BIO: Jonathan SHAFER, Clearfield County, PA
 
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From Twentieth Century History of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania,
and Representative Citizens, by Roland D. Swoope, Jr.,
Chicago: Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company, 1911, pages 671 & 672.
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  JONATHAN SHAFER, who has lived in Clearfield county since 1848, and owns an 
excellent farm of forty-nine acres, in Brady township, was born November 22, 
1837, in Lebanon county, Pa., and is a son of Jacob and Elizabeth (Heinzerling) 
Shafer.
  Jacob Shafer was born in Dauphin county, Pa.  His ancestors took part in the 
Revolutionary War.  He came to Lebanon county as a young man and married a lady 
who was born in Philadelphia.  In 1838 they moved to Center county and in 1848 
to Clearfield county, making the journey in wagons as at that time there were 
no railroads through this section.  Mr. Shafer located four miles south of 
Luthersburg and the first twig ever cut on the land was by Jonathan Shafer, 
when a boy of eleven years.  Jacob Shafer cleared this farm with the assistance 
of his sons and later sold the place to his son Jonathan and moved back to 
Center county, where he died at the age of seventy-five years.  His widow 
survived him, her death taking place at the age of eighty-four years, at the 
home of her son, Jonathan.  Eight children were born to Jacob Shafer and his 
wife, namely:  Susan, who is deceased, was the wife of D. S. McCracken, also 
deceased; Solomon, who is deceased; Jacob, who is deceased; Lydia, who is the 
widow of Hiram Passmore; Joseph; Jonathan; John H.; Samuel; and Rebecca, who is 
the wife of William Snyder.
  Jonathan Shafer had but meager school opportunities in his youth, the log 
schoolhouse being distant from his home.  When he was twenty-one years old he 
learned the carpenter trade, with William Fitzpatrick in Illinois, with whom he 
remained for two and one-half years and later worked for a number of years as 
carpenter and contractor at DuBois, following the fire at that place.  After 
buying his father's farm he kept it for five years and then sold and moved to 
Salem, where he purchased a house and an acre of land and lived there for five 
years.  In 1870 he bought the Johnson farm of 103 acres, near Luthersburg, and 
put up new buildings and lived there until he bought his present farm in 1897, 
selling the former one.  Mr. Shafer has always been considered a good and 
worthy citizen, having ever shown public spirit and commendable interest in all 
that pertains to his section.  He has served as school director for the past 
fifteen years and has held other township offices.
  Mr. Shafer was married August 18, 1864, to Miss Mary E. Horn, who was born in 
Brady township, a daughter of Daniel and Nancy (Michaels) Horn, natives of 
Chest township.  They have had eleven children, all of whom survive, a large 
and united family.  Elora Jane is the wife of G. B. Wachob.  Alva Anson married 
Inez Brisbain.  Reuben C. married Zoe Clover.  Maggie R. married Dr. Marsh Hay.  
George W. married Ida Swope.  Ada C. married Joseph P. Nollen.  Harvey Q. 
married Mell Clover.  David L. married Alta Lines.  Emma May married Charles 
Moose.  Jonathan E. married Iva Pence.  Lena M. married Levi Draucker.  Mr. 
Shafer and family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church.  He is a 
member of the Grange and for ten years has belonged to the order of American 
Mechanics.  In his views on public questions he is independent but casts his 
vote with the Prohibitionists.