Randolph  County,  Indiana

Theodore  H. Shockney


            Human life is made up of two elements, power and form, and the proportion must be invariably kept if we would have it sweet and sound. Each of these elements in excess makes a mischief as hurtful as would be its deficiency. Everything turns to excess; every good quality is noxious if unmixed, and to carry the danger to the edge of ruin Nature causes each man’s peculiarity to superabound. One speaking from the standpoint of a farmer would adduce the learned professions as examples of the treachery. They are Nature's victims of expression. You study the artist, the orator or the man of inventive genius and find their lives no more excellent than that of merchants, farmers or manufacturers. Many men get but glimpses of the delights found in Nature in its various elements and moods, but there is always ample opportunity to enjoy life in its varied phases, whatever the profession. It depends upon the individual. The late Theodore H. Shockney, for many years a prominent citizen of Randolph county, was one who took a delight in existence. It was because he was in touch with the springs of life. He did not permit material things to supplant his better nature. His life was filled with good deeds and kindly thoughts, and all who knew him entertained for him the highest regard, by reason of his upright, honorable career, his public spirit and his genial disposition. From his career many useful lessons may be gleaned by the youth standing at the parting of the ways, for he was a man who believed in the old adage, "Lose no time in getting off the wrong road as soon as you discover that you are traveling it." He was an advocate of progress in all phases of life, progress at any sacrifice.
            Mr. Shockney was born in Randolph county, January 3, 1868. He was a son of  Samuel and  Sarah (Butts) Shockney, and was one of seven children, namely: Alisa married  Charles Burkett, a farmer living now in Michigan, and they have one child, Frank;  Thomas is farming in Darke county, Ohio, and he married  Lillie Wallace, who has borne him eight children; Valeria, who lives in Winchester, married  Riley Hoffman, a stone cutter, and they have two children; Harry of Union City, is a merchant, and he married  Minnie Henning; Pearl, who is connected with the city government of Chicago, married Ada Colton and they have two children; Grover, who is farming in Randolph county, married  Bertha Way, and they have one child, and  Theodore H., of this memoir.
            Samuel Shockney, father of our subject, was born in Maryland, where he grew up and was educated. When a young man he came to Randolph county. The Butts family came from Shelby county, Ohio, the mother of our subject having been a daughter of  Thomas and Elizabeth Butts, who lived on a farm, and had a family of three children, Sarah, Nathan T. and Thomas.
            Theodore H. Shockney was educated in the public schools of Randolph county and later studied in Lebanon, Ohio. He devoted his life to farming, dealing in live stock and teaching school, making a pronounced success of all three, for he was a man who applied himself closely to whatever claimed his attention and he dealt honestly with his fellow men.
            Mr. Shockney was married April 4, 1888, to Hattie Kennon, a daughter of Thomas S. Kennon, a farmer of Randolph county, who also was a noted auctioneer. His death occurred in 1902. The mother of Mrs. Shockney was known in her maidenhood as Hannah Perkins, a native of Randolph county. These parents had five children, two sons and three daughters, of whom Hattie, who married Mr. Shockney is the oldest; William is deceased; Minnie, who lives in this county, is the wife of Marion Ohler who was a farmer, and she has two children; Orla, who lives in Winchester, engaged in the stock and bond business, married Margaret Carver and they have three children; Lillian, who lives in Randolph county, is the wife of Lucas Macy, a hardware merchant of Spartanburg.
            The paternal grandfather of Mrs. Shockney was born in Ireland, from which country he emigrated to the United States in early life and settled in Randolph county, Indiana, where he engaged in farming. Mrs. Shockney's mother was born in this county and here she was reared and educated, her people being among the early settlers here.
            To Mr. and Mrs. Shockney the following children were born: Raymond K., born August 10, 1889, is a teacher, and he lives at home with his mother; Ada Lee, born September 26, 1891, is also at home-she has been a student of domestic science; Mary Frances, born January 31, 1894, has also been a student of domestic science, and both she and her sister were graduated from the high school.
            Politically, Mr. Shockney was a Democrat, and while he took an abiding interest in public affairs, he was not a seeker after political leadership. He was an attendant of the Methodist church.
/The death of Mr. Shockney occurred on June 30, 1908. He was sadly missed by his host of warm friends throughout the locality.
Past and Present of Randolph County, Indiana, 1914.
Contributed by Gina Richardson

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