Howard Leroy Shafer, born in Jackson, Michigan, 11 Aug 1898 was responsible for the majority of the information within this data base. When my father passed away in 2005 I decided to do what I could to develop this database, building upon Howard’s many tireless hours, and publish to the web. He published is work and distributed it to other Shafer members during the late 1960’s. The beautiful thing about his work was the first hand recollections he had of early Shafer’s of the 1800’s.
Howard Leroy Shafer wrote of John Joseph Shafer;
"Born in New York State, Apr. 22, 1810, believed to have been near Albany; First married to an unknown woman on an unknown date in New York State.It is believed that they separated in the state of Pennsylvania and where he took another wife, Lydia Ann Dodge, born in New York state, May , 1813, she died April 26, 1882, in Lawrence Twp., Van Buren County., in the new Lawrence Hill Cemetery, Lawrence, Michigan, and where a large monument has been set, with their names and a verse is inscribed, “No pompous marble to their name we raise this stone, Bespeak their praise, Potential fondness did their life attend, a tender mother and a faithful friend”.Two grand children also are buried there, also are buried there, of his youngest son John Wyman Shafer."
"In his wandering little is known of his early years, it is said he had worked on the Erie Canal.Children born in New York State by first wife.In 1860 census of Lawrence Twp., Michigan records show children born in Carlisle Twp., Lorain County, Ohio between the years 1841 and 1850, and his eldest son in Ohio.(Some believe he was born in NY State).They removed to Michigan, believed to have been to Ingham County, between March 1849 and February 1851, where last of children were born.In 1855 removed to Lawrence Twp., Van Buren County, Michigan, one of the first white men to settle in that area west of a lake, on the township line next to Hartford Twp.This lake was named Shafer Lake (from the original name of Taylor Lake) after his name.He acquired considerable land, in Lawrence and Harford townships.He donated a piece of land for a school in Lawrence Twp.On the north east corner of the cross road which run to the south of Shafer Lake, also called Shafer School, Hartford and Lawrence Twp’. fractional district No. 7.(JBS estimates the location to be the north east corner of CR 681 and 64th Avenue, SE of Hartford.)"
"He first lived in a log cabin ( as others did in those days) located near the school.Years later it burned down and he and his youngest son who was a carpenter built a new home just north of the school, where he lived until his death.Some of his children as well as many of his descendants, the writer is one, attended at the Shafer School.This school house twice burned down, never rebuilt, the home place and school ground is now owned by a descendant;he wasa prosperous farmer, and he loved nice horses, one day he hitched a colt to a sulky to where the colt ran away with him, going off of the road and throwing him against a tree, the injury he received caused his death."
"Some time before his death he had deeded to each of his heirs a parcel of land, in the amount of about 28 acres to each.After his death his youngest son John W. Shafer petitioned for an administrator of his personal property, (estimated value about nine hundred dollars) on February 20, 1895, the administrator to be an older brother of Elijah M. Shafer.And listed the heirs to receive their share as a will was not probated."
I hope I have done justice to the data previously collected by Howard LeRoy Shafer, and am able to bring our family record into the 21st century. If you have any information at all about our family, or note errors in this record, that may help me learn more I would be appreciate your sharing with me. I am also willing to share all the information I have.
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