He was born in 1825/26, in Bedford County, Pennsylvania, to John Shaffer and [unknown]. [sources: date: 6 (38 in 1864), 11 (23 in 1850), 12 (33 in 1860), 13 (37 in 1870), 14 (54 in 1880). place: 6, 11, 12, 13, 14. parents: 3]
In 1850, he was living in Monroe Township, Bedford County, Pennsylvania. He was a laborer. [source: 11]
He married Emeline [unknown family name]. She was born in 1826/27, in Virginia. They apparently had at least these children:
[source: 12, 13, 14]
In 1860, he was living in Southampton Township, Bedford County, Pennsylvania. He was living with his wife Emeline, and with Franklin, George, Zachariah, and Dilapham (presumably their children). He was a farmer, and owned $500 in real estate and $200 in personal property. [source: 12]
When he enlisted, he was a farmer. [source: 6]
When he enlisted, he was 5 feet 9 inches tall, and had a fair complexion, blue eyes, and dark hair. [source: 6]
He was drafted from the sixteenth district of Pennsylvania. He enlisted and was mustered into service on 21 September 1864. He was enlisted for one year, at Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. He was a private in company F. [sources: 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 16-17]
He was sent to the regiment with a detachment of 100 drafted men and substitutes, which arrived on 14 October 1864. He was assigned to company F on 15 October 1864. [sources: 2]
He was sent to the division hospital on 21 October 1864. He had not returned to the regiment by 23 March 1865. [source: 2]
He was discharged near Washington DC on 1 or 15 May 1865 by general order. He was a private, in company F. [sources: 1 (15 May), 3 (June 1865), 5 (1 May, special order), 7 (16 Jun 65), 16-17]
In 1870, he was living in Southampton Township, Bedford County, Pennsylvania. He was living with his wife Emiline, and with Franklin, George, Zach Jr, William, Edward, and Josephine (presumably their children). He was a farmer, and owned $500 in real estate and $100 in personal property. [source: 13]
On 8 August 1878, he swore a statement supporting James Aaron's application for a pension. [source: 4]
He lived in Mann Township, Bedford County, Pennsylvania. In 1884, he was living on a farm formerly owned by the Honorable G H Spang. [source: 3]
On 11 November 1878, he applied successfully for a pension. [sources: 9, 10]
In 1880, he was living in Mann Township, Bedford County, Pennsylvania. He was living with his wife Emiline and children John, Charles, and Joseph. He was a carpenter. [source: 14]
On 8 April 1884, he died. He was buried in the Mount Zion Graveyard, in Southampton Township, Bedford County, Pennsylvania. [sources: 4, 15]
On 2 February 1885, his widow, Emeline Shaffer, applied successfully from Pennsylvania for a pension. [sources: 9, 10]
The government supplied a headstone for his grave, under a contract dated 8 July 887. [source: 15]
In 1890, his widow, Emmeline Shaffer, was living in Piney Creek, Mann Township, Bedford County, Pennsylvania. [source: 7]
1 Bates, Samuel Penniman. History of Pennsylvania volunteers, 1861-5. Harrisburg: B. Singerly, state printer, 1869-71. 5 volumes. 'Ninety-first regiment', volume 3, pages 186-233. (In the roster) (Zachariah Schaffer)
2 letter, Sellers to Breck, 23 March 1865
3 message, on PABEDFOR list at RootsWeb, from David and Carol Eddleman, 12 July 2001, citing The History of Bedford, Somerset and Fulton Counties (Waterman, Watkins and Co., 1884), page 383 (Z A Shaffer)
4 message, from David and Carol Eddleman, 24 October 2002, on PABEDFOR list at RootsWeb, transcribing burial list from the Bedford Inquirer, 22 May 1908 (Zacharaiah Shaffer)
5 company F, register of men discharged (Zacheriah Shaffer)
6 company F, second descriptive roll, #31 (Zachariah Shaffer)
7 1890 US census, veterans' schedule, Pennsylvania, Bedford County, Mann Township, supervisor's district 7, enumeration district 74, page 1 (Zachariah Shaffer)
8 Serial Set number *, 46th Congress, 2nd session, House of Representatives, Report No. 67 (ordered printed 9 January 1880) (Zachariah Shaffer)
9 pension index, by name (Zachariah Shaffer)
10 pension index, by regiment, 91st PA Infantry, company F (Zachariah Shaffer)
