SCHAEFFERSTOWN FAMILIESALEXANDER SCHAEFFER FAMILY
TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction Genealogical Notes Bibliography
INTRODUCTION
This is a compilation of the early generations of the Alexander Schaeffer Family. Alexander Schaeffer immigrated in 1738 from Schriesheim and settled in Heidelberg Township (then in Lancaster County). He later relocated slightly and founded the town of Heidelberg, named after the well-known German city his hometown was nearby. After his death, the town assumed the name Schaefferstown. It is currently in Lebanon County, PA.
Except where otherwise noted, this genealogy taken from bre2, beginning on page 216:
One comment - Abraham Brendle, the author of bre2, admitted to modernizing names in his book - I would expect that all of the people listed here would have gone by pure German names in their time.
ANCESTORS OF ALEXANDER SCHAEFFER
At least his parents and grandparents are known and published on - see wei2, page v and
hsr1 for an outline.
Alexander Schaeffer had 8 known siblings, and 2 of them were also immigrants to
America. One, Anna Maria Schaeffer, b 1707 Feb 9, married Hieronymus Troutman and
also settled in Heidelberg Township, Lancaster County. Another of Alexaner's sisers,
Anna Barbara, is also documented as emigrating to America, but whom she married
was unknown (wei2 page v).
FIRST GENERATION
S1 Alexander Schaeffer
b 1712 Jan 8 (fm tombstone)
d 1786 Apr 10 (fm tombstone)
bd Schaefferstown Reformed Cemetery
imm: 1738 from Schriesheim, Germay
There is a sketch of him in bre2 around page 75.
m Anna Engel ?
b 1708 (fm tombstone)
d 1772 Nov 22 (fm tombstone)
bd Schaefferstown Reformed Cemetery
There seems some confusion as to whether the Engel was a middle name or
her maiden name. Weiser, in wei2, page v, comments that her maiden name
is unknown. This is substantiated in that in 1761 the Schaeffers sponsored
a child, Anna Engel, to Christian Bernhard & wife.
known children:
1 John
2 Sabina - m Michael Haak
3 Anna Maria - m Christopher Moyer
4 Catharine - m John Moyer of Millbach
5 Margaret - m John Brecht
6 Henry - b 1749 Jun 5
m(2) Catharine Unger
no known issue
Sponsorings for others:
Heidelberg Lutheran KB:
1776 for child of Peter & Salome Ream (Sch. Luth.) (bre2 p94)
Heidelberg Reformed KB:
1760 for Henry of John Brecht & wife (bre2 p147)
1761 for Alexander to John Schaub & wife (bre2 p147)
1761 for Anna Engel to Christian Bernhard & wife (bre2 p147)
1764 for child of John Schaeffer & wife (bre2 p147)
1766 for Alexander to Casper Schweitzer & wife (bre2 p148)
1766 for Maria Catharine to Christopher Meyer & wife (bre2 p148)
1774 for Catharine to Henry & Anna Eva Schaeffer (bre2 p149)
1782 for John to Henry & Anna Eva Schaffer (bre2 p149)
SECOND GENERATION
S11 John Schaeffer
b 1729
notes: moved to Maryland in 1772
Sponsorings alone:
1759 w/Anna Maria Nef for John to John Schaub & wife (wri2 p48)
m Barbara Miller
known children:
1 John - b 1764 May 9; m(1) Elizabeth Hess; m(2) Angelica Troutman; m(3) Catharine Miller
2 John Henry - b 1766 Jan 12; m Rosina Hess
3 Maria Elizabeth - m Ludwig Young
4 Eva Catharine - b 1779 Oct 21 at <4> (hum6); m John Rentch
5 John Leonard - m Mary Schroeder
6 John George - m Catharine Locher
7 Anna Mary
Sponsorings for others:
1763 for Anna Barbara to Casper Schweitzer & wife (writ2 p48)
<4> = ? (hum6)
S12 Sabina Schaeffer
