Robert Columbus Shumaker

ROBERT COLUMBUS SHUMAKER, a very prominent farmer of Mound Valley township, Labette county, Kansas, has an excellent farm in section 14, township 32, range 18. He was born in Indiana, in 1849, and is a son of J. O. and Sarah (Stotts) Shumaker.

His family originally came from Holland, and located in New York State, previous to the Revolutionary War, and subsequently, in the state of Pennsylvania. The great-grandfather of Robert C. was one of the first settlers of Marion county, Indiana, and lived there when Indianapolis was founded. Mr. Shumaker's grandfather was born in Pennsylvania, where he remained until he was twelve years old, when, with his father, he moved to Indiana, in 1812. He journeyed to Missouri, in 1856, with his son, J. 0., and lived there until his death.

J. 0. Shumaker was born and reared in Indiana. He was a Democrat in politics until 1864, when his first Republican vote was cast for Abraham Lincoln. He died in November, 1898, at the age of seventy-three years. His wife, Sarah Stotts, was born and reared in Daviess county, Indiana, and died at the age of twenty-eight years, in the year 1860. Her mother's name was Laughlin, and she was of Scotch-English descent. Mr. and Mrs. J. 0. Shumaker were parents of four children: Robert Columbus; Moses Milton, who resides on the old homestead in Missouri; Sophia (Cooper), whose husband is a farmer and stockman of Nevada; and Mary S. (Chariton), who also resides on a portion of the old family homestead in Missouri.

Robert C. Shumaker was six years of age when he was taken by his parents to Lewis county, Missouri, where he lived for twenty-two years. He moved to Labette county, Kansas, in 1878, and located on his present farm, in section 14, township 32, range 18, which he purchased of W. T. Stotts, who acquired first title to the property. The latter had broken and partly improved 40 acres, and had put a small house, to which; Mr. Shumaker built an addition. Mr. Shumaker also purchased acres in section 11, north and west of his brother, M. M. Shumaker, who held the original deed thereto. He has successfully followed general farming and stock raising, and prefers Shorthorn cattle and Poland-China hogs. His crops are chiefly corn, wheat and oats. He has a fine orchard of five acres and a well improved farm.

Mr. Shumaker was united in marriage in Labette county, with Luella Traughber, who was born in Missouri, and is a daughter of Robert and Elizabeth (Dunkle) Traughber. She is one of four children: Emma (Watawa), of St. Louis, Missouri; Luella; Fanny (Dancy), of Kansas City, Missouri; and Charles A., who resides on section 23, township 32, range 18, in Labette county. Mr. and Mrs. Shumaker have five children, as follows: Gertrude E., A. Mabel, Orville E., Dora F., and Edna M. In politics, Mr. Shumaker is a Republican, and has served as trustee of Mound Valley township for one year. At present he is a member of the school board in district No. 65. He belongs to the Odd Fellows lodge of Mound Valley. In religious attachments, he and his children are members of the Methodist church, and his wife is a member of the Christian church.

A group picture of Mr. and Mrs. Shumaker and family, executed from a recent photograph, accompanies the foregoing sketch, being presented on a page in proximity to this.