Howard-Franklin County IN Archives Biographies.....Shafer, Daniel S. 1838 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/in/infiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com April 5, 2006, 11:28 pm Author: Jackson Morrow CAPTAIN DANIEL SHAFER. This representative and honored citizen of Howard county has been distinctively the architect of his own fortunes, has been true and loyal in all the relations of life and stands as a type of that sterling manhood which ever commands respect and honor. Captain Daniel S. Shafer was born in Franklin county, Indiana, November 28, 1838, and grew to manhood on the farm in that county. His parents were John and Mary Shafer, the former a native of Butler county, Ohio, of Pennsylvania ancestry of German descent. Many Shafers still live in Franklin county, both families having been pioneers of Indiana. The subject's parents spent the major part of their lives in that county, where they died. The subject remained at home, working with his father on the farm and attending the common schools and the seminary at Scipio, leaving that institution to defend his country's flag, believing that it was his duty to sever home ties and leave his lessons unlearned to fight in defense of his native land. Consequently he enlisted in Company B, Twentieth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, at Oxford, when the company was organized mainly from that city, April 18, 1861. The company went over the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad to West Virginia, having stopped at Grafton and Piedmont. After his first term of enlistment ended he helped raise Company G for the Thirty-seventh Indiana Regiment at Mount Carmel and was made second lieutenant in September, 1861. They were in camp at Lawrenceburg, this state, until they were sent into Kentucky, visiting Elizabeth, Bowling Green and Nashville, Tennessee, spending the winter at Bacon Creek. Later General Mitchell took the company to Huntsville, Alabama, where they guarded a trestle work. While here the subject was captured while on duty, being run down by a handcar loaded with Confederate troops. He was taken to Tuscumbia, later to Montgomery, and then to Camp Oglethorpe, Georgia; later to Columbus, Georgia, where he was cast into prison full of officers and Tennessee political prisoners. He was kept there four or five months and was finally sent to Libby Prison. He was soon afterward paroled and given his freedom. After having been a prisoner for seven months he rejoined his company at Nashville and was soon sent on the Murfreesboro campaign, having been promoted to first lieutenant, and as such fought at the battle of Murfreesboro, having commanded the company there, the captain being wounded. His company was in the front rank of the regiment and in the hardest part of the fighting, the company losing about one-third of its men in killed and wounded. The subject took part in the battles of Chickamauga and Lookout Mountain, having charge of the company most of this time. The captain resigned in the spring of 1864, when Lieutenant Shafer was promoted to the position of captain of his company. During the Atlanta campaign the subject was wounded in the battle near Dallas, Georgia, while leading his company in a gallant charge, having been shot through the right thigh by a musket ball. He was sent back to the hospital at Nashville, but in a few weeks he was able to rejoin his company and was with it at the storming of Atlanta. His term of enlistment expired in October, 1864. He returned to Indiana and was mustered out at Indianapolis after rendering his country inestimable service and showing his loyalty to the Stars and Stripes in a manner that brought praise from his comrades. After returning from his career in the army Mr. Shafer bought a farm in Franklin county, which he successfully managed. He was married in September, 1865, to Kate Lovett, of near Mount Carmel, Indiana. He remained on the same farm, making it equal in productiveness and general improvements to any in the county until 1883, when he moved to Howard county. Selling his former place he bought a new farm in the last named county at about thirty-five dollars per acre. It included a half section of improved land in Clay township. He still owns this three hundred and twenty-acre tract, which has been improved under his able management until it is in splendid condition, being well tilled. No better farm can be found in Clay township. He managed this farm for six years, giving it his personal attention exclusively. Although he moved to Kokomo some time ago he has always looked after his farm. In 1892 the subject was elected county assessor, serving one term of four years in a most satisfactory manner. He spent three years in Greencastle for the purpose of educating his sons, but he has since made his home in Kokomo, having a commodious and comfortable residence on East Sycamore street. He has been very successful in his enterprises owing to good management. The subject has always been a loyal Republican, and has often been a delegate to the various conventions, where his influence is always felt for the good of the party. He is a member of the Thomas J. Harrison Post, No. 30, Grand Army of the Republic, at Kokomo. He has attended two national encampments and always meets with his old regiment. The subject has the following children: William H., living under the parental roof; J. C. is at Seattle, Washington; D. C. died March 4, 1908, at the age of twenty-five years; Omar L. is a stenographer in Chicago; Cora A., who lives at home, is a graduate of the Kokomo high school. The Shafer family subscribes to the Methodist Episcopal church, and it is safe to say that no family in Howard county is regarded with any higher respect and admiration for their well ordered lives. Additional Comments: From: HISTORY OF HOWARD COUNTY INDIANA BY JACKSON MORROW, B. A. ILLUSTRATED VOL. II B. F. BOWEN & COMPANY INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA (circa 1909) File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/in/howard/bios/shafer148bs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/infiles/ File size: 6.3 Kb