Morris K. Shoemake Public Records

This document is the first page of the application made by Morris K. Shoemake to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, Washington, D.C. on March 16, 1907. In this document he lists his brothers and sisters, his father and mother, and his father's brothers and sisters. He also list the name of his grandfather. One may notice that below the above picture, his name is recorded Shoemate. However, the Federal Census lists him as Shoemake as well as the documents below.
On his headstone at his grave site it reads "Morris K. Shoemake."

See A List Of Morris K. Shoemake's Children At Bottom of Page
Also a list of Samuel Shoemake, Jr.

The following is page two on the application filed with the Commissioner of Indian Affairs

Page 2....

The document shown below is a copy of a Declaration For Pension filed by Morris K. Shoemake June 6, 1912. Apparently he served in the U.S. Army during the Civil War

The following document is a copy of where Morris K. Shoemake was dropped as a pensioner on March 10, 1914 due to his death.

Children of Morris K. Shoemake. (Son of John Fletcher Shoemake)
-----1. Simon, B. 1857
-----2. Thomas Jefferson, B 1861, D. 1927. *
-----3. Jackson, B. 1863, D. 1908
-----4. William (Fletcher) B. 1867, D. ? (Beverly Navarrett, a decendant of William)
-----5. Mary E., B. 1869, D. 1899
-----6. James, B. 1872, D. 1898
-----7. Sarah Alace, B. 1874, D. 1905
-----8. Margaret, B. 1875, D. ?

Now Here is what is confusing, I received another set of entries for the census of Marion County that gave the following account of Morris K. Shoemate (Shoemake). How these records get tangled up I do not know. However, I am posting the following providing some one has the correct answer or may be able to shed light on this record.

In District 4, Marion County, TN 1880
Morris Shumate (Apparently Morris K. Shumate) born in 1840, in Tennessee
----Lou Shumate, born in 1845, in Tennessee
----Thomas. Son, born in 1861 in Tennessee,
----Jackson, son, born in 1864 in Tennessee
----William, son, born in 1866 in Tennessee
----Mary J., daughter, born in 1870 in Tennessee
----James, son, born in 1873 in Tennessee
----Alas, daughter, born 1875 in Tennessee
----Orpha, daughter, 1877 in Tennessee

Observation One:
You will notice in the first record Morris' wife is named Lauraner. In the second record she is called Lou. I am of the persuasion that the second is a shortening of the name Lauraner. It would not be uncommon for Morris to call his wife Lauraner by the name of Lou.

Observation Two:
Simon is missing from this record. However, it may be noted that he would have been 23 years of age and could have been married or moved out on his own. Second, the name for Alace is spelled "Alas" on the second record. This could have been a mistake on the part of the census taker. Third, Margaret is missing. Maybe she too has married or moved out on her own. Also, another daughter has been born by the name of Orpha. Born 1877. This would not be uncommon. So the main thing I see different is the ages. This could be on the part of the census taker, or the family saw no importance of being accurate when giving the ages.

Observation Three:
The dates on Morris' and Lauraner's tombstones in the Mt. Zion Cemetery, Victory, TN.
read as follows:
---1. Morris K. Shoemake, B. December 24, 1832, D. between 1912 and 1914 ?
---- (Son of John Fletcher) See Grave Site.
---2. Luraner, (wife) Born 7/12/1833, Died 12/19/18 See Grave Site.

Other Information provided on Morris' documents:

The application for inclusion as an Eastern Cherokee (No. 18609) filed by and for Morris K.
Shoemake, Mar. 21, 1907 in South Pittsburg, TN.,was denied for the following reason
(It has been difficult to read because of poor handwriting):

*....."It does not appear that applicant or any of his ancestors were
enrolled. It does not appear that they were p____ to the ________ of
1835-6 & 1846 or that they were within the Cherokee Domain at that time
as members of the tribe. It does appear that applicant and his father
and mother did not live* (?) *with the Cherokee trive as members, but
were recognized as white people."

*.....On this application he lists his father as John Shoemake and mother as
Mary Shoemake. He also states that both their names were Shoemake, but
they were "not related." His application claimed his inclusion through
his mother's side, however, he doesn't know any of his grandparents on
his mother's side and he lists his grandfather's name on his father's
side as "John Shoemake." He lists his brothers and sisters as:

Moriss K. Shoemake's siblings
James "Dead ten years ago"
Sampson "Dead - 1870"
John Fletcher "Dead - 1863"
Sallie Sampley "Dead - 1886"
Lauranie Long "Dead - 1901"
Mary Sampley "Dead - 1906"

He also lists (John Shoemake) his paternal Grandfather's children as:(The records will show this to be John Fletcher)
James "Dead"
William "Dead -. 1890"
Robert "Dead"
Sarah "Dead"
Dicie "Dead"

Notation: The reson for the following listing is whereby one might use the information to try and determine who the Shoemakes descended from that came from South Carolina.

Samuel Shoemake, Sr., born about 1710 comes to SC from Virginia and died prior to the 1790 Federal Census. His son Samuel Shoemake Jr., (II) is found on the census roll in Chesterfield County, SC in 1790:
Samuel Shuemake Jr., or [II].
He is listed with:
3 males under 16,
1 male over 16,
2 daughters
And his wife, age not given.

Samuel Shoemake Jr., (II) son of Samuel Shoemake, Sr., (I) is found in Bledsoe County, Tennessee in 1830 (See Federal Census of Bledsoe County 1830). My research and records point out that John Fletcher Shoemake, born in 1795 was the father of Morris K. Shoemake. who was born in 1833. One will note that Morris K., said that his father's father, his grandfather was also named John. The question that I have is who was this John?

Samuel Shuemake, Jr (or II) was issued a land grant for 100 acres situated in Craven County, SC., on Thompson Creek. This was done on January 17, 1772. (This was a Royal Land Grant issued by King George of England. See book 3, B, page 183 S. C. Archives at Columbia, S. C.). This would indicate that he was married but had no children at this time. The amount of land granted would indicate how many were in his family. It was customary to grant 50 acres for each member in a household. This being the rule, it would indicate that there was only Samuel and his wife in the household; no children. By 1790, he had 4 boys, 2 girls and his wife. He does not have a son being born in 1795 according to the 1800 census of Chesterfield County, SC. Therefore, we can reason that John Fletcher Shoemake, born in 1795, was not his son.