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Baptists was Elbert H. Shirk of Peru. He was born
in Franklin county, Indiana, in 1818; was reared on
the farm, and when he had reached young manhood he
attended Miami University,, Oxford, Ohio, that being
very near his home. He taught a few terms of school,
but as the commercial instinct was strong he sought
a held for the exercise of his business talents. He
came to Peru in 1844 and engaged in mercantile life
and was successful. In 1845 he and Miss Mary
Wright were married, and their home soon became a
center of social and religious influence. His husi-
ness grew beyond the store; he was diligent in study-
ing the markets and in seeing opportunities for safe
and profitable investments. It is said of him that at
one time when he was in New York, laying in a sup-
ply of goods, he discovered in the hands of some
brokers a large lot of depreciated land warrants; he
knew that they were for lands in the west where pop-
ulation and wealth were rapidly increasing, and that
to buy them would be financially wise; he gradually
exchanged these warrants to men who were anxious
to go west, for their lands nearer home; in this way
he added largely to his fortune. He also anticipated
the rapid growth of Chicago and the investments in
real estate which he made there yielded large returus.
He opened a private bank in Peru, and this had uni-
form prosperity for his fellow citizens had unbounded
confidence in his business wisdom and integrity. In
time this became the First National Bank of Peru and
one of the strongest institutions of the kind in North-
ern Indiana. He was not completely absorbed in busi
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ness; he took a deep interest in young men who were
looking forward to a business life. Many a man
would gladly express his gratitude to Mr. Shirk for
the training and the inspiration received. He was
an earnest christian man, and a Baptist, and as soon
as the way opened for the organization of a Baptist
church in Peru he and his family were ready to give,
their full support to the enterprise. He was glad to
pay half the cost of the first meeting-house, and doubt-.
less his family gave' as large a proportion of the cost
of the present elegant edifice. His benevolence was
not ostentatious, yet he was a constant giver. He
early became interested in the building up of Franklin
College, and representatives of that institution were
not turned away when they sought an interview; his
gifts grew larger as he knew more of the college and
its work. His son Milton when be came into manhood
manifested the same tendency to business life that had
characterized his father; in fact, he gave himself up to
business at so early an age, and with such absorption
that, while yet in the prime of his years, he became
infirm in health. And like the father, he too was
deeply interested in religious matters and was an ear-
nest and active member of the Baptist church in Peru,
and gave freely for its support; but his benefactions
were not confined to his church; he made several gifts
to Franklin College and, as well, to other objects that
are fostered by the denomination to which he belongs.
He sought rest in travel, but with all his aid from
that source, and the physicians' care, he could not
resist the encroachments of disease; he died in middle
