CENTRE LINES

The SHAFFER Family

This column is part of a feature series which focuses on a different Centre County family each week. Five new columns will be released each month unless some technical difficulty enters the picture.

This column's focus is on SHAFFER. An effort has been made to identify all persons carrying that name in the 1890 U.S. Census, using the Centre County business directory which was formed from a preliminary review of that census before the larger set of 1890 U.S. Census records was destroyed by fire. (Sadly, the postal directory does not typically provide the ages of females, but it's the best record we've got).

There are no book-length works in the Pennsylvania Room of the Centre County Library in Bellefonte that deal with this family.

There are 84 different first-name entries for Schaeffer/Shaeffer/Shafer/Shaffer in John Blair Linn's History of Centre and Clinton County(1883). In addition, there are many references to the variant spellings ofthe Shaffer name in Beers' Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania (1898) with the following four persons (with an identifiable Centre County connection) having separate profiles: GEORGE Shaffer (b. 1811, s.o John and Sarah Kren); JOHN Shaffer (b. 1825, s/o Adam and Lydia Bailey); JONATHAN Shafer (b. 1837, s/o Jacob and Elizabeth Haenzerling); and, U.S. Shaffer (b. 1848, s/o Adam and Mary Schmeltzer).

And, now, your ancestors' SHAFFER neighbors in 1890:

All spellings are for SHAFFER unless otherwise noted.

In BELLEFONTE BOROUGH:

Benjamin, 31, tinner--218 East Howard Katie H. B. Shaeffer, 21, photographer--112 South Allegheny Kate Shaeffer Lewis A. Schaeffer, 35, prothonotary--159 East Curtin Rebecca J. Helen M.

In BENNER TOWNSHIP:

Ellen Shafer--Bellefonte

In CENTRE HALL BOROUGH:

Rebecca Shafer Lydia

In COLLEGE TOWNSHIP:

Charles B. Schaffer, 56, tailor--State College Rachael Mary John S. 27 Frank 24 Margaret E. Julia A.

In FERGUSON TOWNSHIP:

Mary Sheffer--Pine Grove Mills

In GREGG TOWNSHIP:

Harriett--Madisonburg William 23 Amelia Nathaniel 18 Helen Susanna--Spring Mills Jane E. Ephraim C. 8

In HAINES TOWNSHIP:

George B., 28, laborer--Poe Mills Clara Roland 6 Annie Warren 1 Sarah J.--Aaronsburg

In HALF-MOON TOWNSHIP:

Charles, 17--Stormstown

In HARRIS TOWNSHIP:

Clara B.--Linden Hall

In MARION TOWNSHIP:

John L., 36, farmer--Walker Emma R.

In MILES TOWNSHIP:

Andrew, 72, retired--Madisonburg Eva David, 62, laborer--Madisonburg Sarah C. Grant 22 Ellis, 33, farmer--Madisonburg Jane Mary George, 78, retired--Madisonburg Sarah John, 65, laborer--Madisonburg Frances Byron W. 34 Emma J. Charles H. 11 Ida John R., 62, retired--Madisonburg Elizabeth Samuel B., 42, laborer--Madisonburg Margaret J. Lloyd B. 9 Thomas J., 29, farmer--Madisonburg Emma E. Uriah S., 41, farmer--Madisonburg Mary C. Estella A. Bloom

In PHILIPSBURG BOROUGH:

John E., 39, restaurant keeper, 8th Street Julia B. Beulah B.

In POTTER TOWNSHIP:

Cyrus J., 30, laborer--Potters Mills Ida N. Jennie T.--Potters Mills

In SPRING TOWNSHIP:

Ammond Schaffer, 19, laborer--Bellefonte John Schaffer, 22, laborer--Bellefonte Samuel, 48, superintendant--Bellefonte Naomi Albert L. 18 Herbert W. 16 Paul D. 13 William, 23, laborer--Bellefonte

In WALKER TOWNSHIP:

Albert L., 30, laborer--Zion Sarah A. Katie E. Alverta M.--Zion Benjamin F., 60, postmaster--Nittany Sophia C. Elizabeth--Zion Jacob, 61, farmer--Zion Hannah Emma J. Jacob M., 30, farmer--Zion Sarah A. Bathenia M. Jesse H., 27, laborer--Zion Fietta M. Mary A. William W. 3 Franklin H. 2 Carrie E. John, 73--Zion Rachael Harvey P. 22 Annie M. Charles 3 Joseph, 68, farmer--Nittany Catharine W. Lavinia--Zion Sallie Michael, 66--Zion Lydia Benjamin L. 42 Mary C. Newton B. 26 Edith M. Lydia C. James R. 2 Samuel H., 53, farmer--Zion Henrietta Charles A. 4 Joel S. 1 William B., 57, farmer--Zion Louisa Cora A. James C. 17 Mary D. Fannie Lillie B. Fairy William E., 29, merchant--Nittany Blanche L. Agnes I. Charles D. 6 Margaret E.