WI BIO - Kenosha Co - SCHAFFER, Jacob Philip

History of Kenosha & Kenosha County, Wisconsin. Lyman. Clarke Publishing, 
1916, v 2, pp 561-562

Jacob Philip SCHAFFER, deceased, who was a representative farmer and leading 
citizen of Somers Township, Kenosha County, Wisconsin, was born 03 June 1861 
on a farm adjoining that on which he passed away, his parents being Jacob and 
Wilhelmina (VOLKMAN) SCHAFFER, natives of Germany. The former [Jacob 
SCHAFFER] was a son of Nicholas SCHAFFER, also a native of Germany, in which 
country he [Jacob SCHAFFER] died at the age of eighty-five years. His wife 
[Wilhelmina (VOLKMAN) SCHAFFER] also reached an advanced age, and in their 
family [the family of Jacob and Wilhelmina (VOLKMAN) SCHAFFER] were seven 
children, five sons and two daughters, of whom two of the sons, Adam and John
are still [1916] residents of Germany.

The maternal grandfather of Jacob Philip SCHAFFER was born in Germany and 
there passed away after having long traveled life's journey. He was taken 
prisoner by pirates off the coast of Algiers and the ship's crew was held for 
a ransom of two hundred dollars, but while this was being sent he died. He 
[the maternal grandfather] had married [Miss?] Sophia SCHULZ and they had two 
daughters and a son. The latter [the son] is still [1916] surviving and now 
living in Modoe County, California.

Jacob SCHAFFER [the father of Jacob Philip] followed the occupation of 
farming in Germany until the early 1850's, when he determined to try his 
fortune in the New World and crossed the Atlantic to New York. For four 
years he was employed at farm labor in New York State, and on the expiration 
of that period removed westward to Wisconsin, purchasing a farm of forty 
acres in Somers Township. Later he extended the boundaries of his place by 
the additional purchase of fifty acres, and still later he added forty-five 
acres more. He concentrated his efforts upon the development and improvement 
of the land and continued to cultivate it throughout his remaining days.

He [Jacob SCHAFFER, the father of Jacob Philip SCHAFFER] died thereon [on the 
farm in Somers Township, Kenosha County, Wisconsin] in 1874, when forty-nine 
years and eleven months of age. His wife [Wilhelmina (VOLKMAN) SCHAFFER] 
passed away in 1871, when but thirty-five years of age. Both were Lutherans 
in religious belief. Their family [of Jacob and Wilhelmina (VOLKMAN) 
SCHAFFER] numbered a son and two daughters: (1) Jacob Philip [the subject 
of this biography]; (2) Elizabeth, the wife of August BOHM of Somers 
Township; and (3) Katherine, a Presbyterian missionary in China.

Jacob Philip SCHAFFER was reared on the old homestead farm on which his birth 
occurred [the farm adjoining that on which he died], and in his early youth 
he attended the district schools. He was, however, left an orphan when but 
twelve years of age, and necessity demanded that [p 562] he provide for his 
own support. He therefore began working for neighboring farmers and later he 
returned to the old home property, which he continued to cultivate until it 
was sold by the heirs. At that time he purchased a farm of one hundred and 
sixty acres on Section 7, Somers Township, Kenosha County, Wisconsin, and at 
once began its further development and improvement. He also cultivated fifty 
acres belonging to the SCHAFFER estate. His business affairs were carefully 
and wisely managed and brought to him a substantial measure of success, which 
he justly deserved, the merited reward of his honest labor.

On 01 February 1900 Mr. [Jacob Philip] SCHAFFER was united in marriage to 
Miss Nellie May HAMILTON, a daughter of Robert and Ida May (FOSTER) HAMILTON, 
who were born and reared in Yorkville, Racine County, Wisconsin. The former 
[Robert HAMILTON] was a son of Robert and Mary (MUTTER) HAMILTON, 
representatives of a family of Scotch origin. Robert HAMILTON [the 
grandfather of Nellie May (HAMILTON) SCHAFFER] spent one year in America but 
returned to Scotland, where he lived to be eighty-one years of age, while his 
wife [Mary (MUTTER) HAMILTON] died at the age of sixty. Their family [the 
family of Robert and Mary (MUTTER) HAMILTON] numbered four sons and four 
daughters.

Robert HAMILTON, father of Mrs. [Philip Jacob] SCHAFFER, was born and reared 
in Yorkville [Racine County], Wisconsin, and to him and his wife [to Robert 
and Ida May (FOSTER) HAMILTON] were born four children: (1) William, a 
resident of North Dakota; (2) Alice E., who became the wife of Mark CASTLE 
of Bristol [Kenosha County, Wisconsin] and they have three children; (3) 
Nellie May, who became Mrs. [Jacob Philip] SCHAFFER; and (4) George E., who 
married Josephine PFIFFER, now deceased, and they had two children. The 
parents of Mrs. SCHAFFER [Robert and Ida May (FOSTER) HAMILTON] are yet 
living [text published 1916] and her father gives his political allegiance to 
the Republican party.

To Mr. and Mrs. SCHAFFER [to Jacob Philip and Nellie May (HAMILTON) SCHAFFER] 
were born six children: (1) Ralph Eugene; (2) Russell Sage; (3) Roy 
Wendell; (4) Jacob Philip; (5) Ruth Elizabeth; and (6) Kenneth Milton. 
The family circle was broken on 23 November 1915 when the husband and father 
[Jacob Philip SCHAFFER] passed away. Since that time Mrs. SCHAFFER has 
rented the old home farm of one hundred and sixty-five acres, with the 
exception of a small tract of twelve acres which is cared for by her eldest 
son. Mrs. SCHAFFER belongs to the Presbyterian church, of which Mr. SCHAFFER 
was also a member. He served as one of the elders of the church and took an 
active and helpful part in its work. In politics he was a Republican and for 
a number of terms filled the office of town Constable. He displayed many 
sterling traits of character which endeared him to those with whom he came in 
contact and his devotion to the welfare of his family caused his loss to be 
most keenly felt by the members of his own household.

Submitted by Cathy Kubly