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Cornelius Shoemaker

The main points in the history of this gentleman, formerly a resident of York Township, are found to be as follows: He was born in Preble County, Ohio, Feb. 21, 1815, and removed with his parents, when a boy, to Marion County, Ind., they locating two and one-half miles west of the present flourishing city of Indianapolis, which was then a very small town. There the father, Christian Shoemaker, died, Oct. 29, 1823. He was born Jan. 16, 1779. He married Miss Rosanna Witt, who was born March 31, 1786.

Their children are recorded as follows: Lavina was born Aug. 16, 1800; Susan and Polly (twins) July 9, 1808; Amos, Nov. 16, 1810; Elizabeth, Dec. 25, 1812; Cornelius, our subject, was the next child; Rosanna was born Oct. 14, 1817; Silas, Dec. 7, 1819; and Jesse, Jan. 20, 1822. One daughter of these is living.

Mrs. Rosanna (Witt) Shoemaker departed this life on March 15, 1857, in the homestead of her son, Cornelius. Cornelius, our subject, was married, Dec. 28, 1837, in Bartholomew County, Ind., to Miss Sophia, daughter of Garland and Elizabeth (Hubbard) Smith. She was born Aug. 5, 1816.

To our subject and his wife there were born children as follows: First, an infant who died unnamed; Henry S., Sept. 28, 1840; Rosanna, Dec. 5, 1842; William A., Nov. 11, 1845; Amos S., Nov. 26, 1847; Louisa J., Feb 12, 1850; John I., April 25, 1852; Mary S., Aug. 24, 1854; Cyrena L., Oct. 14, 1857; Cornelius D., Feb. 28, 1860. Seven of these are still living. William A., during the late war, werved in the Union Army as a member of Company A, 146th Illinois Infantry. All are married, and all, except one, reside in this county.

Mr. Shoemaker removed from Indiana to this county in June, 1839, and in November following, located on the farm which is the present family homestead. He first pre-empted 160 acres, and added to it until he was the ownder of a half section. Upon this he labored with patience and perserverance until the last illness, which resulted in his death, Aug. 12, 1878.

It is hardly necessary to say that on coming to this county, the land lay as the Indians had left it, and the cabins of the settlers were few and far between. Mr. Shoemaker labored industriously in the impreovement of his land, and his wife applied herself to her duties in a no less faithful manner. In due time they found themslves on the road to prosperity, with the prospect of a competence for the future.

Since the death of her husband, Mrs. Shoemaker has carried on the improvements, which he had contemplated, putting up a good barn, and adding other buildings as they seemed necessary.

Mr. Shoemaker was an upright man in all his dealings, and a member, is good standing, of the Christian Church of Thomson, in which he served many years as Deacon. Politically, he was a Democrat. Mrs. Shoemaker is also a member of the Christian Church. At his death, Mr. Shoemaker left a farm of 300 acres, which since that time has been managed by Mrs. Shoemaker.

Garland Smith, the father of Mrs. Shoemaker, was born in the State of Maine, Feb. 22, 1834 [sic], and died Dec. 2, 1866. His wife, Matilda A. Prouty, was born in Vermont, March 4, 1810, and died May 6, 1880. They were married Oct. 7, 1829.

Of the children born to them, the record is as follows: Almira was born July 8, 1830, and died Jun 4, 1834; Abel P. was born Aug. 1, 1832, and married Oct. 16, 1852, and died Oct. 5, 1874; Elizabeth S. was born Aug. 8, 1834, married George W. Holland Sept. 1, 1850; Helen M. was born Sept. 26, 1836, and was married to Wesley G. Wilson, Aug. 14, 1865; an infant son was born Dec. 18, and died that same day; Lydia A. was born Feb. 19, 1840, married Reuben W. Mead Jun 19, 1859; Charles C. was born May 15, 1842, and died Oct. 1, 1863; Melvina P. was born Feb. 2, 1845, married Egbert Dunn Dec. 31, 1864, and died Jan. 4, 1882; Holmes was born Sept. 14, 1847, and died Feb. 19, 1848; Jerome B. was born Aug. 1, 1849, and was married to Ada Tibbits Sept. 4, 1876; Victorine was born Aug. 19, 1852, and married John J. Shoemaker Feb. 27, 1877.