[Ancestors] [Descendants]
James Nelson Shafer
Last updated 27 Dec 2023 in Spear–Johnson Family.
Individual
Born: Bet 7 Mar 1838 and 6 Mar 1839 in Mt. Ephraim, Guernsey County, Ohio, United States
Died: 6 Mar 1917 in Long Beach, Los Angeles County, California, United States
Father: William Shafer (bet 1810/1811 – 1904)
Mother: Isabel Vorhies (bet 1814/1815 – 1883)
book-history-of-noble-county-ohio-1887: History of Noble County, Ohio; Chicago: L. H. Watkins & Company, 1887; book image (PDF), Google Play (https://play.google.com: downloaded 20 Apr 2018), held by New York Public Library [The personal histories were collected from the identified individuals and their contemporaries. Other histories were collected from county records and other places, with the help of numerous county officials and others.]
Reference Detail: Page 477 (PDF page 552)
Comment Detail: Source includes name (James N. [Shafer]).
marriage-shafer-schofield-1859: Marriage affidavit and return record for James N. Shafer and Sarah E. Schofield (1959); Ohio, U.S., County Marriage Records, 1774-1993, database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com: accessed 27 Dec 2023), “⟩ Noble ⟩ 1851 - 1871”, image 143, page 284, entry 4; citing “Marriage Records, Ohio Marriages; Various Ohio County Courthouses” [This is a registry with eight pre-printed forms per page, filled in with the corresponding information.]
Comment Detail: Source includes name (James N. Shafer). This is on the first two lines of the return portion. The record also includes the alternate spelling, Shaffer.
obituary-james-shafer-1917: Obituary for James Nelson Shafer (1917); “Useful Life is Ended,” Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com: accessed 27 Dec 2023), “⟩ United States ⟩ California ⟩ Long Beach ⟩ The Long Beach Telegram and the Long Beach Daily News ⟩ 1917 ⟩ March ⟩ Mar 07 1917, Wed ⟩ Page 12”, column 6; citing “The Daily Telegram (Long Beach, California), 7 Mar 1917 (Wednesday), page Twelve, column 6”
Comment Detail: Source includes name (James Nelson Shafer).
obituary-sarah-shafer-1939: Obituary for Sarah Elizabeth Shafer (1939); “Sarah E. Shafer,” Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com: accessed 27 Dec 2023), “⟩ United States ⟩ California ⟩ Los Gatos ⟩ Los Gatos Times-Saratoga Observer ⟩ 1939 ⟩ January ⟩ Jan 27 1939, Fri ⟩ Page 1”, column 3; citing “Los Gatos Times (Los Gatos, California), 27 Jan 1939 (Friday), page One, column 3”
Comment Detail: Source includes name (James Nelson Shafer).
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obituary-james-shafer-1917: Obituary for James Nelson Shafer (1917); “Useful Life is Ended,” Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com: accessed 27 Dec 2023), “⟩ United States ⟩ California ⟩ Long Beach ⟩ The Long Beach Telegram and the Long Beach Daily News ⟩ 1917 ⟩ March ⟩ Mar 07 1917, Wed ⟩ Page 12”, column 6; citing “The Daily Telegram (Long Beach, California), 7 Mar 1917 (Wednesday), page Twelve, column 6”
Comment Detail: Source includes age (78) and location (Mount Ephraim, O[hio, USA]). Using his age and his death date of 6 Mar 1917 gives a birth date range from 7 Mar 1838 to 6 Mar 1839.
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obituary-james-shafer-1917: Obituary for James Nelson Shafer (1917); “Useful Life is Ended,” Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com: accessed 27 Dec 2023), “⟩ United States ⟩ California ⟩ Long Beach ⟩ The Long Beach Telegram and the Long Beach Daily News ⟩ 1917 ⟩ March ⟩ Mar 07 1917, Wed ⟩ Page 12”, column 6; citing “The Daily Telegram (Long Beach, California), 7 Mar 1917 (Wednesday), page Twelve, column 6”
Comment Detail: Source includes date ("Tuesday" [obituary published Wednesday, 7 Mar 1917, giving a date of 6 Mar 1917) and location ("at his home" [Long Beach, California, USA]).
obituary-sarah-shafer-1939: Obituary for Sarah Elizabeth Shafer (1939); “Sarah E. Shafer,” Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com: accessed 27 Dec 2023), “⟩ United States ⟩ California ⟩ Los Gatos ⟩ Los Gatos Times-Saratoga Observer ⟩ 1939 ⟩ January ⟩ Jan 27 1939, Fri ⟩ Page 1”, column 3; citing “Los Gatos Times (Los Gatos, California), 27 Jan 1939 (Friday), page One, column 3”
Comment Detail: Source includes year (⟨conflict⟩) and location (Long Beach [, California, USA]). See resource notes for conflict details.
