BIO: Uriah S. SHAFFER, Centre County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by JRB Copyright 2009. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/centre/ http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/centre/1picts/commbios/comm-bios.htm _____________________________________________________________________ Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania: Including the Counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion: Containing Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens, Etc. Chicago: J. H. Beers, 1898. _____________________________________________________________________ U. S. SHAFFER, the able and popular post-master at Madisonburg, Centre county, is a member of one of our oldest and best-known families. John Adam and Sarah (Kern) Shaffer, grandparents of our subject, were pioneer settlers in Brush Valley, Centre county, and their son, Adam Shaffer, Jr., our subject's father, was born September 12, 1815, at the "old Shaffer home," near Madisonburg, and was in his day one of the leading men of the community, a successful farmer and influential Democrat, and a generous friend to every form of local improvement. Although the late Adam Shaffer was reared as a farmer's boy, with but limited educational advantages, his native abilities enabled him to gather a goodly fund of practical information upon various subjects, and his shrewd judgment and well-known public spirit caused him to be selected by his fellow-citizens to different local offices, including those of overseer of the poor, assessor, tax collector, school director and supervisor, notwithstanding the fact that he cared little for public honors. He was a regular voter, considering it every citizen's duty to register his choice of men and measures. He was a large, well- built man, robust and a hard worker, accomplishing much more by his systematic management than others could in the same time. Aside from a short trip in the West his life was spent in his native locality, and largely upon the homestead which he rented for some years previous to his father's death, and then purchased from the other heirs. In 1874 he bought another home in the same locality, where he passed his declining years. His death occurred in February, 1889, and his remains now rest in the cemetery at Madisonburg. On September 12, 1840, he was married to Miss Mary Schmeltzer, daughter of George and Margaret (Beckle) Schmeltzer (of whom more extended mention is made below). She still occupies the home which his thoughtful care prepared for her. Both united with the Lutheran Church in youth, and became devout and consistent followers of its teachings, and liberal contributors to its work. Adam Shaffer held various offices in the Church, and for twenty years was superintendent of the Sunday-school. It was never his habit to say to his children "Go to Sunday-school" the persuasive "come" being typical of his attitude in leading them into paths of right doing, to which his own feet were familiar. Of four children, our subject was the eldest; (2) Maggie married C. F. Yearick, and died in Marion township, Centre county; (3) Emma, now Mrs. J. W. Hazel, resides at Spring Mills; (4) Ellis S. lives in Madisonburg. U. S. Shaffer was born at the old home in Miles township, Centre county, May 21, 1848, and his early education was obtained mainly in Madisonburg, his first teacher being Jonathan Shaffer. His limitations in this respect have made him an earnest supporter of better facilities for the youth of to-day. At eighteen he was examined and licensed to teach, and a second application for a certificate proved successful also, but he never taught school. Two trips were taken to the West, during which he visited points in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin, but he has been too much attached to the old home to leave it permanently. On December 25, 1873, he was married in Marion township, Centre county, to Miss Mary Yearick, who was born August 25, 1850, daughter of Henry and Catherine (Linebaugh) Yearick. The young couple settled at the "old Schmeltzer farm," then the property of our subject's parents, and after renting for some years he purchased, in 1882, the "old Shaffer farm," which he sold afterward to buy his present farm of 148 acres in Miles township, Centre county, a fine estate with good buildings showing liberal and progressive management. In the spring of 1890 Mr. Shaffer bought a pleasant residence in Madison-burg, where he has since resided. Two children - Estella A., and Ellis B. - brighten the home; COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. 319 the latter had a twin brother, who died in infancy, unnamed. Mr. Shaffer and his wife found a ready welcome in the best social circles of their new home. Mrs. Shaffer is a member of the Reformed Church, but our subject is a Lutheran, at present holding the offices of elder and superintendent of the Sunday-school, and since he was sixteen years old he has been an active worker therein as an official. He is a great reader, and keeps well-informed upon the issues of the day. Politically, he is a stanch Democrat, and he has held various positions, serving as tax collector at his old home and as school director in the Madisonburg district. In July, 1893, he was appointed to his present office of postmaster, and in the discharge of his duties he displays ability and faithfulness. In the councils of his party his advice is highly valued, and he takes an unfailing interest in the practical work of the organization. Mrs. Adam Shaffer, our subject's mother, is a member of the well- known Schmeltzer family, which is now without a male representative in Miles township, Centre county, where her ancestors were early settlers. Her grandfather, Conrad Schmeltzer, was born February 27, 1768, in Germany, where he was married in early manhood to Miss Margaret Ginder, also a native of the Fatherland, born December 17, 1767. They were poor, and in order to make their way to the wider opportunities of this new