The Shoemaker Family
From Henry Frank (b. 1811) to James Wesley (b.1866)
Henry Frank shoemaker was born in Germany in 1811. The story is that he ran away from home at about age 19 in order to avoid military duty. He stowed away on a ship bound for New York, then handled barrels on the docks there for something like 10 cents a day until he saved enough to get to Indiana, where friends or relatives from Germany had preceded him. In 1840 he married Miss Mary Ranky. They lived in Jackson County, Indiana, apparently near Brownstown, and farmed. This couple had four children: Catherine M., born January 24, 1841; (We do not know her married name; Mabel remembers her visiting at Narka for several weeks when Mabel was a girl.) Frank Henry, born December 31, 1843; (there is some question about this date – in another place it is given as January 1, 1844.) Mary S., born November 16, 1846; (Apparently her married name was Winters; Ella Winters, who visited in Kansas and gave Mabel her first doll when she was 3, was doubtless her daughter. They lived in Indiana.) Mary Elizabeth, born November 7, 1849. (She married Christopher Pider and they lived in Mankato, Kansas. Their children were Luna, Viola, Myrtle, Madge, and Little Chris who died age 12. Myrtle was a Methodist missionary to Japan for many years, never married. Luna lived in California. Viola lived on a farm near Mankato. Madge lived in Fairmont, Nebraska.) Mary Ranky Shoemaker died April 2, 1852, leaving her four small children.
