Kentucky: A History of the State, Battle, Perrin, & Kniffin, 6th ed., 1887,
Shelby Co.

SHELBY VAN NATTA.  The family to which the subject of this sketch belongs
was early identified with the pioneer history of this country.  The name
was originally spelled Van Etten.  The early records of Ulster County,
N. Y., show that one Anthony Van Etten settled in the valley of the
Neversink, in 1743.  He was a blacksmith by trade, and purchased lands in
that section.  He was conspicuous in the celebrated boundary quarrel
between New York and New Jersey.  In a deed signed by him in 1759 he is
called Anthony Vannatta, but he signs it Van Etten.  The family is still
represented in Orange and Ulster Counties, N. Y., and in Sussex and Morris
Counties, N. J.  A prominent member of the family, Hon. Jacob Vanata, died
a few years ago at Morristown, N. J.  He was one of the distinguished
lawyers of the State, and formerly attorney-general of the commonwealth.
Shelby Van Natta was born December 8, 1820, in Shelby County, Ky.  His
father, Samuel Van Natta, was a native of Morris County, N. J., and of
German origin.  His mother, Lucinda Moffett, was a Virginian.  The subject
of this sketch was raised on a farm in Shelby County, and received his
education in the county schools.  At the age of sixteen he began to clerk
in a store at Clay Village, where he remained until 1840, when he went to
Shelbyville, and has since been in business there.  In 1844 he engaged in
the dry goods business for himself, and continued it very successfully
until 1856.  During this time he engaged for a while in the manufacture
of hemp, but chiefly gave his means and attention to his regular business.
In 1856 he accepted a position in the Branch Bank of Ashland, at
Shelbyville, as clerk and teller, and in 1857 he became its cashier. This
position he continued to hold until 1869, when the bank was merged into
the Bank of Shelbyville.  He was then appointed to the same position in
the new bank, which he has since continued to hold with great acceptability
to the people and credit to himself.  As a citizen of Shelbyville Mr.
Van Natta held a number of responsible positions, and has been prominently
identified with all the leading interests of the community.  For fifteen
years he was a member of the town board of trustees, and for many years its
president; he was two years treasurer of the county; for a number of years
treasurer of the Shelby Railroad Company, and is now treasurer of the
Shelby Railroad tax fund.  In 1855 he was made one of the corporate members
of the Shelbyville Cemetery Company, has for many years been its treasurer,
and is now its president.  During the entire existence of the Shelbyville
Baptist Female Seminary he was its treasurer, and a member of the board of
trustees of the school.  He has had neither time nor inclination to be a
politician, but was a Whig before the war, a Union man during the war, and
has since been an Independent.  He has devoted much time and attention to
the cause of temperance, having been connected with all its movements in
the county.  In his religion he is a Baptist, and has been an officer in
the church for over thirty years.  He has also taken great interest in
Sunday school work, and has been superintendent of a church school for
forty years, moderator of the Shelby County Association of Baptists.
Although he crossed the mountains thirty-two times in a stage coach, while
a merchant, on his way to Philadelphia and New York to purchase goods, and
has done a great deal of hard work since his life's struggles commenced,
he is yet vigorous and unbroken, and apparently but little over the prime
of life.  He is always at his post, having lost not a single day on
account of sickness for years, and expects to die in the harness.  In all
his business transactions Mr. Van Natta has ever been strictly honorable
and just, his word being as good as his bond, and by his great
perseverance and industry he has acquired a handsome competency.  His
social qualities are excellent, being possessed of good conversational
powers and affable manners, combined with a kind, generous heart.  As a
Christian he is a devoted and most exemplary member of his church, giving
liberally to its support, and doing the work allotted to him cheerfully
and conscientiously.  Mr. Van Natta was married, December 10, 1844, to
Miss Rebecca S. Willis, daughter of Pierson and Elizabeth Willis.  She
carried into her married life all those gentle, lovely traits of character
which made her so attractive as a friend, sister and daughter.  Mr. and
Mrs. Van Natta have a beautiful home about one mile from Shelbyville, where
their friends and acquaintances always meet with a hospitable welcome.
They have three children: Thomas F., Lulie V. and James S. Van Natta.
Thomas F. Van Natta is married to Miss Mae Zook, of St. Joseph, Mo., where
he resides, being engaged in the wholesale drug business, and having
remarkable success.  Lulie Van Natta is the wife of Squire T. C.
Timberlake, of Anchorage, Ky.  James S. Van Natta married Miss Fannie
Morrow, of Jeffersonville, Ind., and resides with his father.

Van_Natta Van_Etten Moffett Willis Zook Timberlake Morrow
=
Anchorage-Jefferson-KY Jeffersonville-Clark-IN Ulster-NY Sussex-NJ
Morris-NJ MO IN

http://www.rootsweb.com/~kygenweb/kybiog/shelby/vannatta.s.txt