Shoemaker, Joseph

The following data is extracted from Illustrated History of Union and Wallowa Counties, Oregon.

JOSEPH SHOEMAKER, Deceased. - To the substantial and industrious citizen whose name initiates this paragraph we are pleased to grant this review of his life's career as a memoir to his faithfulness and integrity, while he was employed in the upbuilding and advancement of the interests of his chosen county. He was a man of good ability and possessed of a moral worth which made him one of the highly respected members of society.

He was born in Wayne county, Ohio, on March 31, 1834, being the son of John and Susan Shoemaker. The father was a Dunkard preacher and lived on a farm, while our subject after being educated in the schools of his native place entered a blacksmith shop and there learned that leading trade. He followed this trade at his home, with one and one-half years in the state of Iowa, until 1870, and then came to Oregon, arriving here on June 20, 1870. He at once opened a shop in Cove, operating there for two or three years, and then bought three hundred and sixty acres of land two and one-half miles north of Cove, where his widow and son reside at the present time. For three years he stayed on the farm tilling the soil and then removed to Union and engaged in the shop again, when he returned to the farm in 1877 and there remained until the messenger of death came to call him hence, on March 25, 1878. His death was lamented by all and the county lost a valuable citizen. During the Civil war Mr. Shoemaker served for nine months in the cause of his country and then received his honorable discharge on account of sickness.

The marriage of Mr. Shoemaker and Miss Cinderella, daughter of William and Mary Johnson, was celebrated in Wooster, Ohio. To them were born eight children. Two daughters and one son preceded him to the other world. Four daughters, who are married, and one son, William Shoemaker, who runs the home place, survive the father.

It is quite in place to make mention of Mr. William Shoemaker in this connection and we note that he was born in Holmes county, Ohio. He is now operating the home farm, as mentioned above, and has about two hundred acres in cultivation, milks twenty cows, selling the milk to the creamery near by, and handles considerable other stock, as horses and hogs. Fraternally he is a member of the Cove Lodge, No. 52, I.O.O.F., and of the Grande Ronde Tent, No. 30, Maccabees.

Mr. Shoemaker was married on May 2, 1886, to Miss Hulda Williams, daughter of Peter and Susan, early pioneers to Douglas county, this state. Two children were born to gladden this union, one boy and one girl. On December 20, 1893, the wife was called to the realities of another world and the little family group was again in mourning. Mr. Shoemaker is one of the most prosperous and progressive agriculturists of this section and he is secure in the esteem and respect of the entire community.

Source: Illustrated History of Union and Wallowa Counties, Oregon

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