Isom Shoemaker

Birth: He was born around 1917 in Missouri.  

Family Information: Son of R.V. Shoemaker and Maud (Shoemaker) Van Nuland.

Brother of Hope, Ruth and Ward Shoemaker.

His father later married Anna (Shutt) Shoemaker and he became step-brother of Zelma and Royall Thompson.

His mother later married Anton Van Nuland.  

Description:  

Pre-Colony History: In 1920 he was living in Missouri with his parents.  

Home in Colony:  

Job in Colony: In 1929, he worked at carpentering in the afternoons until about four o'clock, then bottles milk at the dairy until about five o'clock. One afternoon in May of that year, he and Harlan Bridwell, both in sixth grade, made rakes from pieces of wood with spike nails for the teeth.

In June 1931 the crew at the planing mill under the direction of Cleve Campbell included George Collins, Kittle, Renick, Claude Allred and Isom Shoemaker.

In 1932, he helped Frank Quipp, Harry Morgan and R.V. Shoemaker fill the silo at the dairy barn with corn, sorghum and peanut vines; Ward Shoemaker was inside the silo with a half dozen grade students, diligently tramping down the ensilage.  

Other Info: He was often part of the program at the theater.

In April 1928 Miss Wilson was teaching piano classes to several boys and girls in the colony. The members of the Boys' Harmonica Club had had six weeks of classes and included Carl Besse, Roslyn Armacost, Robert Roe, Charles Wichmann, Kenneth Thurman, Isom Shoemaker, Roy Swenson, Fred and Roscoe Busick.

In 1934 traveled to the Gila, New Mexico location, with his mother and step-mother to join his father and step-father who were already there working.

In November 1934 some of the Gila colonists went on a trip to the "Lodge" which was about 50 miles up the river, but to get there it was necessary to cross the river about 150 times. Among those going were Zelma de Fausell, Huldah, Wayne and Carl Mahler, Isom and Ward Shoemaker, A. Van Nuland and Mr. Goodwin.

In December 1934 Hulda and Carl Mahler each gave a reading at the Christmas program. Mr. Mahler won the men's checker game; Violet Reynolds the lady's game; and Isom Shoemaker the dominoes.

In January 1935 he and Wayne Mahler each gave readings during the entertainment program at Gila. Also, Mr. Mahler and Mr. Wooley played a violin duet, "La Paloma".  

Post-Colony History: In 1940 was living in New Mexico with his mother and her second husband, Anton Van Nuland, and brother, Isom. He was working as a farm laborer.  

Death:  

Sources: US Census: 1920, 1940; "Vernon Parish Democrat": February 28, 1929; November 5, 1932; "Llano Colonist": April 14, 1928, May 25, 1929, June 13, 1931, June 20, 1931, March 14, 1934, April 21, 1934, November 10, 1934, January 12, 1935, January 19, 1935