The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1880-11-12

MISS L:BBIE ScnooNMAKER. whose
career as q farmer. stock-raiser aud
scho0l teacher has made her notorious
Ia this part of the Slate, Il a woman
about thirty-eight years Of age. and
affords pustrikine example Of what a
woman with q will of her own can do
toward getting along in the world.
Fourteen years ago. nj the death III her
father. johannes Sch0onmaker. she in
herited a large estate. consisting prin-
cipally Of farming property, heavily en-
numbered with debt. Ii was the old
homestead. and Miss Schoonmakercould
not bear the idea Of seeing il pass into
the hands of strangers. and was deter
mined that II should not. Although
then only twenty-four years old and
with no more practical knowledge Of
life than an ordinary country lass. she
assumed sole charge OF the estate de-
termined 70 clear il Of debt. Having
an old mother sixty-two Years OF age. a
half sister. also helpless from old age.
the two orphan children of deceased
brother. and . brother in the last stages
Of consumption 70 provide for. this made
her task donbly hard. A little experi-
ence taught Miss Schoonmakcr that il
was impossible to support her large
family and keep up the interest arising
from the heavy indebtedness Of the es-
tate from the resources OF the farm.
She accordingly began to devise some
method If increasing her income. and
decided upon school teaching. She l
was engaged 10 teach in her own nciyh- I
borhood at the modest sum Of eight
dollars per month. In this. as in every \
thing else. she showed remarkable tact.
and her salary in short time was
raised to forty dollars per month. She
has continued teaching ever since, ever
seeing and directing the work OF her
farm. night and morning. and during
summer vacations going into the har-
vest field with the farm hands to pitch
on hay, rake. bind. etc. She has earned
from teaching school over $1,000. paid
of the debt Of the old homestead. and
besides greatly improved the property.
Besides teaching and raising corn and
grain. she has been IN extensive stock
raiser. As a farmer she has no superb
or in this section. Her wheat crop ay- ;
era-ed this year forty-two bushels TO
the acre, the largest Weld in the county.
In personal appearance Miss Schoon- 1
Hs@"'A - t1A- win ~ iDtu~l Dut cDmelF
form and pleasing. intelligent coun-
tenance. She is exceedingly kind
hearted and generous, and Will spend {
her last cent Tor the benefit Of needy {
friend or acquaintance. A short time
ago she learned that brother-in-law {
living In Pennsylvania was in destitute q
circumstances. She went 10 him and l
found him helpless from an incurabe z
disease. with family depending upon
him. Ben. she said. '.whai can lido .
for you' Nothing. Libbie. was the I
reply. You have your hands fnll al j
ready. We will have 10 90 to the a
suppose. = Never. h
Ben, a. long as i've. Come and enjoy b
he comforts of the old homestead with i
me. Twill keep you and your family 4
Is long as yoH live
Miss Schoonmaker has h ad many suit 9
n Tor her hand. but, although natu- p
ally inclined % mairimony, she steadi- N
refuses % marry, on the ground that Q
ler husband might in time object to be- =
NJ bursFned with the supporter the old =
'eople and her helpless brothcr-in- law a
MI his family. which might cause do Al
nestle troubles. BE sides. she saws she
as enough TO do now without having II
2 support husband. too. which she IA,
light have TO do il she were 10 marry. in
\ hcrhontson (flStcr County. NJ T,) m
pr. n. y Sun. IL
-s . - a,