William Shaffer and Ann Ruth

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Husband William Shaffer ¹

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           Born: 21 Nov 1810 - Washington, Washington Co, PA 1
     Christened: 
           Died: 1 Jan 1875 - Fairfield, Jefferson Co, IA 1
         Buried: 

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         Father: John Shaffer (1776-1863) 1
         Mother: Charlotte Slagle (1792-1846) 1

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       Marriage: 7 May 1834 - Washington, Washington Co, PA 1

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Wife Ann Ruth ¹

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           Born: 23 Oct 1815 - Washington, Washington Co, PA 1
     Christened: 
           Died: 26 Jan 1897 - Fairfield, Jefferson Co, IA 1
         Buried: 

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         Father: John Ruth (      -      ) 1
         Mother: Mary Jane [Unk] (      -      ) 1

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Children

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• Descendant information.
To view a listing of their descendants, click here.

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General Notes: Husband - William Shaffer

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After learning the harness-making trade with his father, he worked for awhile in Hickory, Pennsylvania, for Robert McElhinny. Returning to Washington, he worked for his father until he went to Zanesville, Ohio, and set up in business for himself there. He made the trip from Washington to Zanesville on horseback, riding a horse his father had given him before he left home. While in Zanesville he was a member of the Board of Infirmary directors. After making a visit through the west with his uncle, Jacob Slagle, and Mr. Robert McElhinny, he decided to leave Zanesville and go west, so, on September 14th, 1864, he took his family and goods to Fairfield, Iowa, where he established his permanent home. He was a Mason, belonging to Cypress Commandery. He was secretary of the Lodge and recorder of the Knights Templar Commandery. Mr. Shaffer was elected vice president of the Board of School Directors of the Fairfield district, March 9th, 1868, and continued on that board, and was its secretary, until the time of his death. He was appointed city assessor and on April 9th, 1870, he became a clerk for Mr. James Crawford, in which position he continued until one week before his death. While quite a young boy, William Shaffer joined the Methodist Church and continued an exemplary and consistent member of it throughout his life.

1 Ella Campbell Slagle Nichols, Family Record (Pittsburgh, PA: Privately published, 1914).