>>>>>Here is the story of Jesse Shoemake who left home just prior to Civil War and never returned. He was living in South Carolina, either Chesterfield or Darlington Counties, at the time he left home. It is thought that he left to become part of the Southern Confederate Army, but never returned home. He shows up in Alabama under the name of Jesse Shumack. The story is told by Max Shumack of Excell, Alabama, but has a business in Gulf Breeze. (See Jesse Shoemake under the name Moses in the 1850 census--Click here For descendants of Jesse, Click here

Max Shumack

>>>>>Little did I know when I was talking to George Washington Shoemake, Jr., in 1978, who lived in Hartsville, SC, that the information he would give me concerning Jesse Shoemake who left home prior to the war between the states, 1860-1865, would resurface in April of 2010 when I received an email from Max Shumack who lives in the area of gulf Breeze, Florida.

>>>>>Max sent me several emails asking questions and providing me with information about Jesse. I began to look into my records and sure enough, there was Jesse Shoemake, a son of Moses Shoemake who is buried in a field between Hartsville and McBee, SC. (Click here for a picture of Moses grave marker). Among the children of Moses Shoemake, Jr., and his wife Betsy W. as listed on the 1850 census of Chesterfield County, SC were the following:
----------(2-a) Mary I, B. 1834
----------(2-b) Jesse, B. 1836
----------(2-c) Elizabeth, B. 1841
----------(2-d) George Washington, B 1843
----------(2-e) James K., B. 1846
----------(2-f) Moses Elias, B. 1849

>>>>>I checked the 1860 census of Alabama, and found Jesse Shomack was recorded as being age 23, born in SC,. He was married to a Martha J. this fits both the name and age of Moses's son Jesse, Now while some may question the spelling of the name, there may be two answers. Number one is Jesse could not read or write, so it was left up to the census taker to spell the name. They often spelled it as it sounded. Second, if Jesse was trying to hide his identity, in the case he was AWOL from the army, or if he did not want anyone to find him, he could have changed the spelling of his name. However, the date of birth and having come from South Carolina gives strong evidence to the fact that this Jesse Shumack found in Alabama in 1860 is the same Jesse Shoemake, son of moses living in South Carolina in 1850, age 14.

1850 Census Chesterfield County, SC
Moses Shoemake:

>>>>>This is the Moses that first appeared on the 1840 census. Again, it is believed that he is the middle-aged son of Moses, Sr., and Mary. He is listed as being 40 years of age. (According to the grave marker he was born in 1808 and would be 42 years of age in 1850). His wife is listed as Betsey W. Shoemake, age 36. The following were living in Moses household:

>>>>>Mary I, age 16
>>>>>Jesse, age 14
>>>>>Elizabeth, age 9
>>>>>George Washington, age 7
>>>>>James K., age 4
>>>>>Moses Elias, age 1

>>>>>Now let's discuss the age difference. The Alabama 1860 census states that he was 23 years of age. The 1850 census of SC shows him being 14. According to the Alabama census he was born in 1837, being listed as 23 years of age. Being 14 on the 1850 SC Census he would have been born 1836. Now let's solve the problem. If they took the Alabama census before his birthday the year of 1860, he would show us as being 23. If this was the case within the next month or so during 1860, he would have turned 24, thus making him to be born in 1836. Therefore making both census records correct.

Alabama Census 1860

The following information was taken from the 1860 Censusof Alabama

United States, 1860 population schedules.
>>>> State: Alabama
>>>>County: Clarke
>>>>Minor Civil Division: [Blank]
>>>>Page: 176
>>>>Found on this Document (37)

Shomack, Jesse
>>>>Family Number: 1701, Estimated Birth Year: 1837, Age: 23, Color: [Blank], Sex: Male, Birth Place: S. >>>>Carolina, Full Name: Shomack, Jesse
Shomack, Martha J.
>>>>Family Number: 1701, Estimated Birth Year: 1834, Age: 26, Color: [Blank], Sex: Female, Birth Place: >>>>Georgia, Full Name: Shomack, Martha J

________________________________________________________

Information On This Jessie Shumake Ancestoral Line found on the internet:

>>>>Moses Shoemake b. 1808 d. 1851 Darling, South Carolina Married Betsey W. ??.

