BIOGRAPHY: Francis A. SHOEMAKER, Cambria County, PA 

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From Wiley, Samuel T., ed. Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Cambria 
County, Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: Union Publishing Co., 1896, p. 462-3
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FRANCIS A. SHOEMAKER, a scholarly and able attorney of Cambria county, is a son 
of Edward and Mary (Sanson) Shoemaker, and was born at Roseland, Cambria county, 
May 1, 1839. His father, Edward Shoemaker, was born in Philadelphia, August 20, 
1797. He grew to manhood in his native city, and, after his marriage, removed to 
Roseland, this county. He was employed as agent for the Fisher-Barlow company 
and other real-estate owners who controlled large tracts of land in this county. 
He also acted as post master at Roseland from 1826 until 1839. In the latter 
year he removed to Ebensburg, this county, and in addition to his real-estate 
business, engaged in the mercantile and lumber business. In politics he was an 
old-line whig, voting with that party until its disruption, when he became a 
republican. He was raised a Quaker, but, on removing to this county, became a 
Roman Catholic and adhered to that faith until his death, April 22, 1867. He was 
twice married. His first marital union was with a Miss Falls, of Philadelphia, 
Pennsylvania, who lived only a few years after their removal to Cambria county. 
In 1831 he married Miss Mary Sanson, and to this union the following children 
were born Ellen, the wife of Wm. Murray; Charles, deceased; Edward; Henrietta, 
the widow of Major C. W. Wingard, late paymaster in the United States Army; 
Francis A., Albert, Henry A., John, deceased; Samuel A., and Mary A., the widow 
of Captain Rhodes of the United States Army.
     Francis A. Shoemaker received a collegiate education, graduating in June, 
1856. After leaving college he followed surveying for a few years, and then 
began the study of law under the instructions of Hon. R. L. Johnson, now 
deceased, formerly judge of Cambria county. In June, 1860, he was admitted to 
practice at the Cambria county bar and has practiced continuously at Ebensburg 
until the present time.
     May 15, 1861, he was united in marriage with Miss Eliza Tammany, a daughter 
of Henry Tammany, of Bellefonte, Pennsylvania.
     In religious belief he is prominently identified with the Roman Catholic 
church. In politics he affiliates with the Democratic party, but has never been 
among the ambitious ones who have sought for political preferment at the hands 
of the voters of the county.