11 1850 US census, Pennsylvania, Bedford County, Monroe Township, microfilm series M432, film 751, page 133 verso = 266 handwritten (Zachariah Shaffer)
12 1860 US census, Pennsylvania, Bedford County, Southampton Township (post office Robisonville), microfilm series M653, film 1072, pages 553 = 13 handwritten to 554 = 14 handwritten (Zacharia [sic])
13 1870 US census, Pennsylvania, Bedford County, Southampton Township (post office Chanysville), microfilm series M593, film 1304, page 630 verso = 26 handwritten ( )
14 1880 US census, Pennsylvania, Bedford County, Mann Township, supervisor's district 8, enumeration district 228, microfilm series T9, film 1098, page 216 = 3 C handwritten ( )
15 Records of headstones of deceased union veterans, 1879-1903 (Zachariah Shafer)
16 index to compiled service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served in organizations from the state of Pennsylvania (Zachariah Shaeffer)
17 index to compiled service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served in organizations from the state of Pennsylvania (Zachariah Shaffer)
| line | 40 |
| Dwellings visited | [85] |
| Families visited | [85] |
| Name | Zachariah Shaffer |
| Age | 23 |
| Sex | m |
| Color | |
| Occupation of males over 15 years | Laborer |
| Real estate owned | |
| Birthplace | |
| Married within year | |
| Attended school within year | |
| Over 20 & can't read/write | |
| Deaf, dumb, blind, etc. |
| line | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 1 |
| Dwelling number | 587 | |||||
| Family number | 560 | |||||
| Name | Zacharia [sic] Shafer | Emeline " | Franklin P. " | Geo " | Zacharia [sic] " | Dilapham Shafer |
| Age | 33 | 33 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 6/12 |
| Sex | m | f | m | m | m | m |
| Color | ||||||
| Occupation | Farmer | Teacher | ||||
| Value of real estate owned | 500 | |||||
| Value of personal estate | 200 | |||||
| Place of birth | " [sc. Penn] | Va | Ohio | Penn | " | Penna |
| Married within year | ||||||
| Attended school within year | 1 | |||||
| Cannot read & write | ||||||
| Deaf, dumb, blind, etc. |
| line | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 |
| Dwelling-house number | 195 | |||||||
| Family number | 197 | |||||||
| Name | Shafer Zacheriah | - Emiline | - Franklin | - George | - Zach Jr. | - William | - Edward | - Josephine |
| Age | 37 | 40 | 19 | 14 | 11 | 9 | 7 | 5 |
| Sex | M | F | M | M | M | M | M | F |
| Color | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W |
| Occupation | Farmer | wife Keeping House | At Home | At Home | At Home | At Home | At Home | At Home |
| Real estate value | 500 | |||||||
| Personal estate value | 100 | |||||||
| Birthplace | Pa | Pa | Pa | Pa | Pa | Pa | Pa | Pa |
| Father foreign born | ||||||||
| Mother foreign born | ||||||||
| Birth month if born within year | ||||||||
| Marriage month if married within year | ||||||||
| Attended school past year | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Can't read | ||||||||
| Can't write | ||||||||
| Deaf, dumb, blind, etc. | ||||||||
| Male US citizen at least 21 years old | 1 | |||||||
| Male US citizen at least 21 years old who can't vote ... |
| line | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 |
| street name | |||||
| house number | |||||
| dwelling visit # | 27 | ||||
| family visit # | 28 | ||||
| name | Shafer Zachariah | - Emiline | - John W | - Charles E | - Joseph E |
| color | W | W | W | W | W |
| sex | M | F | M | M | F |
| age | 54 | 55 | 19 | 17 | 16 |
| month born if born in year | |||||
| relationship | Wife | Son | Son | Daughter | |
| single | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||
| married | 1 | 1 | |||
| widowed/divorced | |||||
| married during year | |||||
| occupation | Carpenter | Keeping house | Works on a farm | Works on a farm | At home |
| months unemployed | |||||
| currently ill? | |||||
| blind | |||||
| deaf/dumb | |||||
| idiotic | |||||
| insane | |||||
| disabled | |||||
| school this year | |||||
| can't read | |||||
| can't write | |||||
| birthplace | Penna | Va | Penna | Penna | Penna |
| father's birthplace | Penna | Va | Penna | Penna | Penna |
| mother's birthplace | Penna | Va | Va | Va | Va |