Henry W. Shoemaker

Henry Wharton Shoemaker (February 24, 1880 – July 14, 1958) was a prominent American folklorist, historian, diplomat, writer, publisher, and conservationist.

Early life, family, and career Shoemaker was born in New York City, but was closely associated with Pennsylvania, where he spent summers in childhood and took up residence later in life. His father, Henry Francis Shoemaker (1845–1918), was a railroad magnate, investment banker, and close confidante of future senator and vice presidential candidate Charles W. Fairbanks. His mother, Blanche Quiggle, was the sole daughter of railroad magnate and diplomat Col. James W. Quiggle of Philadelphia and Lock Haven, Pennsylvania. He attended the E. D. Lyons Classical School and Columbia University. He then served in the military and attained the rank of Colonel. in which he covered regional folklore and history and called for cultural conservation efforts. He had an opportunity to develop his plans when he was appointed state archivist of Pennsylvania from 1937 to 1948 and director of the State Museum in Harrisburg from 1939 to 1940. In the posts, he called for the state to sponsor collection and preservation of folklore in addition to keeping the state's documentary record.

After the archives, museum, and historical commission merged to form the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission following World War II, he oversaw the creation of the Division of Folklore in the commission in 1948 and took the position of the nation's first state folklorist. Over forty states now have comparable positions. In the post, Shoemaker sponsored publications, meetings, festivals, and exhibits, although he entered into bitter disputes with academic folklorists in Pennsylvania over his popularized presentations of folklore.

Shoemaker left the post in 1956, retiring to Restless Oaks. Shoemaker died shortly thereafter near his McElhattan home in 1958. Many of his papers are located in repositories at the Pennsylvania State University, State Archives of Pennsylvania, and Juniata College (where a Shoemaker Gallery is named after him).

Personal life In 1907, Shoemaker was married to Beatrice Genevieve Barclay (1888–1974), a daughter of George Bartholf Barclay and Elizabeth Jane ( Shaffer) Barclay. Before their divorce, they were the parents of:

Henry Francis Shoemaker II (1908–1974)

He married, secondly, to Mabelle Ruth Ord (1878–1967) of San Francisco on May 10, 1913. Mabelle was a daughter of Robert Brent Ord and Eliza ( Good) Ord and the niece of Gen. Edward Ord for whom Fort Ord in California is named. As a wedding present, his mother gave them a $250,000 house at 21 West 53rd Street in Manhattan that was previously owned by Florence C. Eno Graves and was designed by C. P. H. Gilbert.

Shoemaker died on July 14, 1958, in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, near his McElhattan home.