m Michael Haak
known children:
1 Michael - b 1764 Apr 29
2 Maria Catharine - b 1766 Mar 13 (wri2 p47)
2 John Jacob - b 1769 Nov at <3> (hum6)
3 Anna Maria - b 1771 Jun 9 at <3> (hum6)
4 Henry - b 1772 Nov 21 at <3> (hum6)
Sponsorings:
1764 by Jacob Witmer & wife (bre2)
1766 by Maria Catharine Schaeffer (wri2 p47)
1771 by Alexander Schaeffer & Angelina (wri2 p91)
1772 by Henry Schaeffer (wri2 p91)
Sponsorings for others:
1762 for John & wife (sister Margaret Schaeffer) Brecht
1770 for Michael to John & Barbara Ruth at <3> (wri2 p90)
1773 for Catharine to Rudolph & Catharine Kunsle at <3> (wri2 p92)
1785 for John Michael to Arnold Hebelmann & Eva Susanna (wri2 p97)
1798 for John Michael to Philip & Anna Maria Fishback (wri2 p109)
<3> = Trinity Tulpehocken Ref in Jackson Township (hum6)
S13 Anna Maria Schaeffer
m Christopher Meyer
known children:
1 Maria Catharine - b 1766 Feb 2
Sponsorings:
1766 by Alexander Schaeffer & wife (wri2 p47)
S14 Catharine Schaeffer
m >1764 Nov 11
John Meyer
known children:
1 Henry
2 John -
3 Michael
4 Catharine
5 Barbara
Sponsorings for others:
1764 John Meyer & Catharine Schaeffer (as yet unmarried) for John to John & Margaret
Brecht
1788 for Anna Eva to Henry Schafer & Anna Eva (wri2 p54)
Note:
John George - b 1783 Sep 7 to John Mayer & Catharine, sp by John Mayer, Sr.
and Anna Barbara at Heidelberg (wri2) - is this them?
John Mayer, Jr. & Catharine - sp 1773 John to John Mohr, Jr. & Elizabeth
at Millbach Ref (wri2 p174)
S15 Margaret Schaeffer
m John Brecht
known children:
1 Henry - b 1760 Nov 24
2 Michael - b 1762 Sep 10
3 John - b 1764 Nov 11
Sponsorings:
1762 by Michael & wf (sister Sabina Schaeffer) Haak
1764 by John Meyer & Catharine Schaeffer (sister)
S16 Captain Henry Schaeffer
b 1749 Jun 5 (fm tombstone)
d 1803 Oct 12 (fm tombstone)
bd Schaefferstown Reformed Cemetery
Brendle has a sketch of him in bre2 at page 75.
occ: Justice of the Peace
built & ran a tile factory in Schaefferstown
mil: Captain, served in the Revolutionary War.
m(1) Anna Eva Schweitzer
b 1753 Apr 27 (fm tombstone)
d 1790 Jan 2 (fm tombstone)
bd Schaefferstown Reformed
She is the daughter of Heinrich Schweitzer of Leacock Township, Lancaster
County. Some researchers have placed her as the granddaughter of Casper
Schweitzer, M.D., but comparing dates indicates this would be very unlikely (JHB).
For her family, see Heinrich Schweitzer of Leacock township
known children:
1 Catharine - b 1774 Nov 27; m John Bomberger
2 Elizabeth - b 1776 Oct 29; m Abraham Rex
3 Anna Maria - b 1779 Jul 9;m Frederick Oberlin
4 Johannes - b 1782 Jun 15; m Esther Weiss
5 Susanna - b 1785 Oct 2; m Dietrich Goshert
6 Anna Eva - b 1787 Oct 5; d 1790 Apr 21
Sponsorings:
1784 for John Henry to Henry & Angelica Mayer
1787 by John & Catharine Meyer (sister of Henry)
m(2) Margaret Hoffman
b 1764 Dec 11 (fm tombstone)
d 1851 Apr 30 (fm tombstone)
bd Schaefferstown Reformed Cemetery
1 known child:
7 Henry - b m Elizabeth Moyer
BIBLIOGRAPY
bre2 Brendle; A Brief History Of Schaefferstown; 1901
hsr1 author?; "Family History Of Alexander Schaeffer"; from Historic Schaefferstown
Record, 1973, p17-21
hum6 Humphrey; Pennsylvania Births, Lebanon County, 1714-1800
wei2 Weiser; Purchases At The King George Hotel, Schaefferstown,
Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, 1762-1773;
email the compiler
copyright 1999-2000 by J. Hall Backenstose