Schaferj
Transcribed from "History of North Washington, an illustrated history
of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan counties", published by Western
Historical Publishing Co., 1904.
JOHN SCHAFER is one of the men
who promptly stepped forward to fight back the hordes of Rebels when the
Union was in danger of being rent asunder by treasonable men. He
fought long and well, for which he deserves much credit. He is now
a substantial citizen of Okanogan county, and resides one mile southwest
from Kipling postoffice.
John Schafer was born on November 3, 1840,
near Fulda, Germany, the son of Conrad and Katherine Schafer. There
were nine children in the family and part of the family came to the United
States in 1856 and the balance in 1857. Settlement was made in Muscatine,
Iowa, and the parents have died long since. Mr. Schafer received
a good educational training in the fatherland and was engaged for various
employers in this country until the breaking out of the war, when he enlisted
in Company A, Second Iowa Cavalry, under General Pope. He fought
at New Madrid, Island Number 10, Fort Pillow, Shiloh and Corinth.
He was in almost constant service in various other battles and skirmishes,
serving under Grant and Sheridan, and being severly wounded at the battle
of Iuka. He was also at the second battle of Corinth. He fought
and skirmished against Price, Chalmers, Fitzhugh Lee, Forest and others,
sometimes being in almost constant service day and night. At the
battle of Tripalo, Mississippi, he received a shot in his head and one
in his right side and is carrying the bullet in his side yet. For
two months he was in the hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, where he nearly
lost his life. On many occasions Mr. Schafer was surrounded and in great
peril from the enemy, but as he was a bold fighter, he always managed to
escape. The scenes of blood and carnage became familiar to him and
he endured all the great hardships of the soldier's life. At the
end of his term of service he reenlisted and altogether was in active service
four years. At the present time he is receiving a pension of seventeen
dollars per month. In 1866 Mr. Schafer crossed the plains with ox
teams to Salt Lake, then followed prospecting in Arizona and various other
places. He did mining there for seven years, then went to Stekeen,
Alaska, in 1874, after which he engaged in the stock business in western
Oregon. In 1880 he went to Ainsworth, Washington, and engaged in
mercantile business. In all of his ventures he was successful.
After this he was in Florence, Elk City, Orofino, and Coeur d'Alene, and
did business in Moscow and was doing well until 1893, when the panic came,
which involved him, and he lost his entire holdings. Upon the opening
of the north half of the reservation, on February 20, 1896, he came hither
and has remained here since. When settlement was allowed he took
his present claim by soldier's homestead and has received a patent for
the same. Mr. Schafer has a wife and one child, Pauline. The
latter died on August 26, 1903, being a little past twelve years of age.