"John H K, the son of Samuel Elliott, enlisted in the Confederate Army at the age of 19, he was wounded at Fredericksburg,, and was also a prisoner of war for a time. He moved back to Royal Oak and built a house on the Miles River. At one time he had a ice plant in Easton, but he was credited with the first Artesian well in the area, it flowed better and was better water than anyone else had, and he sold it by the barrell. He also formed the John H K Shannahan Artesian Well Co and this company was the first contractor on the job when the Maryland Steel Co plant was built at Sparrows Point. for many years this company drilled all the wells at that location. The company is still in existence as the Shannahan Artesian Well Co and is run by Norman Shannahan Jr. John H K is also supposed to have owned the first automobile on the Eastern Shore, a curved dash Oldsmobile!"

JHK Shannahan IV

John H K Shannahan's name is found on the Confederate memorial in front of the Easton Court House.

Molly Taylor