John S. Shaffer: 

John S. Shaffer, a venerable citizen of Knox Township who passed away Nov. 26, 1916, was in this region for some sixty years, and the record of his life contains so much of interest as typical of what the early settlers had to contend with that it deserves place in this work. He was one of those who toiled successfully against the hindrances found in a primitive region, encountering hardships and unfavorable conditions only to overcome them by thrift and perseverance. Mr. Shaffer was born Aug. 12, 1834, at Shannondale in Redbank Township, Clarion Co., Pa., three miles west of Summerville.

The old home of his grandparents, John and Margaret Shaffer, was near Mayport, Clarion County, where they settled upon their removal from Schuylkill County. They and their youngest son, Adam, all died of typhoid fever, within thirteen days, when their grandson John S. Shaffer was but four years old. 

Simon Shaffer, son of John and Margaret, was born in Schuylkill County, and was two years old when brought by his parents to Clarion County. At the age of twenty-one years he married Margaret Himes, and they made their home on the farm where their son John was born. The land was covered principally with hardwood timber, and Mr. Shaffer succeeded in placing about eighty acres under cultivation. In his day he was quite a hunter. He lived to the age of sixty-nine years, and survived his wife, who died of typhoid fever when fifty-six years old. They were the parents of ten children, of whom two survive at this writing, 1916; Elizabeth, widow of Bennewell Stahlman, living in Warsaw Township; and Jacob, of Knox Township. The father was a member of the Lutheran Church at Shannondale.  

John S. Shaffer remained at home until he was twenty-one years old, spending his youth and the first year of his married life on his father’s farm, and moving to his late home in 1856. It is ten miles east of the place where he was born and reared, and consists of one hundred acres in Knox Township, on the Five-mile run, for which he paid $5.75 an acre. When it came into his possession it was covered with chestnut, oak and some pine, nevertheless he managed to make a living from the land from the very beginning. He built a log house 18 by 22 feet in dimension, had a yoke of cattle and two cows, and was fairly well supplied with household furniture, so that on the whole he was comfortable at the start, but incessant hard work was necessary to keep things going.

The first year he sowed three acres to wheat and had a good crop, had a fine garden and raised plenty of potatoes. The next winter he worked by the day, and the following season cleared four more acres, burning some fine timber because there was no other way then of disposing of it. The deer then were so numerous that he had to put up fences to keep them out of his fields, and the third year of his stay here he killed a number, as he found they were eating his crops. In all he killed thirty deer, and he helped to kill a number of wildcats. He saw some bears, but never killed any, and found but one rattlesnake during his long residence here. During the second winter Mr. Shaffer got out two rafts of square timber, selling both at Brookville; later he sold considerable hardwood square timber.

He was an expert with the broadax, in the use of which he had no superior. All his time was devoted to the clearing and improvement of his land, which became more valuable yearly, and in 1862 he built a substantial house. Nineteen years ago he gave up active work, and the farm has since been cultivated by others, but Mr. Shaffer continued to make his home there, having built a small house on the place for himself and his wife. 

He always led a quiet life, taking no part in public affairs and having no aspirations for office. However, he voted regularly for sixty years, having cast his first presidential vote for Buchanan, and stood faithfully by the Democratic party ever after. For sixty-one years he held membership in the Lutheran Church, and was principally instrumental in starting St. Matthias’ Church near Ramsaytown. He is buried in the St. Matthias Cemetery.

About the time he reached his majority Mr. Shaffer married Charlotte Stahlman, who was born Oct. 15, 1835, in Schuylkill County, and was two years old when her parents, Gabriel and Elizabeth (Paul) Stahlman, brought their family to Clarion County, making a home in Limestone Township. They became the parents of ten children, one of whom died in infancy, the others being: Rachel, wife of Daniel K. Barnett; Sarah Jane, wife of Joseph Allshouse, who now operates Mr. Shaffer’s farm; Margaret Elizabeth, who married Jefferson Jones, of Knox Dale, and died when about thirty years old; Caroline, wife of Dan. Kaylor, of Ringgold Township; Mary E., wife of William Weaver, of Oliver Township; Catherine, wife of Philip Spare, of Oliver Township; Charlotte, deceased, who was the wife of John Karr, of Indiana, Pa.; Irvin, who is located on a farm adjoining his father’s; and Albert, who is established in Union Township, near Corsica.

Occasionally the family holds reunions, which have been highly enjoyable affairs.

Transcribed by Steven A. Stahlman from “Jefferson County, Pennsylvania – Her Pioneers and People”, Volume II, by Dr. William James McKnight, published in 1917 by the J. H. Beers & Company, Chicago, Ill. Page 318.