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book-history-of-noble-county-ohio-1887: History of Noble County, Ohio; Chicago: L. H. Watkins & Company, 1887; book image (PDF), Google Play (https://play.google.com: downloaded 20 Apr 2018), held by New York Public Library [The personal histories were collected from the identified individuals and their contemporaries. Other histories were collected from county records and other places, with the help of numerous county officials and others.]
Reference Detail: Page 477 (PDF page 552)
Comment Detail: Source identifies James N. [Shafer] as a child of William Shafer. The source does not provide sufficient evidence to denote the type of parent/child relationship.
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book-history-of-noble-county-ohio-1887: History of Noble County, Ohio; Chicago: L. H. Watkins & Company, 1887; book image (PDF), Google Play (https://play.google.com: downloaded 20 Apr 2018), held by New York Public Library [The personal histories were collected from the identified individuals and their contemporaries. Other histories were collected from county records and other places, with the help of numerous county officials and others.]
Reference Detail: Page 477 (PDF page 552)
Comment Detail: Source identifies James N. [Shafer] as a child of Isabel Vorhies. The source does not provide sufficient evidence to denote the type of parent/child relationship.
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Family
Spouse/Partner: Sarah Elizabeth Schofield (1843 – bef 1939)
Married: 24 Jun 1859 in , Noble County, Ohio, United States
obituary-james-shafer-1917: Obituary for James Nelson Shafer (1917); “Useful Life is Ended,” Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com: accessed 27 Dec 2023), “⟩ United States ⟩ California ⟩ Long Beach ⟩ The Long Beach Telegram and the Long Beach Daily News ⟩ 1917 ⟩ March ⟩ Mar 07 1917, Wed ⟩ Page 12”, column 6; citing “The Daily Telegram (Long Beach, California), 7 Mar 1917 (Wednesday), page Twelve, column 6”
Comment Detail: Source notes that Sarah E. Shafer was the widow of James Shafer.
obituary-sarah-shafer-1939: Obituary for Sarah Elizabeth Shafer (1939); “Sarah E. Shafer,” Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com: accessed 27 Dec 2023), “⟩ United States ⟩ California ⟩ Los Gatos ⟩ Los Gatos Times-Saratoga Observer ⟩ 1939 ⟩ January ⟩ Jan 27 1939, Fri ⟩ Page 1”, column 3; citing “Los Gatos Times (Los Gatos, California), 27 Jan 1939 (Friday), page One, column 3”
Comment Detail: Source identifies Sara Elizabeth Shafer as the widow of James Nelson Shafer.
marriage-shafer-schofield-1859: Marriage affidavit and return record for James N. Shafer and Sarah E. Schofield (1959); Ohio, U.S., County Marriage Records, 1774-1993, database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com: accessed 27 Dec 2023), “⟩ Noble ⟩ 1851 - 1871”, image 143, page 284, entry 4; citing “Marriage Records, Ohio Marriages; Various Ohio County Courthouses” [This is a registry with eight pre-printed forms per page, filled in with the corresponding information.]
Comment Detail: Source includes date (24 day of June A.D. 1859) and location ("The State of Ohio, Noble County).
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Miscellaneous Facts
Events
Burial: at Long Beach, Los Angeles County, California, United States
Moved To Residence: 1862 at , , Idaho, United States
Moved To Residence: Abt 1864 at Walla Walla Valley, , Washington, United States
Moved To Residence: 1868 at San Jose, Santa Clara County, California, United States
Moved To Residence: Bef 1881 at Linden, San Joaquin County, California, United States
Moved To Residence: 1881 at San Jose, Santa Clara County, California, United States
Moved To Residence: 1895 at Long Beach, Los Angeles County, California, United States
Church: First Methodist Episcopal Church at Long Beach, Los Angeles County, California, United States
Cemetery: Sunnyside Cemetery at Long Beach, Los Angeles County, California, United States
obituary-james-shafer-1917: Obituary for James Nelson Shafer (1917); “Useful Life is Ended,” Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com: accessed 27 Dec 2023), “⟩ United States ⟩ California ⟩ Long Beach ⟩ The Long Beach Telegram and the Long Beach Daily News ⟩ 1917 ⟩ March ⟩ Mar 07 1917, Wed ⟩ Page 12”, column 6; citing “The Daily Telegram (Long Beach, California), 7 Mar 1917 (Wednesday), page Twelve, column 6”
Comment Detail: Source notes he was to be buried in Sunnyside cemetery, which is located in Long Beach, California, USA.
