George Jacob Shoultes

George Shoultes grew up on the farm of his father and was involved in it's operation as a youth. The United States Census Report of 1850 indicates that he was attending school and it is believed that he received enough education to read and write. He was only 16 years old when his father died in 1856 and he became one of the determining forces in keeping the farm enterprise going. In the United States Census Report of 1860, he is shown as a resident of the farm of his brother, Ira Jacob Shoultes (1827-1905). He would soon establish his own farm near the site of the homestead during the 1860s.

George Jacob Shoultes united in marriage with the former Catherine Zeh (28Jun1845-13Mar1891) on February 16, 1865 at the Methodist Episcopal Church of East Newark. Catherine Zeh was born on June 28, 1845 at Berne (Albany County), New York. She was the daughter of Christopher Zeh (????-????) and Hannah Bakeman (1814-1890) and moved to Tioga County as a young girl. George and Catherine Shoultes established a farm near the site of the original homestead and raised a family of two children.

Catherine Zeh died on March 13, 1891 at the age of 45 years. The cause of her death is not known and she was buried in the family plot located in East Newark Cemetery, near the village of Newark Valley (Tioga County), New York.

George Jacob Shoultes married a second time, to the former Rebecca Brougham (11Jan1840-8Apr1909) on October 25, 1895 at Newark Valley (Tioga County), New York. Rebecca Brougham was born at Owego (Tioga County), New York on January 11, 1840. She was the daughter of Joseph Brougham (????-????) and Maria Kaley (????-????) and grew up in the town of Owego. Her siblings were: Catherine (????-????) who married John Martin Hoose; Elizabeth (????-????) who married Edward Whitmarsh; Peter (1832-????) who married Sallie Whitmarsh; and Eliza (1837-1906) who married Henry Leroy Springer. Rebecca Brougham was the widow of Chancy Whitmarsh.

Following his marriage to Rebecca Brougham, George Shoultes published his last Will and Testament. On July 28, 1978, the researcher found the document in Book T Number 473 in the Surrogates Office of the Tioga County Courthouse in Owego, New York. The will reads as follows:

In the name of God, Amen, I, George J. Shoultes, of the town of Newark Valley, County of Tioga, in the State of New York, being of sound mind and memory, and considering the uncertainty of life, do therefore make, ordain, publish, and declare this to be my last Will and Testament; that is to say:

First, after all my lawful debts are paid and discharged, I give and bequeath unto my beloved wife, Rebecca Shoultes, all of my estate, both real and personal, for her and support during her natural life, or so long as she shall remain my widow. After her death, after her sickness and burial expenses are paid, and all of her legal debts are discharged, then the property of estate, both real and personal, shall be equally divided among my two children as follows:

One half to go to my son, Ezra L. Shoultes, and one half to go to my daughter, Alice Whitmarsh.

Should my wife, Rebecca Shoultes, remarry after my death, then this estate shall go to my two children, at the time of there remarriage, in the same manner and proportion as I have willed it to go at her death.

Likewise, I make, constitute, and appoint my wife, Rebecca Shoultes, to be the executrix of this, my last Will and Testament, hereby revoking all former wills by me made.

In witness whereof, I do hereunto subscribe my name, and affix my seal, the eleventh day of December, in the year one thousand eight hundred and ninety six.

George J. Shoultes

In the OWEGO GAZETTE issue of March 14, 1901, an interesting article telling the stories of some of the early pioneer families appeared. The following was the story of the Shoultes family, as it pertained to George J. Shoultes.

George J. Shoultes - son of Jacob Shoultes, was born June 20, 1839, in East Newark. He was married February 16, 1865 to Catherine Zee, daughter of Christopher Zee, of Newark Valley. She was the mother of two children: Ezra L. and Alice Shoultes. He married second October 25, 1895 to Rebecca Brougham, daughter of Joseph Brougham of Owego. She was born January 10, 1840. Mr. Shoultes is a farmer and is also enjoying life in a pleasant home in East Newark.

George Jacob Shoultes enjoyed life, and live to see the turn of the century. However, his health began to fail as he developed kidney disease. In the early part of the 1900s, he began to suffer and life became a burden for him.

George Jacob Shoultes died on February 1, 1904 at the age of 64 years. The cause of death was certified as Brights Disease. Mrs. Lena Bushnell (1890-????) has supplied the researcher with the actual newspaper clipping from 1904, announcing the death of George Shoultes. The source of the newspaper is unknown, but it reads as follows:

DEATH OF GEORGE J. SHOULTES

George J. Shoultes, a life long resident of this town, died at his home in East Newark, Monday afternoon. For many years his health has not been good, but his last illness began in November, since which time he has been failing, the trouble being Brights Disease.

The funeral took place from the home Wednesday afternoon, Rev. W.L. Thorpe officiating, and the interment was made in the cemetery near S.E. Zimmer's.

The deceased was the next to the youngest son of Jacob Shoultes, one of the early settlers of East Newark.

He was born at East Newark sixty-four years ago last June, and practically his entire life was spent in this town. In 1865, he married Miss Katherine Zhe, who died in 1891. In 1894. he married Rebecca Bradt, who, with one son, Ezra L. Shoultes of this village, and one daughter, Mrs. L.H. Whitmarsh, of Union Centre, survives him.

Of the Jacob Shoultes family of some ten children, well known here half a century ago, but three are now living - Ira, Elijah, and Seymour.

George Jacob Shoultes was laid to rest in a majestic gravesite, along with both of his wives. The burial site is located in the East Newark Cemetery, near the village of Newark Valley (Tioga County), New York.