Please contribute to the 2023 Historians Podcast fund drive. Please donate online at The Historians Podcast, organized by Bob Cudmore  or send a check made out to Bob Cudmore to 125 Horstman Drive, Scotia, NY 12302.  Thank you and on the way to Episode#500 this fall. (November 3, 2023)

The hero was a shoemaker

By Bob Cudmore

An immigrant from Alsace Lorraine in Europe settled in Canajoharie, learned shoemaking and then earned the Medal of Honor in the Civil War. According to a family history, Franz Joubert arrived in America 1858. When he applied to be a citizen in Fonda, officials interpreted his name as Shubert. From then on he was known as Frank Shubert.

Shubert worked for a year on a farm in Palatine Bridge. He later learned the shoemaking trade in Canajoharie. He enlisted in the Union Army as a private on August 15, 1861. He served in Company E of the 43rd regiment of the New York Infantry Volunteers, also known as the Albany Rifles.

Shubert fought in virtually every major campaign, survived several wounds, and was awarded the Medal of Honor for his valor during the Battle of Petersburg, Virginia in April, 1865. Then Sergeant Shubert captured two Confederate flags or markers.  Shubert was a Second Lieutenant when mustered out of the regiment in June 1865.

After the war, Shubert ran a shoe store in Canajoharie. He married Cecelia Lettice in 1868. They lived on Cliff Street and had four children, including one daughter.  In 1911 their daughter, Bertelle, married Edward Shineman, who went on to become the chairman of the board of Beech Nut.  

Frank Shubert died in 1920 and is buried at Prospect Hill Cemetery in Canajoharie. Edward Shineman, who died in 1968, is also buried at Prospect Hill.

Information for this story was provided by Ed Archinal of Amsterdam, “Shubert was the brother of my great grandmother. The store he sold shoes from still stands on Church Street in Canajoharie.”

RIVER ISLANDS

At least some of the islands in the Mohawk River in Montgomery County are named and some have been used for farming and recreation over the years. Historian Hugh Donlon wrote that Amsterdam had claim to being the first broom making location in New York because of broomcorn grown on islands and flats of the Mohawk River. Amsterdam residents used to row to the islands for summer picnics years ago. 

John Naple, a retired teacher who has a great interest in the outdoors, wrote, "Downstream from the Mohawk River bridge in Amsterdam can be seen Davey and Giording Islands. Upstream, near Amsterdam's Lock 11 can be seen Bronson Island.” The names come from Google maps.

The U.S. Geological Survey topographic maps name Pepper Island in the Mohawk across from Fort Johnson and Swart Island near the Schenectady County border, in the area of Swart Hill Road. 

Naple asked, “Does anyone own these islands? Were they there before the river was harnessed to form the Barge Canal in 1918?”

YANTAPUCHABERG AND TOUAREUNA

Historian Nelson Greene and a travel book put out by Knox Gelatin called “The Old Mohawk Turnpike” make reference to Yantaphuchaberg, the impressive 1,100 foot hill on the south shore of the Mohawk in Rotterdam opposite Hoffman’s. The name may mean “John-ear-of-corn-hill.” On the opposite north shore of the river is the slightly smaller Touareuna hill. One source says Touareuna is a Mohawk word meaning neighboring hills.

Wednesday, August 2, 2023-From the Archives- Episode 115, June 10, 2016-Historic Site Manager Wade Wells on “The Price of Loyalty: The Confiscation of Johnson Hall in Johnstown” at the start of the American Revolution.

Thursday, August 3, 2023-From the Archives of Focus on History from the Daily Gazette-Great graves of Upstate New York

Friday, August 4, 2023- Episode 486-Bob Cudmore has Focus on History columns on soda bottlers, walking for sport, a submarine rescue, Amsterdam’s clock tower building and more.

Mohawk Valley  Weather, Tuesday, August 1, 2023

A great 59 degrees in The City of Amsterdam at 6:22AM

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