Harrisville native prints history of his family,

by Kate Carr, Intern of

"Watertown Daily Times"

First published Wednesday, June 11, 2003

 - Marion F. "Francis" Shean, 83, doesn't have a college degree. In fact, he doesn't even have a high school diploma. Mr. Shean attended Harrisville High School in the late 1930s, but never graduated. And as his wife, Florence, 85, reminds him, he failed English. So when he decided in 1997 he wanted to leave a small record of his life for his five children, his wife simply rolled her eyes. "I thought he was nuts," she said with a smile. Despite his wife's teasing, Mr. Shean forged ahead with his idea. "I didn't want to do anything big." Mr. Shean said. "Something like a journal. Just something small I wanted to do for my family." He then handed over his "journal." It's a 200-page book (featuring 122 black and white pictures) that details Mr. Shean's life, the lives of his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Jerome Stowell, and Mr. and Mrs. Milton Shean, and the history of a small, budding Harrisville After five years of researching his story, Mr. Shean went to multiple editors and publishing companies, only to be told they could not or would not publish his story as it was. "I wanted it in my own words," Mr. Shean said. "I was sick of the negative response." In 2002, Mr. Shean started his own publishing company, Last Chance Publishing, and published his book, "The Sheans, The Stowells and Harrisville, N.Y.," the same year. He now operates the company from his home. He is writing another book that details the process so he may share what he has learned with would-be authors and publishers. And all this from a guy who failed English. "I'm so proud of him," said Barbara B. Charlton, one of Mr. Shean's daughters. Listening to her father recall the process, she said, "He didn't even graduate and he's done all of this." She glanced around the small "office" adjacent to Mr. Shean's one-stall garage on Perch Lake Road in the town of Pamelia. There are dozens of copies of his book, small pressing machines and piles of papers and glue on the shelves. A group of printers and a computer share a small desk where Mr. Shean did the writing for his book. There are also several chairs scattered around the room, an indication the Sheans must be accustomed to unannounced visitors. Nice and cozy" would be a good way to describe Mr. Shean's book. Most of the copies have been sold to friends and family. His story flows in short paragraph excerpts of experiences and memories that are, for the most part, chronological. The book begins with a list of events that happened before Mr. Shean's birth in 1919 and ends with a summarization of the lives that he and his family carried on after he permanently left Harrisville in 1938. Altogether, it spans 19 years of his life and countless memories. When asked where he got the drive to pursue this ambition, Mr. Shean said, "I'm a stubborn man, I always have been. If I'm going to join a club, I'm going to get into it. I'm going to take charge." He used a local Moose Club chapter that is no longer in existence as an example, and rattled off the positions he held: "Governor, secretary, bookkeeper. I just can't sit and watch." His career experience may be an even better testament to that fact: 15 years in sheet metal operations, five years as an operator of a gas station, owner of TV Service Center, owner and operator of a farm, member of the Civilian Conservation Corps ... the list goes on. "I've done a little bit of everything," Mr. Shean said. Mr. Shean began his research when he was 77 years old. He used resources available around him such as the Lowville courthouse and several north country libraries, and he even learned how to use the Internet. "Learning how to use the computer was one of the biggest challenges. Very frustrating at times," he said. Then he began digging through old photographs his parents left him and he started searching through the collections of Harrisville locals. His story is enjoyable; an easy read that reminds one of talking to a favorite grandparent. He peppers the story with wry humor about his birth ("... night or day, I don't recall the details,") and happy recollections of his boyhood in Harrisville. ("One of the games that we played was marbles ... I was not so hot at this and I ended up losing my marbles most of the time.") Mr. Shean has received plenty of feedback from friends and family, all complimentary and rewarding. But he says the most rewarding part of the experience was learning about his grandparents and giving his children a sort of legacy. As his daughter, Barbara, puts it, "He used to tell stories around the table and now he doesn't have to. It's a wonderful thing he's done for his children." Copies of "The Sheans, the Stowells and Harrisville, N.Y." can be obtained by calling Mr. Shean at 788-9199 or by e-mailing him at mfshean@gisco.net. 

And theirs more from the back page:

Harrisville native publishes own account of family history A slice of Francis Shean's life in Harrisville The following is an excerpt from "The Sheans, The Stowells and Harrisville, N.Y." by Marion F. "Francis" Shean: Tagalong friends "Yes, I had a few of these. Especially the year I was the winner of the Austin's Ice Cream Company contest. You see, Austin's Ice Cream Co. did a promotion by having forms filled out at all the stores that sold their ice cream. It was for customers to guess the name of the three flavors of ice cream they would use in their new combination package that would soon be put on the market. Since my father had a store at this time, a lot of forms were available for me to fill out. I filled out more than my share and I won. I was given a book of 52 tickets. Each ticket was good for one full quart of ice cream a week, redeemable at my favorite store. Every Monday at lunch time, I would go to Laparr's Restaurant for the treat with friends behind me to help do the eating. Mrs. Grace Laparr would always dish out the ice cream just as if we were paying customers." 

NOTE,

Since this article was done.

 Florence ( my wife) has passed-away, 

Have a comment or two for me.

e/mail

Hope you enjoyed this;

It will give you some insight of what can be done with no college degree. 

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