Charles D Summers

The Shain Family at Shakertown, 1808-1922 Charles D Summers

Charles Summers has compiled a masterful genealogy of the Shain family through five generations. Of particular interest to him are the many connections with the Kentucky Shakers. His work with the genealogy draws on many primary sources, not only the usual genealogy sources, but also the records kept by the Shakers. His notes for each of the people involved contain much more than the basic genealogical facts in that Summers has included the results of his research into each of these individuals to flesh out their lives. Overall it provides a much fuller picture of the Shains and the Shakertown Shakers than one might expect from a genealogy. As an added benefit, Summers has included many short chapters devoted to different facets of the Shakers, which add depth to his exploration of the Shain family. Randall L. EricsonPatricia Pogue and Richard W. Couper Librarian (ret.) Hamilton College