the uncle of the subject of this record. John Shumaker (grandfather) was born in Berks county. He was reared in that county, married there, and became the father of seventeen children, and spent his life in the county of his nativity. In that county was born Simon Shumaker, on March 10, 1810. He was reared in that county, and worked in the woolen mills of that section at different times, and was also engaged upon the Erie Canal, from Williamsport to Havre-de-Grace, Maryland. Later, he became a manufacturer of woolen goods. In 1846 he removed to Fairfield county, Ohio, and returned to Pennsylvania in 1854, where he spent the remainder of his life, dying May 30, 1880. He was twice married. His first union was with Mary Walton; and his second was with Elizabeth Bowers, a daughter of Peter Bowers, of Lycoming co. She was born in that county in 1824, and is yet living. To this marriage were born six children, three boys and three girls. They are as follows: Annie, deceased, was the wife of John Ramsey, of Clinton county, Pennsylvania; Thomas J., of Williamsport, this State. He entered the Civil War at the age of sixteen years, served three years and six months, took part in twenty-seven engagements, and is at present a foreman in a woolen mill at Williamsport; Emily, wife of John Shoemaker, of Clarkstown, Pennsylvania; Rebecca, wife of Peter Marshall, of Heberon, Lycoming county; James M., subject; John S., who is unmarried, and lives with his mother at Muncy, Lycoming county, Pennsylvania.
James M. Shumaker had but few advantages for securing an education. He attended the common schools during the winter months, and worked during the summer months to help support the family, until he was sixteen years of age. At that age he left home, and began the
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battle of life single-handed and alone. Although he had but limited education with which to wage this battle, yet he had that which is perhaps better than a knowledge of Latin, Greek, and the “ologies.” He had a good trade. He had learned the trade of a woolen worker, so when he came to Johnstown in 1874, he soon secured employment in the woolen mills of Wood, Morrell & Co., as foreman of the spinning rooms. He remained with that company eight years. Carefully husbanding his earnings, he had saved enough, in 1882, to engage in mercantile pursuits. He purchased a store situated on the corner of Washington and Clinton streets, Johnstown. Here he was successfully engaged until that fatal 31st day of May, 1889, when everything he had was carried away by the “Great Flood.” After that calamity, he was for some time actively engaged in the work which was made necessary by it. From the report of the secretary of the Johnstown Flood Relief Commission, we take the following as giving a clearer idea of Mr. Shumaker's connection with the burial of the unknown dead: “From a conversation with Herman Baumer, of Johnstown, as to the best means of identifying as many as possible of the large number of unknown bodies, originated the idea of removing from their scattered resting-places all the bodies, and interring them at one place. Having carefully considered all the details, the matter was referred to the Commission, and their secretary was given authority to carry on the work to completion. From the cemetery company of Grand View, was secured a beautiful plot of ground of about twenty-two thousand square feet, high up above the ruined city, for which was paid only enough to warrant the perpetual care of the ground, the deed being held by the mayor of Johnstown, as trustee. A committee was
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