Francis Shoemaker

{{Infobox officeholder

|name = Francis Shoemaker

|image =Francis Shoemaker, 1933.jpg

|office = Member of the
U.S. House of Representatives
from Minnesota

|term_start = March 4, 1933

|term_end = January 3, 1935

|predecessor = General ticket adopted

|successor = General ticket abolished

|constituency = General Ticket Seat Nine

|birth_name = Francis Henry Shoemaker

|birth_date = {{birth date|1889|4|25}}

|birth_place = Flora Township, Minnesota

|death_date = {{death date and age|1958|7|24|1889|4|25}}

|death_place = Minneapolis, Minnesota

|party = Farmer–Labor

|otherparty = Nonpartisan League
Progressive{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/39148359/stevens_point_journal/ |title=Shoemaker Candidate |date=7 July 1928 |work=Stevens Point Journal |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191117083901/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/39148359/stevens_point_journal/ |archive-date=17 November 2019 |url-status=live |page=5 |via=Newspapers.com}}

|spouse = Lydgia Schneider (1912-1934)

|father = Francis M. Shoemaker

|mother = Regina D. Shoemaker

|children =

|signature =

|education =

}}

Francis Henry Shoemaker (April 25, 1889 – July 24, 1958) was a U.S. Representative from Minnesota.

Early life

Shoemaker was born on a farm in Flora Township, Renville County, Minnesota, and was self-educated with his mother’s assistance. He engaged in agricultural pursuits and worked for many farm and labor organizations. He was a charter member and organizer of the Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party.

In 1920, while Shoemaker was an organizer for the Nonpartisan League, he was criticized by Harry Milford, the pastor of his church. Shoemaker had claimed that he was drafted despite not being physically fit to enter the army and having a dependent wife, being the only married man in the area to be so. Shoemaker said that he would not appeal the decision, but would gain retribution after returning. Milford stated that other married men were drafted, Shoemaker was deemed physically fit, and had filed an appeal to the draft board.{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/39148018/the_postcrescent/ |title=Francis Shoemaker Scored By Pastor Of Seymour Church |date=8 January 1920 |work=The Post-Crescent |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191117081715/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/39148018/the_postcrescent/ |archive-date=17 November 2019 |url-status=live |page=5 |via=Newspapers.com}}

Career

In 1924 he assisted in organizing the Federated Farmer-Labor Party at Chicago in 1924. Shoemaker was nominated for Vice President of the United States, but declined to run. He served as editor and publisher of the People’s Voice, Green Bay Farmer, and Progressive Farmer newspapers in Green Bay, Wisconsin, from 1921 to 1927, and of the Organized Farmer newspaper in Red Wing, Minnesota in 1928.{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/42132353/the_oshkosh_northwestern/ |title=Publisher, Past New Londoner Dies |date=8 August 1958 |work=The Oshkosh Northwestern |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200112040426/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/42132353/the_oshkosh_northwestern/ |archive-date=12 January 2020 |url-status=live |page=11 |via=Newspapers.com}} In 1931 he served nine months at Leavenworth penitentiary after being convicted for a federal charge of sending defamatory material through the mail and for violation of his probation.{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/39780937/star_tribune/ |title=F. H. Shoemaker, Farmer-Labor Figure, Dies |date=25 July 1958 |work=Star Tribune |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191129055904/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/39780937/star_tribune/ |archive-date=29 November 2019 |url-status=live |page=18 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/42131986/the_austin_daily_herald/ |title=F. Shoemaker Dies in Hospital |date=24 July 1958 |work=The Austin Daily Herald |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200112035856/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/42131986/the_austin_daily_herald/ |archive-date=12 January 2020 |url-status=live |page=2 |via=Newspapers.com}}

