Fanny Joslin :: Marriage to Joseph Shoemaker

Census records for Fanny (Joslin) Shoemaker from 1850 through 1900 show that she was born in Ohio. It has been presumed that because the James Joslin household was the only Joslin family in Whitley County, Indiana in 1840 then Fanny must be the daughter of James and his wife, Abigail. Fanny "fits" into their family as the one female age 10-15 in that census.

Census records also indicate that Fanny was probably born in 1826 or 1827. However, in the 1850 census she is listed as 20 years old. In 1860 and 1870 she is 33 and 43 respectively. In 1880 she is age 51. The 1900 census shows that she is 73 years old and gives her birth as October 1826.

If Fanny was born in October 1826 then she would have only been 16 years old at the time of her marriage. The Whitley County Historical Museum has some early marriage documents for the years 1838-1847. Along with the original marriage returns there are some affidavits (usually confirmation of age by someone who knows the bride and/or groom) and parental consents (if the bride or groom was underage). There is no affidavit or parental consent on file for Fanny. Either she was 18 years or older or the original document has been lost.

Whitley County Marriage Records, 1st Book (1836-1847), #68 located at the County Archives, Columbia City, Indiana.

State of Indiana
Whitley County } SS Be it remembered that on the 16th day of January AD 1843 a Marriage License was issued by the Clerk of the Whitley Circuit Court authorizing the marriage of Joseph Shoemaker and Fanny P. Joslin both of Whitley County Indiana ~

/ 68 /

Recorded Feb 13. 1842 State of Indiana Whitley County} I Horace Tuttle enacting as a Justice of the Peace in and for said County Certify that Joseph Shoemaker and Fanny P Joslin both residents of Sate and County aforesaid was by me lawfully joined in Marriage on the fifth day of February 1843 ~

Given under my hand and Seal this 13th day of February 1843 ~Horace Tuttle a Justice of the Peace

The original marriage return. Located at the Whitley County Historical Museum in Columbia City.

The 1850 Federal Census of Whitley County, Indiana (page 460) shows 20 year old Fanny P. Shoemaker in the household of Joseph Shoemaker. He was 28 years old, a farmer with real estate valued at $150. He was born in N.Y. [New York] and she in O [Ohio]. Also in the household were 3 year old Joseph H. and 1 year old Emily M. both born in Ia [Indiana]. (portion of ancestry.com image)

Did Fanny name her first two children, Joseph and Emily, after her younger brother and sister? Little Joseph's middle name was Hiram, he later used the name Hiram Joseph.

About 1859, Fanny and her family moved to Page County, Iowa where they were found in the 1860 and 1870 census. By 1880 they had moved to Montgomery County, Kansas. Fanny and Joseph later moved to Logan County, Oklahoma where he died about 1890-91. Fanny married Pleasant O'Bryant in 1895. She died in 1905 in Lincoln County, Oklahoma. Fanny and Joseph are buried in Logan County. Oklahoma did not begin filing death records until 1908, but it was not mandatory until 1917. Therefore, there is no death record available for Fanny. Several years ago I corresponded with a descendant of Fanny's son, Hiram Joseph Shoemaker, and she has been unable to find an obituary for Fanny.

The 1900 census shows that Fanny was the mother of 13 children with 11 of them still living. The names are known of only 11 children. The first five children were born in Indiana, probably Whitley County. The last six were born in Iowa, probably Page County.

1. Hiram Joseph Shoemaker, born August 4, 1845. He married Dillia Bellis and had eight children. They lived in Kansas and Iowa.
2. Emily M. Shoemaker, born 1849. Listed with parents in Page County, Iowa in 1860. No further information.
3. Ellen Lucinda Shoemaker, born July 3, 1850. She was married twice. First to Marshall Hendrickson with whom she had 5 children and second to J. T. Ayers with whom she had 4 children.
4. Alice Shoemaker, born 1854. She married James Davis Bellis and had one child.
5. Phoebe Shoemaker, born 1856. Listed with parents in Page County, Iowa in 1870. No further information.
6. Mary Shoemaker, born 1858. Listed with parents in Page County, Iowa in 1870. No further information.
7. Samuel Shoemaker, born 1860. He was living with his parents in 1880 in Montgomery County, Kansas. No further information.
8. Viola Shoemaker, born 1862. She married John L. Spikes and had 3 children. They lived in Oklahoma as well as Cochise County, Arizona. In 1930, Viola was living with her daughter Grace and son-in-law Carl Forth in Redondo Beach, Los Angeles County, California.
9. Hulda Shoemaker, born 1864. She is listed with her parents in 1880 in Montgomery County, Kansas. No further information.
10. Francis Shoemaker, born 1866. He was living with his parents in 1880 in Montgomery County, Kansas. No further information.
11. Martha Sarah Shoemaker, born 1868. She is listed with her parents in 1880 in Montgomery County, Kansas. No further information.