Permelia and Alfred moved in a covered wagon from South English to a new
home in Sterling, Nebraska, where he set up practice. Nine of their children
were born in Sterling, and their last two children were born in Plattsmouth,
where Alfred prospered.
In Plattsmouth, Sarpy Co, NE, Permelia died on 25 Jan 1890, at the young age
of forty-eight. For three years his older daughters cared for his household
and the younger children. On 26 April 1893, he married a widow, Jennie
Griffith, she had three grown sons. One was Milton Griffith whose marriage
to Alfred's daughter, Laura, was the occasion at which he met Jennie. She
had come from the East for the wedding. Over the next few years the home
gradually broke up and the children left, some to marry, some to live with
their older brothers and sisters.
Around 1895, Dr. Shipman and Jennie moved to New York City. There he engaged
in a more routine type of medical practice. In Northport, Long Island, he
completed his fifty years of dedicated service.
Divorced from Jennie, he went to live with his daughter, Edith, and her
husband in Philadelphia, where he passed away on 14 April 1920.
Dr. Shipman was buried in Plattsmouth, Nebraska, by Permelia's side. In
spite of his absence of years, hundreds of Nebraska people who remembered
him as their family doctor flocked from miles around to the Masonic Lodge
Headquarters where he lay in state and to the cemetery where he was laid to
rest.
We also had some records of the Shipman family which were passed down through Permelia' niece Ada Lemora (Sprague) Ballou, and then handed down from Ada to her granddaughter Shirley (Anderson) Reed. But these family records have been supplanted by the family records by Shipman descendents which accompany the above biography at the ``Footprints'' WWW site.
Alfred was listed in the 1860 census in South English as being 20 years old. his father was Thomas Shipman. The 1880 census locates him in Sterling Pct Twp in Johnson Co., Nebraska. His name was spelled Alford, his age given as 36, and his occupation as a physician and surgeon. His birth place was listed as Canada.
The Keokuk County history book reports the following for his Civil War service record: ``Shipman, Alfred, wounded at Iuka, September 19; died [sic -- DJN] at Jackson October 5, 1862; reported as discharged April 22, 1863 for disability''
In the 1890 census of Civil War Veterans, Alfred Shipman lived in the city of Plattsmouth, Cass Co., Nebraska (house 143). He refused to give information to the census taker as he said it had been taken often enough. His daughter gave information that he was a private in Co. F., Reg. 5 in the Iowa Infantry. He refused to answer the questions about his enlistment date, discharge date, and length of service.
He was given Nebraska medical license 179 on August 20, 1891 at Plattsmouth. Notice was given in 1927 that he was deceased (according to the Nebraska state medical licensing bureau, from whom Shirley Reed got this information).
According to a newspaper index in Johnson Co., Nebraska, A.H. Shipman bought 3 different lots in the town of Sterling.
Alfred was elected to the first Board of Trustees of Sterling, NE when it was incorporated on July 8, 1876. He was also the head (the ``W.M.'') of the Masonic lodge there.
Alfred Shipman and family moved to Plattsmouth in 1884.
Alfred lived at Locust and Fourteenth Streets in Plattsmouth. Several of his children were married in the family home. On March 27, 1894, their house burned down, but no one was hurt. I would guess that this fire was probably the impetus for their moving to New York, since it is pretty close to the 1895 approximate date given in the above biography.
Sources for this individual: @S150@ @S1013@ @S1014@ @S405@ @S27@ @S1015@ @S149@ @S928@ @S1016@ @S78@ @S370@ @S1461@