obituary-james-shafer-1917: Obituary for James Nelson Shafer (1917); “Useful Life is Ended,” Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com: accessed 27 Dec 2023), “⟩ United States ⟩ California ⟩ Long Beach ⟩ The Long Beach Telegram and the Long Beach Daily News ⟩ 1917 ⟩ March ⟩ Mar 07 1917, Wed ⟩ Page 12”, column 6; citing “The Daily Telegram (Long Beach, California), 7 Mar 1917 (Wednesday), page Twelve, column 6”
Comment Detail: Source includes year (1862) and destination (Idaho [, USA]).
obituary-james-shafer-1917: Obituary for James Nelson Shafer (1917); “Useful Life is Ended,” Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com: accessed 27 Dec 2023), “⟩ United States ⟩ California ⟩ Long Beach ⟩ The Long Beach Telegram and the Long Beach Daily News ⟩ 1917 ⟩ March ⟩ Mar 07 1917, Wed ⟩ Page 12”, column 6; citing “The Daily Telegram (Long Beach, California), 7 Mar 1917 (Wednesday), page Twelve, column 6”
Comment Detail: Source includes limit year ("a little later" [after 1862, guessed at two years for 1864) and destination (Walla Walla Valley, Washington [, USA]).
obituary-james-shafer-1917: Obituary for James Nelson Shafer (1917); “Useful Life is Ended,” Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com: accessed 27 Dec 2023), “⟩ United States ⟩ California ⟩ Long Beach ⟩ The Long Beach Telegram and the Long Beach Daily News ⟩ 1917 ⟩ March ⟩ Mar 07 1917, Wed ⟩ Page 12”, column 6; citing “The Daily Telegram (Long Beach, California), 7 Mar 1917 (Wednesday), page Twelve, column 6”
Comment Detail: Source includes year (1868) and destination (San Jose, Cal. [, USA]).
obituary-james-shafer-1917: Obituary for James Nelson Shafer (1917); “Useful Life is Ended,” Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com: accessed 27 Dec 2023), “⟩ United States ⟩ California ⟩ Long Beach ⟩ The Long Beach Telegram and the Long Beach Daily News ⟩ 1917 ⟩ March ⟩ Mar 07 1917, Wed ⟩ Page 12”, column 6; citing “The Daily Telegram (Long Beach, California), 7 Mar 1917 (Wednesday), page Twelve, column 6”
Comment Detail: Source notes limit year (1881) and destination (Linden [, California, USA]).
obituary-james-shafer-1917: Obituary for James Nelson Shafer (1917); “Useful Life is Ended,” Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com: accessed 27 Dec 2023), “⟩ United States ⟩ California ⟩ Long Beach ⟩ The Long Beach Telegram and the Long Beach Daily News ⟩ 1917 ⟩ March ⟩ Mar 07 1917, Wed ⟩ Page 12”, column 6; citing “The Daily Telegram (Long Beach, California), 7 Mar 1917 (Wednesday), page Twelve, column 6”
Comment Detail: Source includes year (1881) and destination ("former city" [meaning, in context, San Jose, California, USA]).
obituary-james-shafer-1917: Obituary for James Nelson Shafer (1917); “Useful Life is Ended,” Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com: accessed 27 Dec 2023), “⟩ United States ⟩ California ⟩ Long Beach ⟩ The Long Beach Telegram and the Long Beach Daily News ⟩ 1917 ⟩ March ⟩ Mar 07 1917, Wed ⟩ Page 12”, column 6; citing “The Daily Telegram (Long Beach, California), 7 Mar 1917 (Wednesday), page Twelve, column 6”
Comment Detail: Source includes year (1895) and destination (Long Beach [, California, USA]).
obituary-james-shafer-1917: Obituary for James Nelson Shafer (1917); “Useful Life is Ended,” Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com: accessed 27 Dec 2023), “⟩ United States ⟩ California ⟩ Long Beach ⟩ The Long Beach Telegram and the Long Beach Daily News ⟩ 1917 ⟩ March ⟩ Mar 07 1917, Wed ⟩ Page 12”, column 6; citing “The Daily Telegram (Long Beach, California), 7 Mar 1917 (Wednesday), page Twelve, column 6”
Comment Detail: Source includes church name (First Methodist Episcopal Church) and location (Long Beach [, California, USA]).
obituary-james-shafer-1917: Obituary for James Nelson Shafer (1917); “Useful Life is Ended,” Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com: accessed 27 Dec 2023), “⟩ United States ⟩ California ⟩ Long Beach ⟩ The Long Beach Telegram and the Long Beach Daily News ⟩ 1917 ⟩ March ⟩ Mar 07 1917, Wed ⟩ Page 12”, column 6; citing “The Daily Telegram (Long Beach, California), 7 Mar 1917 (Wednesday), page Twelve, column 6”
Comment Detail: Source includes cemetery name (Sunnyside cemetery), which is located in Long Beach, California, USA.