>>>>Jesse Allen Shoemake b. 1837 Darlington, South Carolina d. 1865 Monroe Co.,Alabama
>>>>Moses Floyud Shumack b.Nov. 11, 1860 Grove Hill, Alabama (Etowah) d. Dec. 25, 1932 San Rosa, >>>>Florida. He was the only son of Jesse Allen.

>>>>William Forrest Shumack b. Auig.29, 1884 Monroe Co. Alabama d. Alabama, son of Moses Floyud.

_____________________________________________________________________

A complete listing of Moses Jr 's children listed on the 1850 census of SC were:

Moses Jr., B 1808, D. 1851 X Betsey W._______? (Great, Great, Great, Grandfather to Max)
-----(2-a) Mary, B. 1834
-----(2-b) Jesse, B. 1836 (For more on Jesse Click here)
-----(2-c) Elizabeth, B. 1841
-----(2-d) George Washington, B 1843 (This was George Washington, Sr.)
-----(2-e) James K., B. 1846
-----(2-f) Moses Elias, B. 1849

_______________________________________ ______________________________

Ophelia Shumack Manning, the daughter of William Forrest Shumack.

Below is the 1920 copy of the census page for Monroe County, Alabama
Jesse is the Eigth name down from the top.

The listing on the above census page is:

>>>>Jessie Shumack, age 37, born in Alabama, abt. 1882-83. No wife listed. (Grandfather to Max). The >>>>following were living in his household:

>>>>Calvin, age 16, a son, born in Alabama,1/19/1903
>>>>Chester, age 14, a son, born in Alabama, abt. 1906
>>>>Eunor Voy, daughter, age 12, born in Alabama, abt 1908
>>>>Clave Lee. a son, age 10, born abt. 1910
>>>>Chrystae (Chrystal) a son, age 8, born abt. 1912
>>>>Colonial, a son, age 6, born abt. 1914 (Max's father)
>>>>Ubiedeen Miller, a daughter, born 6/6/1915
>>>>Ulmorean, a daughter, age under one year, born in Alabama (born abt. 1917)
>>>>Monsey E. a daughter, age 8 months, born in Alabama. (born abt. 1919)

>>>>Max gave me the name of Jessie's wife and it is listed below. On some documents Jesse's name is spelled >>>>with an "ie" and other places it is Jesse.

>>>>Below Max Shumack makes the corrections to what I've listed above. He took his information from the Family Bible.

The following is a list of descendants from Jesse Allen Shomack, son of Moses Shoemake Jr., of SC. (Great, Great, Grandfather to Max).

>>>>Jesse Allen Shumack, born abt. 1837 in SC, married Martha J. born abt. 1834, married in 1860, in Alabama, They had one child. On the marriage license Jesse's name was spelled Shumack. The couple had only one child. his name was: Moses Franklin Shumack.

>>>>Moses Franklin Shumack, ( Great, Grandfather to Max) born 11/11/1860. He married S.E.B. Driskill. She was born 6/18/1861 in Georgia. The couple had 11 children:

>>>>Mary J, a daughter, born 9/4/1880
>>>>Jesse Allen, a son, born 2/26/1882 ( Grandfather to Max Shumack)
>>>>William Forrest, a son, born 8/29/1884
>>>>T ilda, a daughter, born 10/24/1887
>>>>Dora V., a daughter, born 3/31/1890
>>>>Frona K., a daughter, born 7/24/1892
>>>>John L., a son, born 2/10/1895
>>>>Lela L., a daughter, born 10/26/1898
>>>>Franklin, a son, born 10/19/1904
>>>>Dovie, a daughter, born 10/20/1904
>>>>Lola, a daughter, born ??

>>>>The above information was taken from a family Bible by Max Shumack.

>>>>Moses Franklin Shomack is buried near Milton, Florida. On his tombstone his name is spelled "Shomock" and his wife who is buried beside him, her name is listed "J. E. B. Shumack"

>>>>Jesse Allen Shumack, taken from the list above, and son of Moses Franklin Shumack, is also recorded in the Family Bible. Below is his family:

>>>>Jesse Allen Shumack, born 2/26/1882, married Mary Frances Rhodes, born 4/18/1884. They married on 12/19/1901,(Grandfather to Max).
They had 12 children:

