Vernon Shurr, BiographyPorter County biographical sketches . . . .
Transcribed biography of Vernon Shurr
VERNON SHURR
Vernon Shurr was born on March 1, 1892, son of George and Louise Shurr, on a farm south of Porter Cross Roads. He married Hazel Merriman of Valparaiso on March 4, 1914. They had four children, who were Harvey, Helen, Verna Ruth, and Emerson.
In 1918 Vernon joined a group of neighborhood farmers, who purchased a steam engine, thrashing machine, and corn shredder, which they operated together until 1930. When the machinery wore out, Vernon then purchased his own tractor, thrashing machine, and silo-filler and did custom work for his neighbors until 1940.
Also, in the early 1920's Vernon Shurr helped start the Porter County Farm Bureau Co-op by selling feed and coal to the farmers. About this time he started to sell insurance to the farmers through the joint companies of Farm Bureau and State Farm Mutual. When State Farm Mutual broke off from Farm Bureau. Vernon became the first State Farm agent in Porter County and the surrounding area.
In 1959 he turned his farm over to his son Emerson and moved to 835 East Lincolnway in Valparaiso where he continued with his insurance work with State Farm and Indiana Farmers Mutual until his death in 1966.
Source: American Revolution Bicentennial Committee of Porter County. 1976. A Biographical History of Porter County, Indiana. Valparaiso, Indiana: American Revolution Bicentennial Committee of Porter County, Inc. 180 p.
Page(s) in Source: 160
This biography has been transcribed exactly as it was originally published in the source. Please note that we do not provide photocopies or digital scans of biographies appearing on this website.
Biography transcribed by Steven R. Shook