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Attributes
Occupation: building contractor at Long Beach, Los Angeles County, California, United States
Religion: Methodist
obituary-james-shafer-1917: Obituary for James Nelson Shafer (1917); “Useful Life is Ended,” Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com: accessed 27 Dec 2023), “⟩ United States ⟩ California ⟩ Long Beach ⟩ The Long Beach Telegram and the Long Beach Daily News ⟩ 1917 ⟩ March ⟩ Mar 07 1917, Wed ⟩ Page 12”, column 6; citing “The Daily Telegram (Long Beach, California), 7 Mar 1917 (Wednesday), page Twelve, column 6”
Comment Detail: Source includes occupation (building contractor) and location ("He engaged in business here as a..." [Long Beach, California, USA]).
obituary-james-shafer-1917: Obituary for James Nelson Shafer (1917); “Useful Life is Ended,” Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com: accessed 27 Dec 2023), “⟩ United States ⟩ California ⟩ Long Beach ⟩ The Long Beach Telegram and the Long Beach Daily News ⟩ 1917 ⟩ March ⟩ Mar 07 1917, Wed ⟩ Page 12”, column 6; citing “The Daily Telegram (Long Beach, California), 7 Mar 1917 (Wednesday), page Twelve, column 6”
Comment Detail: Source includes religious denomination (Methodist) and notes he was a Methodist since boyhood.
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General Notes and Anecdotes
He was a successful contractor, owning the southwest corner of Broadway and Pine in Long Beach, which was later improved with the construction of the Henderson Building; the site was later purchased by the Mercantile Company. When he died, he was still owner of the El Capitan apartments at 333 East Third Street in Long Beach. [obituary-james-shafer-1917]
obituary-james-shafer-1917: Obituary for James Nelson Shafer (1917); “Useful Life is Ended,” Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com: accessed 27 Dec 2023), “⟩ United States ⟩ California ⟩ Long Beach ⟩ The Long Beach Telegram and the Long Beach Daily News ⟩ 1917 ⟩ March ⟩ Mar 07 1917, Wed ⟩ Page 12”, column 6; citing “The Daily Telegram (Long Beach, California), 7 Mar 1917 (Wednesday), page Twelve, column 6”
(no additional information)
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Research Notes (Conflicts/Spelling/Followup)
CONFLICTS
Death Year: This database uses 1917. The obituary of his widow uses the phrase "20 years ago" for an obituary published in 1939, which gives a death year of 1919. This could have been a simple rounding approximation by the writer. [obituary-sarah-shafer-1939]
FOLLOWUP
James may be listed in the 1860 US Federal Census, Seneca Township, Noble County, Ohio, page 184, line 1. He is the right age for a son of William Shafer, and is listed with his wife Sarah E. Shafer and an infant daughter, Margaret. Another elderly individual is also listed as Elizabeth Scofield[?], who may be his mother-in-law.
James is survived by three children. Son W. R. Shafer (San Jose, California), and daughters Mrs. W. C. Anderson (San Jose, California) and Mrs. T. J. Keeney (Coronado, California). [obituary-james-shafer-1917]
obituary-james-shafer-1917: Obituary for James Nelson Shafer (1917); “Useful Life is Ended,” Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com: accessed 27 Dec 2023), “⟩ United States ⟩ California ⟩ Long Beach ⟩ The Long Beach Telegram and the Long Beach Daily News ⟩ 1917 ⟩ March ⟩ Mar 07 1917, Wed ⟩ Page 12”, column 6; citing “The Daily Telegram (Long Beach, California), 7 Mar 1917 (Wednesday), page Twelve, column 6”
(no additional information)
obituary-sarah-shafer-1939: Obituary for Sarah Elizabeth Shafer (1939); “Sarah E. Shafer,” Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com: accessed 27 Dec 2023), “⟩ United States ⟩ California ⟩ Los Gatos ⟩ Los Gatos Times-Saratoga Observer ⟩ 1939 ⟩ January ⟩ Jan 27 1939, Fri ⟩ Page 1”, column 3; citing “Los Gatos Times (Los Gatos, California), 27 Jan 1939 (Friday), page One, column 3”
(no additional information)
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Sources
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