In the books' own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. The later printing (1900) is folded below the first. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
Born 1829
From The history of Miami county, Ohio : containing a history of the county; its cities, towns, etc.; general and local statistics; portraits of early settlers and prominent men; history of the Northwest t (1880), A genealogical and biographical record of Miami county, Ohio (1900)
[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]
JOHN SLOAN; P. O. Laura; born in County- Monaghan, Ireland, in 1814; is the son of William Sloan; he was reared on a farm, and his earlyeducation was necessarily limited; in 1840, he embarked on the sail vessel Hibernia for America, and landed in the city of New York Nov. 13; from this place he went direct to Lancaster Co., Penn., where he worked while to obtain means to continue his journey westward, and send for his family-, which he had left in Ireland; from Pennsylvania, he came to this county and located in Newton Township, on Sec. 26; he lived here some time and then purchased the place on which he now resides; Mr. Sloan maywith propriety be called one of the self-made men of Newton Township; when he landed in the city7 of New York, he had only a penny7 in his pocket, and this he spent for tobacco; he worked his waythrough to Ohio; once located there, he set about with unflagging industry to establish a permanent and comfortable home; how well he succeeded in this, his valuable farm attests; politically, he finds expression for his views with the Republican party, with which he has been identified since he has been a member of anyparty; he refrained from taking any part in politics in this country, till he had opportunityand time to consider the principles of the various parties, and then choose for himself; he was brought up to the Presbyterian faith, and has been with his wife a member of the Hopewell Christian Church for a period of thirty-five years. He was married to Jane Fee, of Ireland, in 1832; he has had five children, two deceased; the living are William, James and Margaret; he appreciates the value of learning, and takes great interest in educating his children; he gave his sons a collegiate education. William graduated at Antioch College, Yellow Springs, and James at Meadville College, Penns3rl vania; he is now a minister in the Disciples Church in Indiana.
As printed in The history of Miami county, Ohio : containing a history of the county; its cities, towns, etc.; general and local statistics; portraits of early settlers and prominent men; history of the Northwest t (1880). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
JOHN SHOEMAKER.
Since attaining man's estate, and even in his boyhood days, John Shoemaker has been actively connected with agricultural pursuits. He was born in Franklin county, Pennsylvania, on the 2d of August, 1829, his parents being John and Catherine ( Minnich) Shoemaker, in whose family were six children, the surviving members being Catherine, widow of David Metzger, and John. The mother died when our subject was only five years of age and in 1834 the father came with his family to Ohio, locating in Montgomery county, where he died about
John Shoemaker then went to live with a cousin, with whom he remained for iive years. He came to Miami county when ten years of age, living with a material uncle, Wendell Minnich, in Newton township for a similar length of time. On the expiration of that period he began learning the wagonmaker's trade near Covington, being employed by Mr. Jones for a few months; but abandoning that pursuit he accepted employment as a farm hand, his time being thus employed until he was twenty years of age. In the fall of 1849, in company with two companions he started for Iowa, making the journey westward by stage and on foot. During the winter of 1849-50 he removed to the city of Burlington, then a small hamlet, and in March of the latter year started for California with ox teams, going by the overland route. On the 30th of July, of that year, he reached his destination and for fifteen months followed prospecting and mining on the Pacific slope, meeting with a fair degree of success in his undertakings. He returned by way of the water route to New York and thence came to Pleasant Hill, where he began farming. His attention has since been devoted to agricultural pursuits and he now owns two valuable tracts of land, one of eighty acres, the other of forty acres.
Mr. Shoemaker has been twice married.
In 1853 he married Miss Gulaelma Cooper and unto them were born five children: John, deceased; jMarietta, wife of Samuel Strong; Sarah J., who has also passed away; David M., who married Emma Swift; and Clara, who is deceased. The mother of this family died in 1869 and in 1881 Mr. Shoemaker was again married, his second union being with Annie E. Snyder, daughter of Henry M. Snyder, of Frederick county, Marjdand. 'Sir. Shoemaker is a Republican in his political associations and a Dunkard in religious faith. Those who have long known him and have watched his daily conduct regard him as a man of sterling worth, trustworthy and reliable, and as a representative farmer of Miami county he well deserves mention in volume.
As printed in A genealogical and biographical record of Miami county, Ohio (1900). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
The printed record stops around 1880. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.