Shoemaker was elected as a Farmer-Laborite to the 73rd congress. A House vote was held to determine whether or not to seat him and he was permitted retain his seat with 230 votes in his favor against 75 votes.{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/39780948/the_minneapolis_star/ |title=Shoemaker, Fiery FL Figure, 69, Dies |date=24 July 1958 |work=The Minneapolis Star |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191129060504/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/39780948/the_minneapolis_star/ |archive-date=29 November 2019 |url-status=live |page=1 |via=Newspapers.com}} During his tenure Shoemaker filed an impeachment resolution against United States District Judge Joseph W. Molyneaux which amounted to little.{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/39148236/star_tribune/ |title=Shoemaker Impeaches Molyneaux |date=21 April 1934 |work=Star Tribune |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191117082834/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/39148236/star_tribune/ |archive-date=17 November 2019 |url-status=live |page=5 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/39148278/the_minneapolis_star/ |title=Shoemaker Impeaches Molyneaux |date=20 April 1934 |work=The Minneapolis Star |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191117083155/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/39148278/the_minneapolis_star/ |archive-date=17 November 2019 |url-status=live |page=1 |via=Newspapers.com}} He was not a candidate for renomination in 1934 to the 74th congress, but was an unsuccessful candidate for nomination for Minnesota's Senate seat, but lost in the primary to incumbent Henrik Shipstead.

While a sitting member of Congress, he was arrested outside of his House office by two detectives, serving a warrant for assaulting a taxi driver.{{Cite web |last=ghostsofdc |date=2012-10-12 |title=Minnesota Congressman Arrested for Assaulting Taxi Driver |url=https://ghostsofdc.org/2012/10/12/congressman-shoemaker-arrested/ |access-date=2023-01-21 |website=Ghosts of DC |language=en-US}}

Later life

After twenty two years of marriage Shoemaker's wife, Lydgia Schneider, filed for divorce in 1934, due to him openly committing adultery and threatening her.{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/39148015/the_postcrescent/ |title=Wife of Congressman Gets Divorce Decree |date=27 August 1934 |work=The Post-Crescent |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191117081340/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/39148015/the_postcrescent/ |archive-date=17 November 2019 |url-status=live |page=4 |via=Newspapers.com}} In 1940 Shoemaker was sent to jail for 90 days after assaulting a neighbor and being accused of throwing hot water into his former wife's face.{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/39148040/st_cloud_times/ |title=Francis Shoemaker Serves Jail Term |date=27 June 1940 |work=St. Cloud Times |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191117081506/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/39148040/st_cloud_times/ |archive-date=17 November 2019 |url-status=live |page=11 |via=Newspapers.com}} Later he filed to run in the Farmer-Labor primary for Minnesota's seventh congressional district, but came in last place with 11% of the vote.{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/39781188/the_minneapolis_star/ |title=Filing Boom as Deadline Nears |date=30 July 1940 |work=The Minneapolis Star |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191129060955/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/39781188/the_minneapolis_star/ |archive-date=29 November 2019 |url-status=live |page=4 |via=Newspapers.com}}

He then became an unsuccessful Independent candidate for reelection to the 74th congress. After an unsuccessful election campaign in 1942 to the 78th congress, he resumed agricultural pursuits near North Redwood, Minnesota. He died at University of Minnesota Hospitals in Minneapolis on July 24, 1958, and was buried in Zion Cemetery in Flora Township, Renville County, Minnesota.{{cite news|title=Former State Congressman Dies |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/2306469/francis_shoemaker_18891958/|newspaper=The Winona Daily News|date=July 24, 1958|page=1|via = Newspapers.com|access-date = April 28, 2015 }} {{Open access}}

Electoral history

{{hidden begin|toggle=left|title=Francis Shoemaker electoral history}}

{{Election box begin|title = 1920 Wisconsin 8th Congressional District Republican primary}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = Edward E. Browne (incumbent)

|votes = 16,129

|percentage = 51.05%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = Michael G. Eberlein

|votes = 10,836

|percentage = 34.30%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = Francis Shoemaker

|votes = 4,620

|percentage = 14.62%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = Write-ins

|votes = 11

|percentage = 0.04%

|change =

}}

{{Election box total|

|votes = 31,596

|percentage = 100.00%

|change =

}}

{{Election box begin|title = 1930 Minnesota 3rd Congressional District election}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = August H. Andresen (incumbent)

|votes = 35,704

|percentage = 48.05%

|change = -10.79%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Farmer–Labor Party

