George A. Shuster

GEORGE A. SHUSTER, surveyor of Auglaize county and a veteran of the World war, with a record of overseas service as an officer of the national army, was born in Cincinnati, but has been a resident of Auglaize county since the days of his boyhood. He was born on July 25, 1892, and is a son of William and Mary Shuster, both of whom also were born in this state, and the latter of whom is now living at New Knoxville, this county. William Shuster was engaged in the wholesale shoe business at Cincinnati. After his death there, his family removed to New Knoxville, and it was in the schools of this village that George A. Shuster received his early schooling, later entering the high school at Spencerville, from which he was graduated in 1910. Following his graduation he was for three years engaged during the winters in teaching school in this county and in the neighboring county of Allen, and in 1913 entered the civil engineering school of Ohio State University, where he remained three years. When this country took a part in the World war in the spring of 1917, Mr. Shuster enlisted his services, and on May 11, 1917, entered the officers' training camp, where on August 15 following he received his commission as a second lieutenant and was sent to Camp Sherman, where he was attached to the 83d Division, and in May, 1918, sailed with this command for overseas service. He was overseas for seventeen months, and during this period saw some pretty strenuous service, this service including his participation in the notable battles of Chateau Thierry, at St. Mihiel and in the Argonne. The later period of his overseas service was rendered with the 4th Division, to which he had been transferred, and to which he was attached when the armistice was signed, in November, 1918. After the armistice and pending orders for his return, Mr, Shuster seized the opportunity to do a bit of extension work in civil engineering in the University of Edinburg, where he remained four and one-half months. He returned to the United States on September 7, 1919, and was discharged with the rank of first lieutenant at Camp Sherman. Upon receiving his discharge from military service, Mr. Shuster re-entered the State University to complete there his unfinished course in civil engineering, and in June, 1920, was graduated from that institution. Upon leaving the university, Mr. Shuster became connected with the Kentucky state inspection bureau and was thus engaged in technical service from July, 1920, to August, 1921. In the meantime, during the memorable campaign of 1920, he has been made the nominee of the Republicans of Auglaize county for the office of county surveyor, and was elected to that office in the November election. On September 5, 1921, he entered upon the duties of this office and has since been serving in that capacity. Mr, Shuster is a Republican, a member of the Methodist Episcopal church at New Knoxville, and a member of the American Legion. He is actively affiliated with the American Association of Engineers and is a Scottish Rite (32̊) Mason and a noble of the Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, affiliated with the consistory at Columbus and with the Shrine at Lexington, Ky. He also is a member of the local lodge of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks at Wapakoneta. In the election of November, 1922, Mr. Shuster was re-eleced to the office of county surveyor by a majority of 1,068 votes.