Samuel Eberly Shimp was born January 3, 1831, in Reamstown, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, the eldest of the 11 children of William Andreas Shimp and Nancy Ann Eberly.
He married Catherine L. Kline, the daughter of Samuel D. Kline and Catherine Yundt, on March 8, 1861, in Naperville. Samuel and Catherine were the parents of 13 children: Francis Elmer, Jennie LaMasda, Susan Alice (who married Henry W. Stark), William Sherman, Henrietta Eldora, Charles Oscar, Ida May (who married Eugene G. LaCoss), Jesse Jason, Katherine Grace (who married Joseph Richard Wendling), John Alfred, Bertha Vida, Bernice Belle (who married Harold Nathan Row) and Martin Pierce.
Samuel was raised on the family farm and attended the district schools. In 1851 he went to Wooster, Ohio, and apprenticed in the blacksmith trade for three years.
In 1854 Samuel came to Illinois, first settling in Plainfield for three years and then coming to Naperville. He continued the blacksmith trade and went into partnership with Daniel Strubler in 1858.
He continued in that occupation until 1861, when he settled on a farm in West Naperville Township, at a location then known as Frontenac. Samuel donated two and a half acres of his farmland so that a one-room schoolhouse could be built for the area’s children.
Samuel served as Naperville Treasurer in 1860. He was elected DuPage County Sheriff in 1864 and served for two years. Samuel and his family lived in a home on the site of the DuPage County Courthouse that was located in what is now Central Park.
He was elected Sheriff again in 1876 until 1882. In 1880, Samuel was the first proprietor of the grain elevator that was located at Frontenac Road and the E.J. & E. Railroad tracks. In addition to farming, he also was an auctioneer for many years.
Samuel was raised a Master Mason March 3, 1866, in Euclid Lodge No. 65, A.F. & A.M.
Samuel Eberly Shimp died August 4, 1914, in Naperville, DuPage County, Illinois. The funeral service was held at Grace United Evangelical Church by the pastor Rev. Charles G. Unangst. Rev. Louis C. Scmidt gave the sermon and Samuel was buried in the Naperville Cemetery.
