"As the old pioneers are passing away one byone, I thought I would give you a short history of Jacob Shopbell of OrangeTownship, who has now reached the advanced age of 92 years and intolerably goodhealth, and his mind seems quite clear and good, though his frame is greatlybroken down by hard work and old age.
He was born in Berks County, Pennsylvania, 1788,and was married twice, first to Catharine Mowkerman; they had sixchildren: Andrew, Daniel, Magdalena and Mary; the four areliving. Phebe and Susan are dead. His second wife was Lydia AnnZigler; they had eleven children: John, Elizabeth, Sarah,Samuel. Then they moved to Ohio in 1812. The balance of the childrenwere born in Ohio -- Catharine, Barbary, Agnes, David, Rachel, Leah and LydiaAnn. In 1850 his last wife died, but the children are all living. When he first came from Pennsylvania, he bought a farm four miles northwest ofAshland, close to Leidigh's mill, in Orange Township and raised his familythere. He stayed with the children until they all were married. Hesold the farm in 1872 and moved to his son-in-law, George Shidler, where he nowresides.
His great-grandparents were beheaded in theFrench war, in France, and his grandfather, Eberhart Shopbell, came across theocean with eight more of his comrades, when he was a young man, at the time ofthe war in France, and settled in Pennsylvania, Berks County; he was onehundred and four years old when he died. The day before he died he plowedall day, and took sick at night and died before morning. His father,Daniel Shopbell, served seven years under Washington in the RevolutionaryWar. He says he remembers of hearing his father tell about Washington,what a good man he was, and how kind he was to his men. He said in themorning he would go aside from his army and kneel down and pray, ofttimespraying the 91st. Psalm. He said one time when Washington was on a canoegoing across the river, an Indian shot at him thirteen times but did not hurthim; the Indian said Washington could not be shot.
In the year 1812 Jacob Shopbell was about 24years old, and was in the volunteer company, and the whole regiment had to go inthe war. He then had a wife and one child. His first General wasTannehill, but he was too old to serve, so they put in General Smith; hisCaptain's name was Joseph Deen. One time as they were encamped along theSt. Lawrence River there was a good deal of robbing and plundering done in thatneighborhood; they could not find out who did the mischief, so one daythree of their company started out on the hunt of the robbers. In theafternoon they came to a cabin in the woods, and they went in and found somecoals of fire covered up with ashes; they then concluded to stay and watchand see if this was not the place of the robbers. There were some boardslaid overhead in the cabin and they concluded to creep up there and wait tillnight. When night came there were eleven big Indians came in the cabin andstacked their arms in the corner and throwed their knapsacks down and began toscratch up coals and build up a big fire; the three soldiers were afraidto move or breathe for fear of being detected. The Indians were allenjoying a hearty chat around the fire which was burning brightly, and one ofthe soldiers thought he would creep forward a little and see, but the boardtipped up and sent him sprawling down into the fire; he halloed with allhis might -- and his overcoat made such a spread that it scared the Indians andthey all ran out of the cabin and fled; they thought the bad spirit wasafter them. The soldiers all got down from their hiding place and capturedtheir arms, ammunition and knap-sacks and ran for camp; when they gotthere they found three hundred dollars in their knap-sacks. The boys hadmany a good laugh over their narrow escape. I could write more but myletter is getting too lengthy."
--- Catharine Shidler.
Pictures of Jacob and Lydia Ann Shopbell located in St Lukes Cemetery close to Nankin.
The lettering was weathering away badly so each year at reunions the family asked for collectionsto have the stone reset on a new foundation and lettering. It took 2 years to get enough donations. The total cost was $ 500.00.
** see also: SHOPBELLFamily Notes
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