My Genealogy Hound

JOHN SHOEMAKER, farmer; P. O. Covington; born in Franklin Co., Penn., in 1829; is the son of John and Catherine Shoemaker, both of Pennsylvania. John Sr., immigrated to Ohio in 1834 or 1835, and located in Montgomery Co., on Mad River, where he soon died, leaving a family of three sons and one daughter. The subject of this sketch was then only about 6 years old. After his father’s death he made his home with a cousin till about 10 years old, when he came to this county, and resided with an uncle who lived here. When 20 years of age he went to Iowa, and in the spring of 1850, to California, over the plains. He then began prospecting for gold in the Columbia River. After mining fifteen months he returned, by the Panama route and city of New York, home. He returned with a neat competence, and, locating in Dayton, engaged in hauling stone for a time but moved to Iowa and remained one year, when he returned to Newton Township, where he has since lived. He is a member of the German Baptist Church Mr. Shoemaker was married Jan. 12, 1854, to Gulaelma Cooper, of Montgomery Co. She died July 13, 1869; they had two sons and three daughters; one son died in Indiana in August, 1879.