>>>>Calvin Moses, the oldest son, birth date 1/19/1903
>>>>Chester Jesse, a son, born 5/5/1905
>>>>Unie Veigh Beasley, a daughter, born 5/7/1907
>>>>Cleve Lee, a son, born 3/20/1909
>>>>Christal King, a son, born 3/3/1911
>>>>Colonial Scott, a son, born 5/12/1913 (Father of Max Ray Shumack)
>>>>Ubiedeen Miller, a daughter, born 6/6/1915
>>>>Ulma Reen, a daughter, born 6/15/1917
>>>>Monsie Earl, a daughter, born 5/7/1919
>>>>Andrew Darius, a son, born 12/16/1922
>>>>Letha Maria thersia, a daughter, born 2/4/1924
>>>>Clenton Allen, a son, born 2/25/1926
>>>>The above information was given to me by Max Shumack, taken from the Bible. The spelling of the names >>>>may be cleared up from what I was able to take from the 1920 census.

>>>>Colonial Scott Shumack, son of Jesse Allen Shumack shown above, was born on May 12, 1913, and died May 30, 1992. He married Sarah Alberta Rigdon. She was born on May 23, 1913 and died Auguat 23, 2003.
They had the following children:

>>>>Hera Vienna Shumack Scruggs, born October 22, 1934
>>>>Barbara Ann Shumack King, born January 18, 1943
>>>>Max Ray Shumack, born March 23, 1938

>>>>Max who supplied me with much of the information of Jesse Shoemake who left home in SC about 1859 or 1860, walked to Monroe County, Alabama (Evergreen) and changed his name to Shumack, gave a little humor when describing his birth. He said he was born, short and ugly in a cotton patch on March 23, 1938.

>>>>Max and I are almost the same age. I was born on January 9, 1938. I arrived just two months before he did. When I asked my father where I came from, he said, "I went down back of the house, in the woods, and cut you out of a hollow log" (Harring D. Shuemake).

The next generation:

I did not complete our family to include the next generation--Max:
>>>>Ray and Hera Scruggs---Tamala Lynn, daughter born 1958; Ray Brent Scruggs, son born 1963)
>>>>Jerry and Barbara King----David Scott King, son born 1960; Deanna King, born ???; Dylan King (born >>>>1973)
>>>>Max and Sherrie Shumack, (Cary Scott Shumack born 1963; John Kipper Shumack, born August 1, >>>>1966>deceased August 3, 1966; Tucker Cameron Shumack, born November 23, 1972; Tiffany Brooke >>>>Shumack, born January 20,1980)
Next generation:

>>>>Wesley Blake Shumack, born October 18, 1988; (Cary) Jordan Elizabeth Shumack, born August 2000) >>>>(Cary) Tucker Cameron Shumack Jr., born August 18, 2008; (Tucker) Submitted by Max.

The following emails were sent to me from Max Shumack

>>>>>Harring---"I remembered that I had copied the census report about Jesse in South Carolina and the comment that he had left home to join the Confederate Army and never returned home, The time line is almost exact since he would have been 23 years old in 1859 when he showed up in Evergreen Alabama. He was the son of Moses "Shoemake" Jr and it makes all the sense in the world that he named his only son Moses after his father---I think we have a definite connection to South Carolina Shoemakes. I have seen spellings of his name as "Shomack" and "Shomake" on different documents. According to Papa he could neither read nor write and so his name was spelled according to how it sounded"---Max..

>>>>>Harring------"My grandfather who was also named Jesse Allen Shumack after his grandfather used to tell this story : He (Jesse Allen Shumack) was traveling with some people who were traveling through Evergreen on a covered wagon. They would stop and pick cotton etc. and travel on , sorta like gypsies. On this night they were camped out near Evergreen and the old lady was cooking supper over an open fire. A man rode up on a little red horse; that horse was poor and looked like he had nothing to eat. The man ask them if he could camp out near them and they said it would be OK. The old lady told them , when supper was ready to go over and ask the man to come eat with them. While eating with them the man told about how he had come from way out west where the grass would ball up and roll (tumble weeds). He also told them that a person could have land out there simply by claiming it. My gggranddaddy listened to all this and after supper when the man had gone back out to where he was camped, gggranddaddy went over there and talked with him about that land out west. The next morning the people in the covered wagon were going on down into Florida and gggranddaddy told them he would not be going with them but that he was going to walk out west to see about that land.

