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biography from Portrait & Biographical Album of Mahaska Co., Iowa, 1887
WESLEY SHOEMAKE, of Madison Township, was born in Jefferson County, Iowa, July 24, 1841, his parents being Enoch and Desdemona (Nichols) Shoemake. His father was a native of Ohio and his mother of Indiana. They came to Iowa in the year 1840, locating in Jefferson County, where they resided for three years, then came to this county and settled in Madison Township, where they took up a claim and improved it. His mother died in the year 1844, and his father in 1874. The subject of this sketch, Wesley Shoemake, was married to Miss Elizabeth Coffin, Dec. 12, 1860. She is a native of Indiana, born in 1843, and a daughter of John and Eleanor (Votaw) Coffin, who were natives of Indiana. Her father died in 1852. Her mother is still living, and is now the wife of James Horner, of Madison Township. Mr. and Mrs. Shoemake are the parents of five children: Frank married Miss Cora Else, and lives in Madison Township; Alice, his twin sister, died in 1863; Edna died in 1876, and infant twins in 1878. Mr. Shoemake is a member of the Masonic fraternity. He is an advocate of a union in Christ, of which there is an organization in Madison Township known as the Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ, which has a considerable following in that portion of the county. In 1881 the members of the church built a very neat church, 28x38 feet, at a cost of $1,500, where they hold regular services every Sabbath. The founder of this denomination is also the Pastor of the church. Politically Mr. Shoemake is a Republican, He began the struggle of life for himself twenty-five years ago, with a capital of $100. To-day he is the owner of 580 acres of fine land, in an excellent state of cultivation, and with improvements of the best class. He pursues general farming and engages quite extensively in raising cattle and hogs, and is considered one of the successful farmers of this county. He is a man of much more than average ability, intellectually, and in a business way, and while he devotes much thought and attention to the spiritual welfare of the outside world, finds ample time for the proper care and attention of temporal matters, and pushes the business of the farm with commendable energy, and to snccessful results. He is highly regarded by a large circle of friends and acquaintances.
Portrait & Biographical Album of Mahaska Co., Iowa, 1887
Mahaska County, Iowa Genealogy