Bio: Dr. J.W. Shumaker, Winn Parish, LA Submitted by: Laura L. Weatherford, 161 White Oak Lane, Natchitoches, LA 71457 ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** Source: Enterprise -- News American, Thursday, October 16, 1969 WINN PARISH AS I HAVE KNOWN IT by H.B. Bozeman Article 588: Thanks to Miss Loyce Newsom of Grayson, Louisiana, for making available to me for printing "THE LIFE HISTORY of Dr. J.W. SHUMAKER," her maternal grandfather; that has been researched and written by Miss Loyce Newsom. She has made a valuable historical contribution to what happened here in Winn and surrounding parishes during the dark days of the Civil War and Reconstruction that followed. Winn Parish like many other hill parishes of Louisiana voted against seceding from the Union. Dr. J.W. Shumaker, like many other Winn Parish men became soldiers in the Union Army, instead of the Confederate Army. Miss Loyce Newsom's mother was Flora, the youngest daughter of Dr. and Mrs. J.W. Shumaker of Beech Creek. Her father was John Newsom, a member of the pioneer Newsom family of the Hickory Valley and Shady Grove communities of Winn Parish. Miss Loyce Newsom is a sister of Mrs. J. L. Holt of Joyce, and a niece of Mrs. Lucy Shumaker McCarty of Beech Creek. Two years ago, through the courtesy of Mrs. Ophelia M. Storey, I printed "Knights of the White Camelias" that was written by Pike Stuart, a kinsman of Mrs. Storey, about his (Pike Stuart's) experiences as a Confederate soldier from Caldwell Parish, and after his return -- "Knights of The White Camelias" attracted wide reader interest. I think the dramatic experiences and events of her maternal grandfather, Dr. J.W. Shumaker, of Beech Creek, Winn Parish, as a Union soldier, as told by Miss Loyce Newsom, will interest the readers of my Winn Parish articles like Mr. Pike Stuart's "Knights of The White Camelias" did. Without any further comments, I am printing in this article and my article next week: THE LIFE HISTORY OF DR. J.W. SHUMAKER By MISS LOYCE NEWSOM GRAYSON, LOUISIANA Dr. Shumaker was born February 1, 1831 in the state of Alabama. When about three years old, his father, Jesse Shumaker, moved to Winston County, Mississippi, and settled a new place on Noxubee Creek. In 1849, he went to school about eight months with his cousin, W.B. Shumaker. About the first of December in the same year (1849) he and his two brothers, H.T. and J.J. Shumaker, started to move to Cherokee County, Texas. The roads got so bad and the teams gave out, and they stopped on the Harrisonburg and Natchitoches Road near Bertrand Prairie. They lived there about two years and made some money by deer hunting and selling venison to people moving. Then he went to work in the pine knot and cord wood business on Little River until be became ill with malaria and had chills and fever continually for about eighteen months. He then went up on Richland Creek in Winn Parish and hired out to a Mr. William Fletcher as a farm hand at a salary of $12.00 per month. In the winter of 1853 and 1854, he and his brother Jack purchased themselves each a wagon and three yoke of oxen and bought a woodyard and pine knot claim on Little River where Georgetown is. They put 612 cords of pine knots on the yard. In the winter of 1854 - 1855, the water in Little River did not get high enough so boats could run and carry out their pine knots. They ran short of money, and having already gone considerably in debt, they had to abandon the pine knot business and go to work for wages. In the winter of 1855 - 1856, (just as boats began running) their woodyard was fired by an incendiary, and burned. The loss was some $1,400.00 which broke them and they had to sell their wagons and teams to pay off their debts. Then he went back to Mr. William Fletcher's as a farm hand. In 1858 he went to school at Mount Pernasis for several months. The school was taught by Rev. T. J. Humble. He then went back to Mr. Fletcher's place. Then he worked for Mr. Smith. In 1859, on July 23, he married Miss Pheroby Jane Smith, daughter of James Smith. The following winter he built on public land and moved into the log house in which he died on November 27, 1908. He taught one school, and the state seceded from the Union, he was a Justice of the Peace. He refused to take the Oath of Allegiance to the Southern Confederacy and gave up the office. After hostilities began, he remained at home until he and several others were arrested and carried to Winnfield. They were tried by a Mob Court which would not allow them to have any witnesses. They were convicted of treason to the Southern Confederacy and ordered to be carried to Arkansas, and there to be delivered to General Hindham to be punished at his discretion.