country they mortgaged their labor as is shown by the following copy of an indenture which is preserved by U. S. Shaffer as an interesting relic of the past: Philadelphia. This indenture Witnesseth - That Conrad Schmeltzer and Margaret, his wife, of their own free will have put themselves as servants to Henry and Fdk. Spang - for the consideration of forty-one pounds, three- eighths of which paid George Meade for their passage from Rotterdam - as also for other good causes the said Conrad and Margaret Schmeltzer have bound and put themselves, and by their presents do bind and put themselves, servants to the said Henry and Fdk. Spang, to serve them, their executors and assigns from the day and date hereof for and during the full term of Three Years and six months from thence next-ensuing. During all which term the said servants, their said masters, their executors, or assigns, faithfully shall serve, and that honestly, and obediently in all things, as good and dutiful servants ought to do. And the said Henry and Fdk. Spang, their executors and assigns, during the said term shall find and provide for the said servants, sufficient meat, drink, apparel, washing, and lodging, and at the expiration of their terms they shall give said servants two complete suits of clothes (one whereof to be new), or fifteen pounds specie in lieu of the new suits, likewise to give them a cow. And for the true performance hereof both the said parties bind themselves unto each other by the said present. Two witnesses whereof they have hereunto interchangeably set their hands and seals. Dated the twenty-seventh day of August, seventeen hundred and ninety-one. CONRAD SCHMELTZER, MARGARET SCHMELTZER. LEWIS FARMER, Register. The young couple arrived in the United States in the spring of 1791, and in February, 1795, they were free to seek a home for themselves. For some time Conrad Schmeltzer worked as a forgeman, having previously become familiar with that business, and in this manner he secured money to buy his first land, a new farm in what is now Kelly township, Union county. Their first home was a humble cabin, but their industry and economy brought prosperity, and it was replaced by a large stone house, which is still standing. He had a good store of gold and silver also, and as his sons grew to manhood he determined to secure land for them. A trip through Ohio and Indiana failed to show a suitable location, and returning to Pennsylvania he bought a tract in Brush Valley a short distance west of Madisonburg and extending from mountain to mountain. To this place Conrad and his wife, with those of their children who were at home, removed in the fall of 1830, and there the last days of the brave old couple were spent, the wife dying October 8, 1850, and the husband on April 1, 1853. Both were buried at Madisonburg. At the time of their settlement upon the place a tenant was conducting a distillery, but Mr. Schmeltzer put a stop to that business at once. Six children were born to Conrad and Margaret Schmeltzer: (1) John, who died at an early age; (2) George, who is mentioned more fully below; (3) Margaret, Mrs. Tatusman; (4) Mary (Mrs. John Heckle), who died in Kelly township, Union county; (5) Jacob, who died in Ohio, and (6) Katy, who never married, and was for years prior to her death her father's amanuensis and bookkeeper. George Schmeltzer, Mrs. Shaffer's father, was born August 3, 1794, in Bucks county, Penn., and was but a child when his parents moved to their first farm, where as he grew to manhood he learned the business of farming, in which the greater portion of his after life was spent. He was a man of rather short stature and stout build, very energetic as a worker, peaceable and friendly in disposition, and although he talked very little he always meant what he said. In politics he was a Democrat, and various township offices were creditably filled by him, while he was also active in religious matters as a devout member of the Lutheran Church. He was married, in 1815, in Bucks county, to Miss Margaret Beckle, who was born December 27, 1792, and they had eight children, whose names with dates of birth are here given: Esther, July 21, 1816, is the widow of Joseph Gramley, of Rebersburg; John, September 4, 1817, was a farmer in Stephenson county, Ill., where his death occurred; 320 COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. Mary, born in May, 1819, is the mother of our subject; George, Jr., November 1, 1820, was at one time a practicing physician at Madisonburg, but died at the opening of his career; Jacob, March 5, 1823, died in Dakota, Ill., where he was in business as a grain dealer; Frances, December 3, 1825, married John Shaffer; Benjamin, March 13, 1828, resides in Dakota, Ill.; Hannah M., November 28, 1832, married John Laurer, and died in Stephenson county, Ill. The mother of these children died December 10, 1845, and on October 14, 1850, Mr. Schmeltzer married Miss Regina Wagner, a native of Sugar Valley, born June 5, 1806. She died January 25, 1879, leaving no issue. After his first marriage George Schmeltzer remained at his father's farm for a few years, and then moved to the vicinity of White Deer Hole and rented a farm on the Muncy river. At the time the dam was built there, he took charge of the boarding shanty for the contractors, and during the summer of 1830 he had often as many as 200 men to feed. In the fall of that year he would have accompanied his father to the new home in Brush Valley, but extra inducements were offered him to remain where he was, and he did not rejoin the family until the spring of 1831. He located on the northern portion of the new tract in an old log house, the ends of the logs being not yet sawed off. Later a dwelling was built, which is still occupied by the owners of the farm. After the death of his first wife he removed to Madisonburg, where he built a new residence, and his death occurred there April 26, 1878. 1880 Miles Township, Centre County census - Uriah S. Shaffer, 32 Mary C. Shaffer, 30 Estella A. Shaffer, 5