|candidate = Francis Shoemaker

|votes = 21,118

|percentage = 28.42%

|change = +10.78%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Joseph J. Moriarity

|votes = 17,485

|percentage = 23.53%

|change = +1.30%

}}

{{Election box total|

|votes = 74,307

|percentage = 100.00%

|change =

}}

{{Election box begin|title = 1932 Minnesota at-large Congressional District Farmer-Labor primary}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Farmer–Labor Party

|candidate = Magnus Johnson

|votes = 93,832

|percentage = 8.37%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Farmer–Labor Party

|candidate = Ernest Lundeen

|votes = 77,412

|percentage = 6.90%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Farmer–Labor Party

|candidate = Paul John Kvale (incumbent)

|votes = 72,366

|percentage = 6.45%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Farmer–Labor Party

|candidate = Henry M. Arens

|votes = 69,777

|percentage = 6.22%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Farmer–Labor Party

|candidate = Arthur C. Townley

|votes = 50,583

|percentage = 4.51%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Farmer–Labor Party

|candidate = C. F. Gaarenstroom

|votes = 45,252

|percentage = 4.04%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Farmer–Labor Party

|candidate = J. L. Peterson

|votes = 39,475

|percentage = 3.52%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Farmer–Labor Party

|candidate = Francis Shoemaker

|votes = 37,658

|percentage = 3.36%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Farmer–Labor Party

|candidate = Henry Teigan

|votes = 37,451

|percentage = 3.34%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Farmer–Labor Party

|candidate = Victor E. Lawson

|votes = 34,437

|percentage = 3.07%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Farmer–Labor Party

|candidate = Erling Swenson

|votes = 33,764

|percentage = 3.01%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Farmer–Labor Party

|candidate = Ralph O. Van Lear

|votes = 32,935

|percentage = 2.94%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Farmer–Labor Party

|candidate = James Bede

|votes = 32,613

|percentage = 2.91%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Farmer–Labor Party

|candidate = Lynn Thompson

|votes = 30,672

|percentage = 2.74%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Farmer–Labor Party

|candidate = John Knutsen

|votes = 29,436

|percentage = 2.63%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Farmer–Labor Party

|candidate = Howard Y. Williams

|votes = 29,130

|percentage = 2.60%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Farmer–Labor Party

|candidate = Susie W. Stageberg

|votes = 27,989

|percentage = 2.50%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Farmer–Labor Party

|candidate = Andrew Olaf Devold

|votes = 27,949

|percentage = 2.49%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Farmer–Labor Party

|candidate = Julius J. Reiter

|votes = 26,984

|percentage = 2.41%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Farmer–Labor Party

|candidate = Mathias Wagner

|votes = 26,175

|percentage = 2.33%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Farmer–Labor Party

|candidate = Albert G. Bastis

|votes = 24,397

|percentage = 2.18%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Farmer–Labor Party

|candidate = Rich T. Buckler

|votes = 23,506

|percentage = 2.10%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Farmer–Labor Party

|candidate = A. H. Hendrickson

|votes = 22,738

|percentage = 2.03%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Farmer–Labor Party

|candidate = John S. Crosby

|votes = 22,320

|percentage = 1.99%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Farmer–Labor Party

|candidate = Laura E. Naplin

|votes = 22,240

|percentage = 1.98%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Farmer–Labor Party

|candidate = Emil L. Regnier

|votes = 22,115

|percentage = 1.97%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Farmer–Labor Party

|candidate = Russell C. Riley

|votes = 19,002

|percentage = 1.69%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Farmer–Labor Party

|candidate = John G. Alexander

|votes = 18,353

|percentage = 1.64%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Farmer–Labor Party

|candidate = J. V. Free

|votes = 13,594

|percentage = 1.21%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Farmer–Labor Party

|candidate = C. J. Oiseth

|votes = 11,461

|percentage = 1.02%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Farmer–Labor Party

|candidate = Albert C. Bosel

|votes = 11,145

|percentage = 0.99%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Farmer–Labor Party

|candidate = Edward Trombley

|votes = 10,651

|percentage = 0.95%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Farmer–Labor Party

