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JOHN H. SHIRK
Vol. 3, p. 1046-1047

The excellent professional average of the legal fraternity in
Oklahoma City, as exemplified in the prominence attained by a large
proportion of its numbers, their marked ability in the various
branches of the calling, exhaustive knowledge of the fundamental
principles of law, and the energy, vigor and shrewdness with which
they present and try their cases, has made this bar famous throughout
the state, and in comparison with that of many larger and older
cities of the country, one to be envied. A member of the Oklahoma
City bar for more than a decade, John H. SHIRK owes his success to
the possession of most, if not all of those qualifications referred
to and which are requisite to the conduct of a large and varied law
practice, and his prominence at the bar is merely evidence of his
ability to properly apply them in his chosen profession.

John H. Shirk comes of sturdy old Pennsylvania Dutch stock, and was
born in Ogle County, Illinois, December 14, 1879. His father, Michael
M. Shirk, was a native of Pennsylvania, born in one of the
Pennsylvania Dutch colonies, was engaged in farming, and was also a
minister of what was then known as the River Brethren, a religious
sect of the order of the Dunkards. In 1866 he moved to Ogle County,
Illinois, where he was married in 1876 to Frances HOOVER, a native of
Indiana, and in 1880 the family removed to Indiana, where the father
died in 1912 at the age of eighty years, while the mother still
resides there and is sixty years of age.

John H. Shirk grew up amid agricultural surroundings on his father's
farm, but was granted better opportunities for an education than most
Indiana farmers' lads, first attending the public schools, later
taking his literary and law courses at the University of Indiana,
from which he was graduated in 1901 with the degree of Bachelor or
Science, and finally taking a post-graduate course in liberal arts
and law at Notre Dame University, Indiana, where he was graduated in
1903 with the degree of Bachelor of Laws. Mr. Shirk almost
immediately came to Oklahoma, in 1904 taking up his residence at
Oklahoma City, where he has continued to be engaged in a constantly-
increasing practice. He was alone in his profession until 1912, when
he formed a partnership with Harris L. DANNER, under the firm style
of Shirk & Danner, considered one of the strong legal combinations of
the city. Their large practice has now reached that state where it
extends to the whole varied field of general litigation, both in the
state and federal jurisdictions.

Mr. Shirk has never been a seeker for personal preferment in public
affairs, preferring to devote his whole attention to his profession
and his business interests. He has large holdings in a number of
Oklahoma's commercial enterprises, and is vice president and a
director of the Capital Ice & Storage Company of Oklahoma City, a
$210,000 concern. Fraternally, Mr. Shirk is identified with the
Knights of Pythias. He is a member of the English Lutheran Church of
Oklahoma City, and a member of the council thereof. He maintains
offices at Nos. 604-610 Security Building.

In October, 1909, Mr. Shirk was united in marriage with Miss Carrie
HINDERER, daughter of George H. Hinderer, of Goshen, Indiana. Mrs.
Shirk's paternal grandfather came to the United States from Germany,
in 1849, being one of the political refugees from that country at the
time of the revolution. One son has come to Mr. And Mrs. Shirk:
George H., born May 1, 1913. The family home is at No. 210 East Park
Place, Oklahoma City.

Typed for OKGenWeb by: Dorothy Marie Tenaza, December 10, 1998.