John Adam Schaeffer biography

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. Arriving at one village where one brave and several women were the only ones present, they killed the male and three women, and took one woman prisoner. While some of the soldiers proceeded on to additional village raids, Adam and the remainder of the troops marched back to Fort Pitt and were dismissed. This concluded his 2 month length of volunteer service and he returned to his residence in Westmoreland County. He re-enlisted in the spring of 1779 in the company of Rangers commanded by Captain Matthew Jack at Hannastown. They were joined by Rangers commanded by Captain Stokely in marching to Fort Pitt where they joined several hundred soldiers under comand of Colonel Brodhead and Colonel Bayard. After ten or twelve days at Fort Pitt they all marched up the Allegheny River to Kittanning where they built a fort. Proceeding up the river and crossing French creek at its mouth, they marched to where Warren is today. There were Indian fields in this area so it was decided to leave the baggage, pack horses and cattle. Adam Shaffer and about thirty others were left to guard these materials while the main body marched on to destroy an Indian town, which had been abandoned at their approach. They destroyed cabins and cornfields.
The 1887 History of Clarion County gives account of the Brodhead Expedition, describing their return via the Old Venango Trail through Clarion County and crossing the Clarion River at Bullock's Ford near Callensburg. One soldier reportedly died and was buried there on the river bank. The soldiers reached Fort Pitt on 14 Sept. 1779, snow falling on their return march. Along the route they killed three Indians and one white man painted and dressed like an Indian. Adam Sshaffer served six months on this tour of duty, then again returned to Westmoreland County.
After his discharge from the army Adam lived in Westmoreland County for some time. In 1780 he married Catherine Dorothea Trope Sipe, the widow of Christopher Sipe who had been killed by Indians. His papers state that he lived in Fayette county PA for eighteen years. Of his children, mary Magdalene, Adam Jr. and John were born in Westmoreland County, and the rest, namely Hannah-Ann Dorothea, Mariah and Sarah A. were born in Fayette County.
The oldest child, Mary Magdalena (called "Aunt Mattelena"), was born 9 Feb 1781 and baptized 18 Mar 1781. Adam's wife is listed on the baptismal record as Dorothea and the sponsors were Christian Mannerschmidt and wife Susannah.
Deeds registered in the recorders office in Greensburg show that on 23 May 1806 John Painter sold land to Adam Schaffer, and on 19 May 1823 Adam Schaffer and wife sold land to Adam Smith. On 17 May 1823 Peter Schmahl sold land to Adam Schaffer which was recorded 19 May 1823. No further records of wife (Catharine or Dorothea) are found and it is presumed that she died after they returned to Westmoreland County. There Adam lived on what was known as the "Indian Springs" farm. In June 1876 his grandson William with his wife and eldest son John Amos visited the old home. William recognized the farm where he had been born. Adam had again married, this time to a widow Schmidt (Smith) nee Schmahl. When William and his family visited there, her son by her former marriage, Tobias Smith, was living there. He had purchased the farm when Adam and his wife left Westmoreland County in 1828 to come to what was then Venango county.
His second wife died in Venango Co. and was buried in the Best or Stone Church Cemetery, although her grave has not been located. (Note by Ethel Sheffer Crawford: Many old illegible broken markers are there. Her Christian name remains unknown. I have a letter written to my grandmother by Nathaniel in 1909 saying she was buried there, and as hsi father William was living at the time, I am certain it was correct.)
Adam related some of his experiences to his children & grandchildren.. Once while he and other farmers were cutting wheat during the Revolutionary period, Indians attacked them. The men had to run for the wooden fort or blockhouse where the women and children stayed while the harvesting was being done. Adam was a small short man, and a big husky Indian very nearly overtook him but when they reached the fence the Indian jumped on it and fell, so Adam and the others were able to get into the fort unharmed.
Adam applied for a military pension in 1835, after the law was passed 7 June 1832 entitling veterans of the Revolution a pension. In his application Adam declares he has no documentary evidence of his service. Captain Matthey Jack under whom he served was still alive and swore to some of the facts in the application; James Kean, another soldier in Captain Jack's company testified to his enlistment and six months service. His papers were certified by Christian Kribbs and Johann Kuhns. In the pension office in Washington and the Pennsylvania Archives, he is listed as Adam Shaffer, and some of the accounts about him are altered from this version. (He is not to be confused with an Adam Sheffer who served at an earlier time.) Adam was granted twenty-six dollars and twenty-six cents per year, payable semi-annually on the 4th of March and 4th of September.
Adam died in Salem Twp., Clarion Co. PA on 19 Nov. 1840 at age 88 years, 11 months and 20 days. He was buried in Salem Lutheran Cemetery.
There were no children to the second marriage. Of the children of Adam and Catherine, the following information is known. Mary Magdalena was born before 9 Feb 1781, and baptized in Zion Herold Church, Westmoreland Co. PA. She married Christian Heinrich (or Christ Henry) of Westmoreland Co. PA. One account says they came to Beaver Twp., Clarion Co. in the early 1840's and had no children. An account written by Rev. John Amos says they had children, and grandchildren named Adam Greenawalt and Hugh, Isabel and John Brady.