Virginia Shannon Fendrick had deep roots in Mercersburg, Pennsylvania and the surrounding communities. She was born June 27th, 1863, the daughter of Daniel Miller Bowles Shannon and his wife, Magdalena Angle Shannon. The family included a sister, Antoinette, and brothers, Oliver and William. They lived most of their growing up years at the William Smith house on the corner of Main and Oregon Street.
She married Christian F. Fendrick, son of Philip and Christina Steiger Fendrick, a well known and respected businessman of Mercersburg. They had three children, Raymond, Margarite and Percy.
Her interest in local history and family genealogy developed early and continued throughout her life. She was a charter member of the Mercersburg Woman's Club and charter member of the Franklin County Chapter of the Daughter's of the American Revolution (DAR). As Chairman of the DAR Genealogical Records, she compiled detailed records on Franklin County soldiers serving during the American Revolution. Her research was published by the DAR as "Revolutionary War Soldiers of Franklin County."
Mrs. Fendrick was honored for her work in genealogical and historical research by being included in the 1932 edition of The Handbook of American Genealogy of Chicago.
Mrs. Fendrick served as editor for Old Mercersburg published by the Mercersburg Woman's Club in 1912. Her sister Antoinette assisted her in this work. She also researched many of the families in Franklin County, Pennsylvania and Washington County, Maryland, and kept her notes in carefully numbered notebooks. Many of her records include material from early wills and deeds filed at the courthouse in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. To gather this information, she had to copy the material by hand at the courthouse and then type it at a later date to place in her notebooks. She was carefull to list volume and page numbers as well as all pertinent names and dates.
Mrs. Virginia Shannon Fendrick's genealogical research fills twenty five notebooks and is currently housed at the Fendrick Library.