Sheldon, Stephen H.

Stephen Sheldon was born in Ohio in 1885. After attending Ohio State University's school of engineering, he went to work on the S.S. Northwestern. He made seven trips to Nome aboard the Northwestern then moved permanently to Alaska and went to work with Michael J. Heney, building the Copper River and Northwestern Railroad. Between seasons, he worked as a storekeeper in a remote supply station. After the railroad was completed, he moved to Haines where he later became Deputy U.S. Marshall. He married Elisabeth Neidly Birkinbine (Bess) in 1913 and had four children: Elisabeth Anne, Harriet Louise, Frederick Beaumont, and Stephen, Jr. Both Stephen and his wife were collectors and their numerous artifacts were displayed in the family's general store (which was also the post office and stove shop). When Bess died in January 1950, the oldest daughter, Elisabeth, and her husband, Felix "Whitey" Hakkinen bought the family store. Stephen died in August of 1960, and the Sheldon daughters inherited the family's collection which became the nucleus of the current Sheldon Museum and Cultural Center. [From: The Sheldon Museum and Cultural Center web site http://www.sheldonmuseum.org/sheldonfamily.htm].