Shoemaker, Thomas

Metadata

Title

Shoemaker, Thomas

Description

Thomas Shoemaker was a master builder elected to The Carpenters' Company on 1 February 1769, the same year he appears in the Philadelphia tax lists as a resident of the North Ward. He was an "encourager" of the Philadelphia edition of Abraham Swan, The British Architect (1775), the first book of architecture published in America, and the following year he is recorded as taking the inventory of plumber Eden Haydock's estate. For the last twenty years of his life, Shoemaker served on committees or as an officer of The Carpenters' Company (Master, President, and Treasurer). By the time of his death he was clearly a person of means with extensive real estate holdings.

Written by Roger W. Moss, from the Philadelphia Architects and Builders website.

Member Number

74*

Last Name

Shoemaker

First Name

Thomas

Deceased Date

1/1/1799

Father

Jacob

Mother

Elizabeth

Date Elected

1/1/1769

Office Held

President, 1784-90

Treasurer, 1791-96

Vice President, 1772

Committee Membership

Book Prices Committee, 1772-82

Business Address

Chestnut bet. 3rd & 4th (1785) (Prime)

Reference

*Subscribed to 10 shares for erection of Hall.

*Tatman & Moss Biographical Dictionary of Phila. Architects. page 716. Shoemaker master builder elected to The Company on February 1, 1769, the same year he appears in the Philadelphia tax lists as a resident of the North Ward. He was an "encourager" of the Philadelphia edition of "The British Architect' (1775), the first book on architecture published in America, and the following year he is recorder as taking the inventory of plumber Eden Haddock estate. For the last 20 years of his life, Shoemaker served on committees or as an officer of The Carpenters' Company (Master, President, and Treasurer). By the time of his death he was clearly a person of means with extensive real estate holdings. See Selected Bibliography in Tatman & Moss Bio Dictionary Phila. Architects.

*Transactions APS Vol. 43, Part I, 1953 (page 106) (89) Received of Thomas Shoemaker Esqr three pounds 3/9 for two Red Cedar Logs for Columns for Carpenters' Hall & hauling.

*Managing Committee Minutes-1773-2-67 Bond of indemnity was produced by Thomas Shoemaker in behalf of the persons appointed to procure the same, viz. Robert Smith, James Bringhurst, Benjamin Loxley, John Thornhill. Managing Committee Minutes-1769-2-2 Extra meeting of Company. Thomas Shoemaker, David Evans and William Colladay 4 pounds each as entrance money.

*PA Gazette 12/15/1757 - #8777 Benjamin Loxley and Thomas Shoemaker administrators of the will of Joseph Davis, a harness maker.
PA Gazette 10/8/1761 - #14890 Elected a burgess of the city.
PA Gazette 5/8/1766 - #662 Reports theft of horse from his stable in Cheltenham, Philadelphia county. PA Gazette 10/9/1766 - #1700 Elected City Assessor.
PA Gazette 5/4/1769 - #7358 Thomas Shoemaker of Cheltenham, as executor of will.
PA Gazette 1/20/1773 - #15282 Elizabeth Shoemaker, Thomas S. and Jonathan S. as executors of Jacob. Elizabeth is probably the mother of Thomas and Jonathan; Jacob was his father. PA Gazette 3/2/1774 - #17714 One of three selling various pieces of land.
PA Gazette 7/25/1778 - #25078 One of many signers of document pledging to "disclose facts about persons who are enemies of America during the occupation of the city."
PA Gazette 1/9/1799 - #13013 Company members joined a large group of citizens representing wards of the city "to search out where late (yellow fever) prevailed and remove to the city hospital infected bedding and clothing for fumigation and washing." Item describes the process of "cleansing city" ward by ward. Robert Evans and John Rugan from South Mulberry Ward; William Stevenson of New Market Ward; George Summers and Joseph Wetherill from Southwark.

*Grantor File Data from the City of Philadelphia Archives:
(Date; Book; No.; Page; Grantee)
1739/1751; G; 5; 73; L:ogan, James
1739/1751; G; 7; 148; Logan, James
1751/1766; H; 5; 419; Shoemaker, Jr., Isaac
1751/1766; H; 8; 276; Jones, William
1751/1766; H; 13; 379; Williams, Samuel
1766/1781; I; 4; 231; Bonsall, Edward
1766/1781; I; 4; 524; Fleming, Robert
1766/1781; I; 7; 48; The Carpenters' Company
1766/1781; I; 11; 270; McCullock, John
1766/1781; I; 14; 8; Emlen, George
1766/1781; I; 16; 460; Donaldson, Arthur
1777/1800; D; 11; 216; Offley, Jr., Daniel
1777/1800; D; 19; 237; Shoemaker, Elizabeth
1777/1800; D; 33; 435; Kerby, Charles
1777/1800; D; 34; 360; Mead, George
1777/1800; D; 38; 7; Humphreys, Thomas
1777/1800; D; 40; 105; Breed, Ebenezer

File Number

Revolutionary War

Collection

Members

Citation

“Shoemaker, Thomas,” Carpenters' Company Digital Archive & Museum, accessed April 23, 2024, https://archive.carpentershall.org/items/show/25858.