|candidate = J. S. Konkel

|votes = 10,237

|percentage = 0.91%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Farmer–Labor Party

|candidate = Curtis H. Windsor

|votes = 9,837

|percentage = 0.88%

|change =

}}

{{Election box total|

|votes = 1,121,505

|percentage = 100.00%

|change =

}}

{{Election box begin|title = 1934 Minnesota Senate Farmer-Labor primary}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Farmer–Labor Party

|candidate = Henrik Shipstead (incumbent)

|votes = 198,151

|percentage = 73.57%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Farmer–Labor Party

|candidate = Francis Shoemaker

|votes = 71,172

|percentage = 26.43%

|change =

}}

{{Election box total|

|votes = 269,323

|percentage = 100.00%

|change =

}}

{{Election box begin|title = 1934 Minnesota 8th Congressional District election}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = William Alvin Pittenger

|votes = 39,513

|percentage = 35.7%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Independent

|candidate = Francis Shoemaker (incumbent)

|votes = 25,386

|percentage = 23.0%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Farmer–Labor Party

|candidate = A. L. Winterquist

|votes = 25,024

|percentage = 22.6%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Jerry A. Harri

|votes = 18,707

|percentage = 16.9%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Independent

|candidate = Thomas Foley

|votes = 1,969

|percentage = 1.8%

|change =

}}

{{Election box total|

|votes = 110,599

|percentage = 100.00%

|change =

}}

{{Election box begin|title = 1936 Minnesota 8th Congressional District Farmer-Labor primary}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Farmer–Labor Party

|candidate = John Bernard

|votes = 17,772

|percentage = 53.08%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Farmer–Labor Party

|candidate = Francis Shoemaker

|votes = 15,713

|percentage = 46.93%

|change =

}}

{{Election box total|

|votes = 33,485

|percentage = 100.00%

|change =

}}

{{Election box begin|title = 1940 Minnesota 7th Congressional District Farmer-Labor primary}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Farmer–Labor Party

|candidate = Harold L. Peterson

|votes = 5,211

|percentage = 49.59%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Farmer–Labor Party

|candidate = Paul John Kvale

|votes = 4,051

|percentage = 38.55%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Farmer–Labor Party

|candidate = Francis Shoemaker

|votes = 1,246

|percentage = 11.86%

|change =

}}

{{Election box total|

|votes = 10,508

|percentage = 100.00%

|change =

}}

{{Election box begin|title = 1942 Minnesota 7th Congressional District election}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = Herman Carl Andersen (incumbent)

|votes = 46,570

|percentage = 54.79%

|change = +4.10%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Theodor S. Slen

|votes = 21,192

|percentage = 24.93%

|change = +8.18%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Farmer–Labor Party

|candidate = Francis Shoemaker

|votes = 17,241

|percentage = 20.28%

|change = -12.27%

}}

{{Election box total|

|votes = 85,003

|percentage = 100.00%

|change =

}}

{{Election box begin|title = 1946 Minnesota 7th Congressional District Republican primary}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = Herman Carl Andersen (incumbent)

|votes = 31,849

|percentage = 79.20%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = Francis Shoemaker

|votes = 8,367

|percentage = 20.81%

|change =

}}

{{Election box total|

|votes = 40,216

|percentage = 100.00%

|change =

}}

Notes

Sources

External links

[http://www.mnopedia.org/person/shoemaker-francis-h-1889-1958 Francis H. Shoemaker in MNopedia, the Minnesota Encyclopedia]
[http://minnlawyer.com/2017/04/05/politics-of-the-past-a-psychopath-goes-to-washington/ A ‘psychopath’ goes to Washington in Minnesota Lawyer]

{{succession box|

before=General ticket Adopted|

title=U.S. Representative from Minnesota
General Ticket Seat Nine|

years=1933 – 1935|

after=General ticket Abolished|}}

{{USCongRep-start|congresses= 73rd United States Congresses |state=Minnesota}}

Category:1889 births

Category:1958 deaths

Category:Businesspeople from Minnesota

Category:Editors of Minnesota newspapers

Category:Editors of Wisconsin newspapers

Category:Farmer–Labor Party members of the United States House of Representatives