>>>>"He set out walking and went through Monroeville which he later described as having just one little store---He made it to Rabbit Creek near Grove Hill, Alabama and stopped by a Mr Floyd's house and ask him could he sleep in his barn. Mr Floyd said no , you can sleep in the house, so my gggranddaddy spent the night with them. The next morning after breakfast my gggranddady's feet were swollen badly and he told Mr Floyd, "I'm in a heap of trouble cause I can not walk any more." Then he asked Mr Floyd if he had any kind of work he could do until his feet got better. Mr Floyd asked him if he could split rails and my gggranddaddy told him he had never done that but he had seen it done.

>>>>"Mr Floyd had a sister named Martha J Floyd who lived in a little house right next to his house and right across the line of a 1/2 section, or 320 acres, which she was living on, whereby she could qualify for the Land Patent. Papa(my grandfather) said , "they commenced to sparking and up and married." (I have seen the marriage record). They had one son and named him Moses and they both only lived 5 years. Papa said he thought they might have died from puemonia, but he was not sure. Their son , Moses , grew up with her brother (Mr Floyd) and the story goes that Floyd was abusive to him while he was growing up. The story in my family has been that Moses was abusive to his wife and children. Papa used to say that his Daddy did not whip him but he beat him while he was growing up. I have heard this from my Father's brothers and sisters and from my father also"--Max..

In a third email Max wrote:

>>>>"We are most of the time in Gulf Breeze , but this weekend we are going to the farm in Excel where I have the old Shumack Bible. In it I have listed my grandfather's (Jesse Allen Shumack) father and mother and all of his sisters and brothers (11 of them). Also, I have listed all of his and my grandmother's (Mary Frances Rhodes Shumack) children or my father's brothers and sisters(12 of them).

>>>>"My grandfather , Jesse Allen, lived to be 100; born in 1882 and died in 1982. He is the one who told the story about his grandfather (the Jesse we are looking for). Papa's father was Moses Franklin Shumack or Shumock and he and his wife Elizabeth are buried in what used to be a Primitive Baptist church grounds near Milton, Florida. Moses donated the land for the church and the cemetary. Looking at the records in Milton, I found that he owned over 800 acres of land in Santa Rosa County. As mentioned to you, his grave stone reads Moses F "Shumock" died in 1932 and right beside him his wife's grave stone reads Elizabeth "Shumack" died in 1912. My father told me that after his wife died, Moses gave his land to a court judge in exchange for a lifetime income and after that he roamed all over the country, staying with his children or in one place or the other until his death in 1932. My best belief is now that my great great grandfather , Jesse, was the son of Moses Jr from South Carolina. It ties in very well with the time line of when he showed up in Evergreen Alabama"--Max.

A Fourth Email from Max:

>>>>>"My largest regret is that when I was growing up, and Papa was living, he always wanted to go back over to Grove Hill and search for the place where his grandfather lived near Rabbit Creek. Papa had an excellent memory and could recite details with total accuracy. His children , including my father, sorta took his stories without much interest and of course I did not then realize how interesting our family history was at that time. Now , unfortunately, my own children are not totally interested in this, but I know that one day they will become interested as I did and by then I will be gone. My thinking , at this time , is that the Moses Jr in South Carolina was the father to my great, great, grandfather and just as the comment I saw he left home to join the confederate army and most likely deserted which explains why he was reticent about his past; it also sorta explains why he decided to try and walk cross country in an attempt to go out west. The fact that he was alone and did not talk about his family tells me that there was some kind of trouble in his past. Deserters from the Confederate Army were shot when they were caught, so he had good reason to be quiet about where he came from. Who was your great great grandfather?" Max.

>>>>>In reply to Max, my great, great, grandfather was Moses Shoemake who appeared on the 1800 census of Chesterfield County, South Carolina, who was the father of Moses Shoemake, Jr.

>>>>>This Moses of 1800, had two sons that I have record of: one Moses Jr.,(born in 1808) and the other Morgan (born in 1814). Morgan was my great grandfather, the father of James M. my grandfather; James M. was the father of Feet Herrin; and Feet Herrin was my father----Harring D. Shuemake.

>>>>>In your case you descended down from Moses Jr., who was the father of Jesse Shoemake. (For the descendants of Jesse Shumack, click here). In my case, I am a descendant of Morgan shoemake the second known son of Moses Sr., of 1800 Checterfield County, SC. So Max we are distant cousins.

>>>>>If there is anyone who has further information on Jesse Shoemake (Shumack) please contact me: harring@centurytel.net

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