George Shoemaker

George Shoemaker was a colonial Virginian who served in both the French and Indian War and the American Revolutionary War, reflecting a lifetime of frontier and patriotic service.

Born likely in the early 1740s, George Shoemaker first appears in military records as a member of the Fairfax County Militia in 1758, during the latter stages of the French and Indian War. This militia was part of Virginia’s frontier defense network, tasked with protecting settlements from raids and supporting British regulars. By the time of the American Revolution, Shoemaker had relocated to the Shenandoah Valley and served in Captain Baxter’s Company of the Rockingham County Militia. This unit was part of Virginia’s decentralized militia system, which mobilized local men for short-term service in defense of the Commonwealth and the broader Patriot cause. While specific battle records for Baxter’s Company are scarce, Rockingham militiamen were known to participate in campaigns in the Carolinas and at Yorktown. Shoemaker’s dual service across two wars highlights the continuity of Virginia’s frontier defense tradition and the deep roots of Revolutionary commitment among its settlers.