Revision as of 07:06, 13 June 2009

Immigrant ~1773

In Germany, the name "Schaeffer" or "Schaffer" was spelled with a German umlaut "a", the pronunciation of which led to the later "Scheffer" spelling in America. This spelling later became Sheffer.

Johann Adam Scheffer was born 29 November, about 1751, twenty-four miles from Mannheim, Germany. He was baptized in infancy and became a member of the German Reformed Church. At about age 16 he and older brother Johann Jacob Scheffer traveled down the Rhine to Rotterdam and from there sailed to America on the ship "Chance" , under captain Charles Smith. They landed in Philadelphia on 8 August 1764. (The discrepancy in age & dates may indicate an earlier birth year.) He told his grandchildren that the crossing took three months, the bread became moldy, the water wormy, and many were sick. Ships records indicate 208 passengers on board including 90 men over age 16. All males took the oath of allegiance to King George of England. Both the Scheffer brothers were able to sigh their own names (as Schaffer). From Philadelphia the brothers traveled westward, Adam locating in Westmoreland Co. PA while Jacob disappears from the record, perhaps pushing farther west. He was rumored to have been near Zelienople, Butler Co. PA before pushing farther south; no records have been found.
Adam volunteered in Jan 1778 for military service, in the volunteer company commanded by Christopher Truby. This company mustered where Greensburg now stands, and marched to Fort Pitt (now Pittsburgh), thirty-one miles distant. Here they trained and were joined by other companies all under the command of General Edward Hand. From Fort Pitt they marched to the mouth of the Beaver, thence down the Ohio River, then across the Beaver River not far from its mouth, and proceeded into "Indian territory", eastern Ohio. Their mission was apparently to destroy villages.
See lengthy additional biographical record, compiled by Hazel Sheffer Crawford, at John Adam Schaeffer biography.

Ancestry chart segment

    Generation 3               Generation 4                   Generation 5            Generation 6            Generation 7
                                                                                                          +-- Adam Schaeffer
                                                                                                          |    (~1751-1840)
                                                                                  +-- John Sheffer -------+
                                                                                  |   (1784-  )           |
                                                          +-- Jacob Best Sheffer--+                       +-- Catherine Dorothea Trope (Sipe)
                                                          |   (1814-1900)         |
                           +-- George Mansfield Sheffer --+                       +-- Barbara Bescht/Best
                           |   (1847-1937 )               |
 +--James Austin Sheffer --+                              +-- Sarah Linn
 |  (1880-1960)            |                                  (1824-1890)
 |                         +-- Sarah Myers
 |                             (????-???? )
 |
 +-- Anna Catherine "Annie" Kline
     (1885-1939) 
 Sources: [8][9]

Children

(all children with Catherine Dorothea Trope (Sipe))

Places of Residence

Photo Gallery

Gravestones for John Adam Sheffer at Salem Lutheran Cemetery, Salem Twp., Clarion Co. PA

Original gravestone inscription, for John Adam Sheffer, Salem Lutheran Cemetery

Military gravestone for John Adam Sheffer, veteran of Rev. War, placed by DAR, Salem Lutheran Cemetery

Sources

Ref. Num.	Description	Image of original
2	1800 United States Federal Census, Hempfield Twp, Westmoreland Co, PA, page 17. Census is not dated. Family headed by Adam Shaffer: 2 males <10, 1 male 26-44; 3 females 10-15, 1 female 16-25, 1 female >44.
3	1810 United States Federal Census, Hempfield Twp, Westmoreland Co, PA, page 17. Census is not dated. Family headed by Adam Sheffer: 2 males 16-25, 1 male >44; 1 female <10, 2 females 16-25, 1 female >44. This age for Adam is a little low.
4	1820 United States Federal Census, Hempfield Twp, Westmoreland Co, PA, page 22. Census is not dated. Family headed by Adam Schaffer: 1 male <10, 1 male >44; 1 female >44. There is a John Schaffer next door. The child is possibly a grandchild since the Shaffers are now in their 60's..
5	1830 United States Federal Census There are no Adam Schaeffer families which can be clearly identified as matching.
6	1840 United States federal Census, Richland Twp, Venango Co, PA, pages 9,10. Census is not dated. Family of Joseph Redick: 1 male 5-10, 1 male 60-70,1 female 40-50. Adam Schaeffer is listed as a Revolutionary War pensioner living at this residence. His age is listed as 80. The family of John Schaeffer live next door: 1 male 5-10, 1 male 10-15, 1 male 15-20, 2 males 20-30, 1 male 50-60, 2 females 15-20, 1 female 40-50.
7	Personal correspondence from Elizabeth Wilson Williams, granddaughter of Winnifred May Kline.
8	Rick Sheffer personal correspondence Aug 2008.br>"Sheffer Family Journey, from the Rhineland to Venango County, Pa.", copyright 2008 by Rick Sheffer, a powerpoint presentation of data and photos,program presented in Emlenton PA Sept. 2008. Information based on Hazel Sheffer Crawford's collection of family and other photos to be donated to the Pumping Jack Museum ( of the local oil industry), Emlenton, Venango Co. PA. The museum is located in the former Crawford High School building.
9	The John Adam Scheffer Family History and Lineage 1751-1958 compiled by Hazel Sheffer Crawford, Emlenton, PA 1958. Submitted to us by Nancy Beals Walls Oct 2008. See John Adam Schaeffer biography.

Source notes

• Adam Schaeffer took out a warrant on 86 acres in Bullskin Twp., Fayette Co. PA on 12 Dec 1788; surveyed 25 June 1789; received patent 25 Mar. 1878.^[9]
• The 1799 property near Greensburg, Westmoreland Co., had an "Indian Spring" on the property; this property is today a golf course, and the spring can be seen.^[8]
• William Best of Westmoreland Co. PA, father-in-law of John Shaffer, was born 1733 & died 1823 at age 90. He married twice, 2nd to Catherine Dorn. He resided later in Clarion Co. & donated land for St. Paul's cemetery, where his daughter Barbara Best Shaffer was buried.^[9]

Conjecture

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