My Genealogy Hound

JACOB MONOSMITH, one of the well-known and very highly esteemed citizens of Shiremanstown, and an honored survivor of the Civil war, was born June 1, 1838, in this city, son of John Monosmith, and grandson of Henry and Catherine (Shafer) Monosmith. The family is of German extraction, but the grandfather was born and reared in this county, spent his life here as a farmer, and died in Hampden township.

John Monosmith was born in Hampden township, and attended the early subscription schools. Later he became a skilled carpenter, following that trade all his active life, and he died in 1851, aged thirty-nine years. He married Elizabeth Zearing, daughter of Henry and Margaret (Ely) Zearing, and sister of the father of Dr. Jacob Zearing, of Middlesex township. She died in 1878, aged sixty-seven years. The children of John Monosmith and wife were: Henry, who died aged twenty years; Sarah Jane, wife of Joseph Millard, of Mechanicsburg; Jacob; John W., of Baltimore, who married a Miss Oyler, of Chambersburg; Lizzie, who resides with our subject; and Catherine, Mrs. George Irvin, who died in Mechanicsburg. Both John Monosmith and wife were members of the Church of God, good and pious people. In politics he was a Whig.

Jacob Monosmith was attending the village school when his father died, and he then went to work by the month, for the father of Mr. Shelley, his teacher, and although he received but a few dollars a month, he was given a chance to attend the district school. Later he was able to earn fifty cents a day, and he remained with Mr. Shelley, off and on, some five years. He then learned the carpenter’s trade, and worked at it one season. In October, 1862, he became a member of Company C, 3d Pennsylvania Artillery, under Captain Boone, and served through three years. Although hundreds of times exposed to almost certain death, he escaped, and was honorably discharged at the close of the war, at Fortress Monroe. After his return Mr. Monosmith worked at farming until 1891, when he became mail carrier, and has continued in this employment. He is a valued citizen, and has served in the town council. In politics he is a Republican.