Lake County IN Archives Biographies.....Schafer, Nickolas 1846 - ************************************************ 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 December 25, 2006, 10:58 pm Author: T. H. Ball (1904) NICKOLAS SCHAFER. Nickolas Schafer, of West Creek township, is a leading and prosperous farmer of this section of Lake county. He is of German birth and parentage, although he has spent all the years of his life since early boyhood in this country. It is to the lasting credit of the sterling ability and worth of the German-American citizens that such beautiful agricultural sections as that comprised in West Creek township have been largely developed and brought to their present value and richness through the painstaking efforts and intelligent direction of men of this nationality, among whom Mr. Schafer is one of the most influential and progressive. His birthplace was along the beautiful and historic Rhine river, at the village of Alflen, in Prussia, where he first saw the light of day on January 12, 1846. He was the second in age of a family of ten children, six sons and four daughters, and he and his brother Edward are the only survivors, the latter being a resident of Chicago and an engineer on a lake steamer. His parents were Jacob and Anna Mary (Schoenerock) Schafer. His father was born in the same part of Germany, June 13, 1817, and died July 23, 1880. He was educated in Germany and reared to agricultural pursuits, and about 1855 embarked ^s family and sailed down the Rhine to the North sea, thence to London, where he set out for the new world in a sailing vessel which was seven weeks before reaching the port of New York. Storms and heavy seas beset the ship, and the passengers were compelled to cook their own meals and endure many other hardships before blessed land finally hove in sight, many times it seeming as if the craft would go to the bottom. From New York city the family went to Springfield Hollow, in New York, and remained there a year and a half, and thence made the once more stormy and perilous voyage by the great lakes to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This German family landed in the new world with only two dollars in cash, and a friend afforded them free transportation to the village of Springfield Hollow. From this state of poverty of material resources, when they were in a strange country and unable to speak the English tongue, handicapped in countless ways, their honest industry and persevering labors effected, in the end, a substantial and honorable place in the world's activity. The father Jacob got work in the erection of the custom house at Milwaukee, at a dollar and twelve cents a day, and was thus employed for three years. He then moved to Dodge county, Wisconsin, near Beaver Dam, and purchased forty acres of land and engaged in farming and stock-raising. He finally sold this and came to Chicago, where he was in the lumber yards for a year, and then arrived in West Creek township of Lake county. Here he purchased one hundred acres of land, going in debt nine hundred dollars for it, and by industry and good management paid off the entire indebtedness and resided on this good home until his death. He was entirely independent in political sentiments, and he and his wife were Catholics and members of the St. Martin's church at Hanover Center. His wife was also born near the river Rhine, August 1, 1821, and she died December 13, 1898. She was a kind and good mother, and a good disciplinarian in her home. Mr. Schafer was nine years old when the eventful journey was made to this country, and he was educated mainly in the English tongue, although he can read the German text. His life has been throughout devoted to farming pursuits, and he was no more than twelve years old when he began adding his share of labor to the family establishment, and he remained with his parents until he was grown to manhood. At the age of twelve he began working for wages, four dollars and a quarter per month, and the first cow and the first pair of steers owned by the family were purchased from his wages. With the exception of one year in Chicago he has spent all his active life on the farm. October 9, 1883, he was married to Miss Mary Massoth, and it is to their combined industry and management that their success has been mainly due. They have been the parents of nine children, and happily the family circle has never been broken by the hand of death. The children are as follows: John Adam, who is in the eighth grade and already a practical farmer; Henry, who is in the seventh grade; Cecelia M., who has passed the eighth grade; Katrina, in the seventh grade; and Ida E., John J., Marie, Marguerite and Frank Nicholas. The first three children have been confirmed, the two sons by Bishop Radamacher, and Cecelia by Bishop Allerding, of the North Bishopric of Indiana. Mrs. Schafer was born in Hanover township, Lake county, May 5, 1863, and is the second and the only survivor of the three children, all daughters, born to Adam and Johanna (Hack) Massoth. Her father was born in Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany, September 8, 1833, and died September 2, 1899. He came to America when a young man, and with his mother purchased forty acres of land just north of pretty Cedar Lake in Lake county. He was a Democrat in politics, and he and his wife Catholics. Mrs. Schafer's mother was a native of St. John township in this county, and was the first white child born in the township. She was educated in the German language. Mrs. Schafer was born and reared in this county, and was confirmed at the age of thirteen by Bishop Twenger of St. Martin's. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Schafer began life on the farm where they still reside. Their first estate consisted of one hundred and twenty-nine acres, and most of the improvements have been placed there by their own efforts. Their home is a large and comfortable country residence, and their farm, now comprising two hundred and forty-four acres in Center, Hanover and West Creek townships, is among the best land in the county. And they have especial reason to be proud that there is not a dollar against the entire estate. Mr. Schafer is, like his father, entirely independent as to politics, and casts his vote according to his best judgment and where he thinks it will do the most good. He and his wife are members of St. Martin's church, and Mrs. Schafer is a member of the Rosary sodality and Cecelia a member of the young ladies' sodality. Additional Comments: Extracted from: ENCYCLOPEDIA OF Genealogy and Biography OF LAKE COUNTY, INDIANA, WITH A COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY 1834—1904 A Record of the Achievements of Its People in the Making of a Commonwealth and the Founding of a Nation. REV. T. H. BALL OF CROWN POINT, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ILLUSTRATED CHICAGO NEW YORK THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY 1904 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/in/lake/bios/schafer586gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/infiles/ File size: 7.2 Kb