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 ILLIAM SHOEMAKER, Who has one of
the best appointed stock farms in the central portion of Coles County, is located on
section 36, of Humbolt Township, where he has 358
acres, including sixty of choice timber, a shapely
and substantial farm residence, good barns and outhouses, and everything required for the successful prosecution of his calling. Our subject is a native of Wythe County, Va., and was born Nov. 17, 1822. His parents, John and Anna (Brown) Shoemaker, were natives of North Carolina, born near Gifford Court-House, where they were reared and married. They settled first in Wythe County, Va., where they resided until the spring of 1829, and thence removed to Washington County, Va. In the fall of 1834, they migrated to this county, where the father still followed his old-time occupation of farming, and where his death took place in 1843. The mother survived her husband thirteen years, dying in 1856. Both parents were members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, in which John Shoemaker occupied a prominent position. In all the relations of life he was distinguished by his uprightness and kindliness of heart, and when finally gathered to his fathers, was mourned as one whose place could not easily be filled. His family included nine children: Benjamin, Aaron, Susanna, Samuel, John and Elizabeth A. are all deceased; the three living are Matilda, the widow of Parker Woods, and a resident of this county; William of our sketch, and James, whose home is in this township. Our subject passed his youth and boyhood after the manner of most farmer’s sons, and when starting out in life for himself was married, May 20, 1846, to Miss Lucinda, daughter of Samuel and Mary (Highsmith) Woods. The parents of Mrs. S. were also natives of the Carolinas, whence they emigrated first to Kentucky and then to Illinois, coming to this county in about 1825. Of this marriage there were born three children James O., Dovy and Thornton. The first and last named are deceased, and the mother departed this life at the home of her husband, on the 1st of April 1869. Mr. Shoemaker was afterward married to Mrs. Elizabeth Webster, the widow of Lawson Webster, of Kentucky, and daughter of William and Jane (Mitchell) Mason. Mrs. S. by her first husband became the mother of two children, Alice J., and William L., both now deceased. Of her marriage with our subject there are no children. Mrs. Shoemaker was one of seven children born to her parents, namely, John K., deceased; Elizabeth, William, Killis M., Charles R., Tabitha I. and Mary J. Mr. and Mrs. S. are members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and our subject, politically, affiliates with the Democratic party. He has held the office of Road Commissioner, and is a man of intelligence, whose opinions are generally respected. |
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