*************************************************************************** Enterprise -- News American, Thursday, October 23, 1969 WINN PARISH AS I HAVE KNOWN IT by H.B. Bozeman Article 589 "THE LIFE HISTORY OF DR. J.W. SHUMAKER" (Who was a Union Civil War soldier from Winn Parish). By his granddaughter, Miss Loyce Newsom, Route 2, Box 67, Grayson, Louisiana. (Note: Miss Loyce Newsom in her: "THE LIFE HISTORY OF DR. J. W. SHUMAKER," has written one of the most valuable historic and fascinating human interest stories, that I have printed in my Winn Parish articles --- H.B. Bozeman. When they arrived at Monroe, Louisiana, Judge Richardson stopped them and put them in jail. There they were confined for five months with no bedding and they were poorly and scantily fed. They were finally admitted to bail to appear at Alexandria, Louisiana for trail by legal court. When the trial came on, the prosecuting attorney, after examining the witness against them, dismissed the case. He said that nothing had been proven against them except they were Union men. This they had a right to be and no law could punish them for being Union men. He then went home. There he hid in the woods and tanned leather and made shoes until the Federal Army came up Red River. When he was caught by Conscript hunters, he ran away from them and joined the Federals at Alexandria, Louisiana. On the Federals retreat down Red River, he did considerable fighting, especially at Yellow Bayou, where the assaulting Confederate Army was repulsed. He went to New Orleans and there he caught small pox and was confined to the Marine Hospital until he was mustered out of service. He then went to Natchez, Mississippi where he obtained employment as a night watchman, earning a salary of $40.00 per month. He worked there until the surrender of the Southern Armies. Then he came home and worked at a tan yard, tanning leather and making shoes for about three years. In 1869, upon the recommendation of Judge Thomas C. Crawford, he was appointed Assessor Collector of Taxes for Winn Parish. With the help of his brother Peter F. Shumaker (who worked as his deputy) he assessed the taxes for the years of 1868, 1869, and 1870. He resigned his office in 1871 and left a clear record of having paid and legally accounted for every dollar on the tax rolls. He was succeeded in office by A.C. Banks. In 1876 he was appointed supervisor of registration in Winn Parish. He registered the voters and held the election with the assistance of his brother, P.F. Shumaker (who was clerk). They never received a dollar for these services. He never sought a public office again. HOW HE BECAME A DOCTOR OF MEDICINE Before we had any M.D.'s or drug stores here, he learned to administer calomel, blue mass, and quinine, and to draw and dress a blister. He kept a little stock of medicine, and when his neighbors were sick, he would nurse and doctor them. They would pay him in work when he needed help. Soon his practice extended, and his patients who lived far away paid him money instead of working for him. Later he bought some medical books and learned about alopathy, eclecticism, and evoluted to dosemetry (he successfully used medical concentrations in tablet form). During the last five years of his life he treated thirty-five cases of typhoid fever without losing a single case. He had only one case to run its course, and that was a patient who would not follow his instructions about eating or taking his medicine. Although he never went to college and never had any human teacher in medicine, he became one of the most successful practitioners. Nature made him a nurse and a physician. He was also a self-made or natural surveyor and blacksmith. He was a strict member of the Missionary Baptist Church. He joined the Beech Creek Baptist Church on the second Sunday in September 1877. He was elected clerk of the church on November 10, 1877. He held this position until August 13, 1889 when he resigned because his medical practice interfered with his position as Church Clerk. He was the father of ten children. Mrs. W. H. (Lucy) McCarty of Beech Creek is the only survivor. Submitted by: Laura Lawrence Weatherford 161 White Oak Lane Natchitoches, LA 71457 LauraFW419@aol.com