I received this information from Gerald Busby. I don't know if it has been posted. Source: the research files of Levi Andrew Busby (1901-1988) Shannon Family >From the Cincinnati Enquirer, Sunday, December 24, 1911. PEDIGREE A LONG AND HONORABLE ONE ANTEDATES CHRISTIAN ERA FIRST NAVAL OFFICER OF BOSTON'S PORT THE IMMIGRANT COAT OF ARMS BESTOWED WHEN HERALDRY IN ITS INFANCY O'SEANCHAIN is said to have been the first form of the surname Shannon. >From O'Seanchain to Shonahan, Shanason, is considered an easy feat to accomplish by those who are skilled in such matters. Then, from Shannahan to Shannon or Shanon is as easy as rolling off the proverbial log. Seachain or Seanchen is composed of two Celtic words, "seoncha", meaning an antuiquarian or genealogist, and "an", one who. Seanchan is, then, one who is an antiquarian. So renouned was one in this line that in time his friends and neighbors called him "Mr. Seanchan". His son or grandson was O'Seanchan, "O" showing descent. Old records frequently give the name as Shannon. The O'Seanchains have a long pedigree, belonging as they do, to that branch of the Celtic race which alone of all European races of the period antedating the Christian era has maintained its identity to the present time. >From Ireland the clan went to Scotland, and we find among ancestors of the race such pleasing names as Taidlig, Flarthbeartach, and Donohadh Dubh, real aristocrats, without doubt. Perhaps it will confuse us to mention that Sha, or Sham, is an ancient word meaning a mountain range. Shannon is one form of the word and Schanning another. In Scotland the orthography is usually Shannon. "The King of the Irish Common" was Henry Boyle, Earl of Shannon, born in 1682, at Castemartyr, Ireland. >From the North of Ireland (the ancient Scotland, if the historians say true) the Scots went in 503. To the North of Ireland many returned in 1612-20, and to America their descendants began to emigrate in 1719 and earlier. They constituted three-fourths or more of the patriots who fought for American liberty. The immigrant Nathaniel Shannon, born in 1655 in Londonderry, was of Scottish ancestry. When 32 years old he came to this country and made his home at Boston, where in 1701 he was a member of the Old South Church. Twenty-two years later he died, the stone marking his grave in the old Granary Burying Ground, Tremont Street, Boston, still stands. Nathaniel's brother, Robert, was a man of affairs, holding many town offices. He was the first naval officer of the Port of Boston, and a merchant of prominence. The papers now preserved in the Massachusetts State Archives show that he was a man of good education. His wife was Elizabeth, and their children were Nathaniel Jr., Robert, who is supposed to have died unmarried, and Samuel, who married Ann Miller. Nthaniel of the second generation married Abigail Vaughan, whose father was one of the royal Councillors, and also Chief Justice of New Hampshire. Nathaniel and Abigail had two sons, Nathaniel and Cutts. The four children were his namesake, George, Margaret, and Abigail. Nathaniel and his wife, Abigail Vaughan, lived at Portsmouth, N. H., where he was a ship merchant. He also lived at Ipswich. Among other records of this generation still extant is that of a deed conveying land to Thomas belcher, 1720. Nathaniel was a slave owner and by will, left negroes to his sons who rejoiced that is, the slaves, not the sons, in the names of Nimshy, Dinah, Diana, Cossar, Primus, and Beaufity. We find that Dover, N. H. was another stronghold of the Shannons, and Thomas, who married Lillias Watson, held many town offices. In 1785 he was Captain of the New Hampshire Militia. "He was a zealous supporter of the Revolution and active in recruiting its armies." He died in 1800, aged about 50 years. Heitman's "Officers of the American Revolution" names William Shannon of Virginia, Ensign and Lieutenant. John and Samuel Shannon, also of Virginia, were soldiers bold. The family boasts of many statesmen, and one was a Territorial Governor of Kansas and Governor of Ohio. This was Wilson Shannon, who was also Minister to Mexico. RICHARD CUTTS SHANNON, who preserves in his middle name an old family one, was Minister to Central America. The family has its professional men, its artists, and authors, and its divines. Was it not one of this name, a bishop, of whom this story is told? Out driving on day, the bishop was stopped by a man who, thinking to have a joke, said:- "Pardon me, Bishop, but can you tell me the road to Heaven?" "Certainly, Sir," the bishop answered. "Turn to the right and keep straight on." The family has its share of lawyers, and what has been said of one that he was a good lawyer, of a clear head, and an honest heart may be said of many of the family of this profession. The coat-of-arms illustrated is blazoned:- Gules, a bend, or. Crest:- Out of a ducal coronet or, a lion's head, erased, per pale, crenellee, argent and gules. Supporters:- Two lions, per pale, crenellee; the dexter lion gules and argent; the sinister, argent and gules. Two mottoes are given: "Vivit post funera virtus." (Virtue lives after death.) and "Spectamur agendo." (Let us be judged by our actions.) "Gules, a bend, or" is about the simplest charge possible, and probably was bestowed when heraldry was in its infancy. Tradition says that four brothers, named Shannon, came to America between the years of 1730 and 1760. The only one of these whose name has been preserved was "Thomas", who died in Sadsbury Township, Lancaster County, Penn., in April 1737. His wife's name was Agnes". He names five children in his will. The only one of them whose family has been traced is "John". Jimmy Kerr 8227 N. Lamar Blvd. Austin, Texas 78753 Web-Sites: I think my ancestors must have been in the witness protection program!! Down loadable Ged-Com: (Cut and Paste URL) http://worldconnect.genealogy.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=jimmyke rr&id=I08471 Ector County, Texas http://www.rootsweb.com/~txector/ector.htm Genealogy: http://www.mccserv.com/genealogy/kerr1/html/surnames.htm