The John Bridgeman House |
COMPENDIUM OF LOCAL BIOGRAPHIES
BLEDSOE COUNTY, TENNESSEE
THOMAS SHOEMATE:
-----"Bledsoe
County has many well-to-do and successfull farmers who had accumulated
what they have of this world's goods through individual effort. Among
this class the name of the subject of this notice Thomas Shoemate is
entitled to a place."
-----Thomas "He was born September 18, 1834 upon a farm which he now owns and operates, it being pleasantly situated in the Seventh District, four miles below Pikeville. Here he is industriously engaged in the prosecution of his noble calling, and metting with far more than ordianary success.
-----"His parents were,
William and Hannah Shoemate, the former (William) of whom died
before the birth of Thomas. At the age of seventeen years old he started
out in life for himself, and his mother lived with him, dying at his
home in 1883. She was atthe advanced old age of 91 years. This Shoemake
family came to Sequatchie Valley from Upper East Tennessee, and since
has been identified with the interestsof the region.
-----"During his boyhood, Thomas Shoemake
attended school in the neighborhood of his home, and for one term as
a student in a boarding school conducted near the present home of Clay
Greer.
-----"At the beginning of his business career Thomas worked for J.C. Roberson, at $8.00 per month, and remained with Mr. Roberson as manager of his business, for a total of fourteen years. Since that time, Thomas Shoemake has purchased one-thousand acres of his former employer's land and beig energetic, economical, and industrious, he has become one of the most prosperous and substamtial citizens of this District.
-----"Prior to the Civil War, Mr. Thomas Shoemate married Ms. Rachel Keasey, a native of Bledsoe County, who died in 1883, leaving Mr. Shoemate with two sons, R. B. Shoemate, a business man of South Pittburg, Tennessee, and L. M. Shoemate, a farmer in Bledsoe County, Tennessee.
-----"For eighteen years Mr. Thomas Shoemate was a prominent member of the county court, from the Seventh District, and in his political affiliations he has always been a stalwart Democrat."
The above information was taken from: "Compendium of Local Biographies" published by Mountain Press, P. O. Box 400, Signal Mtn., Tennessee. www.mountain press.com
Additional Research Showing Thomas Shoemate's son, L. M. Shoemate, conveyed the property on which is the Humble Cemetery, south of Pikeville, TN. Click Here
*********************
Another Interesting Note:
The 1910 Census Record of Thomas J. Shoemake (Shoemate). You will note
that in this case the name is spelled with a "K" and not a
"T" as in other places.
See Census record below:
*********************
Additional Information on William and Hannah posted online by an unknown source.
A lady posted this on-line and
I found it.
When reading, please use your own judgment in regards to its authenticity
1. William Thomas Shoemate
m. Hannah Shoemate maiden name "Unk", b. 1791 S.C. d. 17 Mar
1882 (See Grave Marker For Hannah)
Children of William and Hannah Shoemate:
>>>>Thomas Shoemate born. 18
Sep 1834 TN. d. 25 Aug 1914 TN.
>>>>m. Rachel Keasey b. 1821
d. 18 May 1882
>>>>Children of Thomas and
Rachel:
>>>> >>>>Rufus
Shoemate b. abt 1854
>>>> >>>
Luscious M. Shoemate
b. May 1855 Tn. d. ?
>>>> >>>>Childen
of Luscious M Shoemate:
>>>>>>>> >>>>Minnie
Bell Shoemate b. Nov 1883 Tn d. 1969 Pomona, Ca. married: Leonard Franklin
Clifton >>>> >>>>>>>>b.
1 Jan 1883 Tn. d. 9 Nov. 1967 Tx.
>>>> >>>>>>>>Children
of Minnie Bell Shoemate and Leonard Clifton:
>>>> >>>>>>>>Clyde
Hugh Clifton b. 5 Mar. 1904 Tn. d. 30 July 1970 Pomona, Ca.
>>>> >>>>>>>>m.
Ruth Naomi Amason b. 3 Aug 1908 Pomona, Ca. d. Oct 2005 Chino,Ca. Carl
Clifton b. 2
>>>> >>>>>>>>Feb
1905 d. Mar 1935 Los Angeles, Ca. m. Mary Asher b 1903 d. Sept 1941
Los Angeles,
>>>> >>>>>>>>Ca.
*******************
-----An interesting note:
Thomas Shoemate's father (William) died while his mother was pregnant
with im. His wife died the same year that his mother, Hannah, died.
-----In 1799 there was a Wiliam
Shoemake, Robert and a Blackley Shoemake who signed a pitition in Knox
County Tennessee for the forming of a new county. We know that Blackley
was in Chesterfield County prior to his coming to Knox County Tennessee.
Since William and Robert were there with him, it only stands to reason
that they were related. Since Hannah was born in SC in or abt 1796,
the William here listed could well be the her husband that is recorded
in "Compendium of Local Biographies" When researching all
the Shoemakes, Shoemates, who lived in Bledsoe County, you find a James,
William and a Robert, a John, Dicy and Hannah all living in the general
area. It only stands to reason that these were related. Morris K. Shoemake,
living in Marion County in 1912, in his application to the U.S. Department
of Indian Affairs states that there was a John, who was his grandfather,
and he listed the names of his grandfather's children who were:
John F.
James
William (It is said that this William was born in 1805) This being the
case, he could be the husband of Hannah).
Robert, and sisters
Sarah, and Dicy.
-----So, this leads me to believe that the William already living in Tennessee in 1799 along with Blackley and Robert, was more than likely the husband of Hannah. This William could have been the son of John who later settled in Jackson County, Alabama or the son of Samuel. It is possible that the William of John, listed by Morris K., could have been the husband of Hannah, he would only have been nine years younger than Hannah.
-----The Willaim living near Hannah in Bledsoe County could have been a son of Hannah. He was the one who married Fanny and Hannah would have been only nine or ten yeaars old when Willaim was born. Since William, Thomas' father died before his birth, the William married to Fanny could not have been Thomas' father and if this William was born in 1805 (about) he would not have been old enough to Marry until about 1825, other wise you would have had a teenager marrying a woman in her twenties. However, all things are possible. But, because he was living in 1850, he must not be counted as Hannah's husband.
