[p. 942] representative citizen and a general farmer and thresher, owns seventy-two acres of fine land in Big Beaver Township, in Lawrence County, and in Big Beaver Township, Beaver County. He was born on the old family homestead in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, November 28, 1831, and is a son of Samuel and Elizabeth (Stinson) Shurlock.
Samuel Shurlock was born in 1796, in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, and was a son of William Shurlock, who came from England and at a very early day settled in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. The children of William Shurlock were: Charles, William, Samuel, Parkhurst, Robert, Mary and Elizabeth, all now deceased. Samuel, of the above family, early displayed unusual mental ability, and after he had creditably passed through the best educational institutions then in Northumberland County his father sent him to England, where he attended college for ten years, in the meanwhile studying medicine under his brother, Robert. However, Samuel Shurlock did not desire a professional life, and after his return to his home he bought a keel boat and went into the business of carrying the flour from his father's mill to Philadelphia. When his father died Samuel Shurlock came to Beaver County, where he died in 1885. He was considered the best educated man in this section of the state in his youth. During the winters, for many years, he taught school and occupied his summers in lettering headstones, at the old Bennett quarry. He married Elizabeth Stinson, whose grandparents came to America from Ireland. They had five children: William Thomas, Mary, who is the widow of John Marshall; Robert; Parkhurst, who died aged sixty-four years, served, with his older brother, Robert, in the Civil War, and Samuel John, who died in infancy. The mother of the above family died in 1844. Later, Samuel Shurlock married Sarah Thompson, and the following children were born to this union: Samuel; Elizabeth, deceased, who married A. Martin, also deceased; John, deceased; Charles; Louisa, who died young, and Emeline Bellinda, who is the wife of L. D. Dillon. Samuel Shurlock took part in the War of 1812.
William Thomas Shurlock was reared on the old homestead in Beaver County. In his boyhood he had few educational advantages beyond having an educated man for his father; but in later years, when afforded the opportunity, he supplied all that had previously been lacking. During three summers of his boyhood he engaged in boating between Pittsburg and Erie. After his marriage, in 1868, he rented the Paden farm, in Big Beaver Township, for ten years, then moved to the Eckel's farm for one and one-half years. In 1881 he bought his present farm, the twenty-nine and one-half acres on which he lives, from the McKim estate. The rest of his land is a part of the old Shurlock homestead farm. Mr. Shurlock has engaged in threshing for fifty-four seasons, beginning in this industry with the old-fashioned thresher and cleaner, which has given way to the improved machinery of modern days. When he brought his first machine into the field it elicited much comment and attracted people from far and near. As Mr. Shurlock remarks, "So many people came to see it that it looked as if they were going to a fair." In following the threshing business he has traveled all over this section of the state and has a wide acquaintance with substantial farmers.
Mr. Shurlock was married August 1, 1868, to Anna Owrey, who was born in, Crawford County, Pennsylvania, March 30, 1845. She was reared from the age of three years at New Castle. Her parents were Henry and Hester (Stean) Owrey, both of whom died at New Castle, the mother in 1884 and the father in 1890. He was a carpenter by trade. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Owrey were as follows: Mary, Adam, Louisa, Matthew, Margaret, Anna, John, Charles and William. Joseph was killed in the Civil War.
Mr. and Mrs. Shurlock have had eight children: Elizabeth, who married Robert McAnlis; Sarah, who married R. A. Patterson; Margaret, who married Charles Cross; Anna, who married William Guy; William S., who married Early Klingensmith; Thomas, who died in infancy; Charles P. and Ethel Claire.
In politics, Mr. Shurlock is identified with the Democratic party and on numerous occasions he has been called upon, in the interests of good local government, to accept public offices. He has served for nine years as Overseer of the Poor, for six years was constable and for other years was road supervisor. In 1868 he was made a Mason, in Enon Lodge, and is one of the oldest members of the fraternity in Lawrence County.
20th Century History of New Castle and Lawrence County Pennsylvania and Representative Citizens Hon. Aaron L. Hazen Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company, Chicago, Ill., 1908
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