Benjamin Franklin Shambaugh was born January 29, 1871, in Elvira, Iowa. He graduated from the Iowa City Academy June 13, 1888. At the State University of Iowa he earned his B.Ph. June 16, 1892, and his M.A. June 15 the following year. He took his Ph.D. in June 1895 at the University of Pennsylvania. He was educated in Germany 1895-1896, and was an instructor and professor at S.U.I. from 1896 to 1940. It was here in Iowa City that he met and married Bertha Maude Horak in 1897. From 1900 until 1940 Benjamin Shambaugh was professor and head of the Political Science Department at S.U.I. He was superintendent and editor at the State Historical Society of Iowa, Iowa City, from 1907 to 1940. He served as president of the Mississippi Valley Historical Association in 1910, and president of American Political Science Association in 1930. Benjamin Shambaugh died in Iowa City on April 7, 1940.

Bertha Maude Horack Shambaugh was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in 1871. She graduated from Iowa City High School in 1889, and attended the State University of Iowa 1889-1896. Bertha taught natural science at Iowa City High School from 1892 to 1897, until her marriage to Benjamin Shambaugh. Bertha authored Amana: The Colony of True Inspiration, and Amana That Was and Amana That is, in 1908 and 1933 respectively. Bertha Shambaugh died in Iowa City, Iowa, in 1953.

Benjamin and Bertha had no children. The Shambaugh Family Papers contain a good deal of information on the Horak-Horack and Shambaugh families. While we have done no extended genealogical work, the following paragraphs may prove useful.

Bertha's father, Frank, came to the United States in 1854 with his parents and seven siblings. The family name was spelled "Horak"and Frank J. Horak used this spelling throughout his life. His family appears to have used "Horack" for the most part, and Mrs. Shambaugh's full name appears in both forms. Since the Library of Congress Authority Record uses "Horack", that form is used in this finding aid.

Bertha's father was a lawyer. Her mother's name was Katharine Mosnat Horak. Katharine's father was J.J. Mosnat. Bertha had two brothers, Frank E. Horack (a professor of Political Science at the University of Iowa) and H. Claude Horack (a professor of law). Frank married Elizabeth Collins and seems to have had one son, Frank E., Jr. H[ugo] Claude had two sons, Harold Maclachlan Horack and Benjamin Shambaugh Horack, whom the Shambaughs referred to as "Son". He also had a daughter, Katharine Horack Dixon (Mrs. Jack), who in turn bore daughters Eleanor and Anne.

Benjamin Franklin Shambaugh had a brother, George E. Shambaugh, a doctor in Chicago, and a sister, Mrs. Roger Mahon.