George Shannon (explorer)

George Shannon (c. 1785–August 30, 1836), was an American explorer, lawyer, and politician. He was the youngest member of the Lewis and Clark Expedition (not counting the infant Jean Baptiste Charbonneau), joining at the age of 17, was born in Pennsylvania of Irish ancestry.^: 12 He joined the Corps of Discovery in August 1803, as one of the three men (and Seaman) from Pittsburgh recruited by Lewis as he was waiting for the completion of the voyage's vessels in the city.

George Shannon was one of the "Nine men from Kentucky". He was lost for 16 days.

His father had died in February 1803 by freezing. His brothers include Congressman Thomas Shannon, Ohio/Kansas Governor Wilson Shannon, David Shannon, and lawyer James Shannon. He had nine siblings, six of them being brothers, and was the eldest of them. Soon after his father's death, he went to Philadelphia in search of employment to support his family, before returning home.^: 9–12 He had seven children with Ruth Snowden Price, one of them including Texas Senate member George Ross Shannon.