Joseph H. Shawhan
Payette Independent
Thursday, April 27, 1911
CAPT. SHAWHAN MEETS DEATH
Instantly Killed in Runaway Accident Yesterday Afternoon - Mrs. Shawhan Also Victim but Not Dangerously injured.
Captain J. H. Shawhan, veteran of the civil war and one of the highly respected pioneers of the Payette Valley, met a tragic death yesterday afternoon by being thrown from his buggy while on his way to town from his orchard farm two miles south of the city. He was killed instantly. Mrs. Shawhan was in the buggy with him and was also thrown out but suffered only a broken wrist.
The news of the horrible accident came as one of the saddest shocks ever experienced by the community, as Captain and Mrs. Shawhan are beloved by all who know them. Only a few weeks ago they celebrated their golden wedding and hundreds of their friends paid tribute to their esteem and friendship for the happy couple.
About 3 o'clock yesterday afternoon Captain and Mrs. Shawhan left Hopehurst orchard for Payette. While driving along the road between the Muzzy place and Axel Johnson's the horses shied at a bag of sacks in the road. The lines slipped from the Captain's fingers and when the horses started to run he had no control over them. When the horses reached the turn in the road down the hill towards Payette, they swerved into the gate which enters the Johnson ranch. This threw the occupants out of the buggy and evidently the Captain was thrown against a rural route mail post, which killed him instantly. His body glided on into a waste ditch, where it was picked up.
Within a few minutes neighbors rushed to the scene and two physicians were called from Payette, who reached the scene within a very few minutes after the accident. They found the captain's body lifeless. His left chest and head were badly crushed.
The victims of the accident were taken to the farm home and T. E. Jones, a son-in-law, soon arrived. Senator B. P. Shawhan and Dr. G. E. Shawhan, sons of Captain and Mrs. Shawhan, were in Boise at the time but they were expected to arrive here last night.
Captain Shawhan was one of the successful fruit growers of this valley and owned one of the most famous pear orchards in the west. He was a veteran of the civil war and has been honored by various high offices in the national G. A. R. He has taken a leading part in the development of horticulture in this state and served several years on the state board of horticultural inspection.
The Payette Enterprise (Thursday, May 04, 1911)
CAPT. JOSEPH H. SHAWHAN
Last Sabbath afternoon the citizens of Payette with a large number of friends and acquaintances of the family from Weiser, Boise, Caldwell and other neighboring towns in Southern Idaho, paid their last tribute of love and respect to this stalwart citizen and with sad hearts tenderly bore his remains to Riverside cemetery and laid them at rest. The immense throng that sought to gain admission to the Methodist church where the services were held, the wealth of beautiful floral offerings and the largest funeral cortege ever seen in Payette were all evidences of the universal love and respect in which Captain Shawhan was held when alive. The funeral services were conducted by Rev. George W. Turner, who took for his text "Thou Shalt Be Missed Because Thy Seat Shall Be Empty." Rev. Turner paid a glowing tribute to the life of Capt. Shawhan speaking of his royal quality of manhood, his cheerful optimistic nature and of his life long labor devoted to making those near and dear to him happy. It was a beautiful tribute paid by a man whose knowledge was of a close personal acquaintance.
W. T. Sherman Post G. A. R. and the Women's Relief Corps had charge of the remains at the church and one impressive part of the arrangements was the draping of the casket with the flag he had fought to defend and perpetuate. After the services at the church the members of Washoe Lodge No. 28 A. F. & A. M. took charge and at the cemetery the simple but impressive burial service of the order were observed.
When the last rites were performed and just as the large concourse of people were sadly departing from the last resting place of this worthy citizen, taps blown by the bugler of Company I was a fitting close to the touching ceremonies of the afternoon.
Joseph H. Shawhan was born in Rush county, Indiana, August 10th, 1838, and moved with his parents to Sigourney, Iowa, in 1845 where he grew to manhood and 1861 was united in marriage to Miss Mary Adeline Jackson. In October 1862 he enlisted in Company B 33rd infantry of Iowa as lieutenant and served until March 1863 when he was forced to resign on account of utter failure of health induced by the severe service in the southern swamps. In November of the same year he had so far recovered as to feel able again to go to the front and enlisted as Captain in Company K of the Ninth Cavalry Iowa Volunteers in which company he served until the end of the war returning to his home in Sigourney, Iowa, where he engaged in business until 1880 when he moved to Kansas settling at Clay Center. There he remained until 1895 in which year he came to Payette Valley being one of the original Plymouth colonists and living at New Plymouth for a time. Later he purchased and cleared the sage brush, leveled the land and planted the present twenty acre pear orchard near Payette which is the pride of this valley and noted all over the northwest as a typical, well kept pear orchard. He was one of the few men, possibly the only man in this valley who planted an orchard and had the faith and courage to stay by it until it was bearing and paying. As a horticulturalist he ranked with the leading ones of the state, was president of the State society, Vice-President for the state of Idaho of the National Horticultural. Congress and was also a member of the State Horticultural board. In matters pertaining to the advancement of fruit culture Capt. Shawhan was always a leader and in every movement for the betterment of conditions along all lines was always to the fore in the work.
He leaves to mourn his loss his faithful wife, four sons, Hon B. P. Shawhan of this city, Rev. H. H. Shawhan of Danville, Illinois, W. J. Shawhan, Dr. G. E. Shawhan of Boise and two daughters, Mrs. H. J. Sommercamp of Weiser and Mrs. T. E. Jones of Payette, all well known in their various communities and with legions of friends who with them mourn the passing of one of Payette Valley's most loved and respected citizens.
Mrs. Shawhan and children desire to express their sincere appreciation of the sympathy and many acts of kindness which so helped them in their time of sorrow.