Rev. John Franklin Shaffer, D.D.
Rev. John Franklin Shaffer, D.D., who for nearly a quarter of a century has been in charge of the Lutheran Church at Delaware, was born on his father's farm in Fairfield County, Ohio, March 28, 1837, and is a son of John S. and Sarah (Stuckey) Shaffer.
The Shaffer family has been settled in for many years, coming to the State from the rich agricultural regions of Pennsylvania, where many still reside to perpetuate the honorable old name. Isaac Shaffer, the grandfather of Rev. Shaffer, was born in Lancaster County. Pennsylvania, in 1768. coming from there to Fairfield County, in 1798, and locating in the wilderness before the county lines were drawn and when the larger number of inhabitants were Indians. He located on a desirable tract of land very near to what is now the county seat and he it was who suggested the naming of the place Lancaster, in memory of the old home toward which his thoughts so often turned. The town of Lancaster was laid out in the fall of 1800 and Mr. Shaffer's farm, a few miles to the southward, became doubly valuable. Here he lived until he passed away, at the age of eighty-two years. He had married Julia Reem. also of Lancaster and also of German extraction. At the time of death, the Shaffer children each received 200 acres of land and as there were six in his family, this amounted to a large body.
John S. Shaffer, father of Dr. Shaffer, was the youngest son of his parents, and was born in Fairfield County, Ohio, June 20, 1807. At the age of twenty-one years he married (first) Mary Koontz, who subsequently died, leaving two sons, who survived to early manhood. He was married (secondly) to Sarah Stuckey, and to this union were born ten children. Mr. Shaffer continued his father's agricultural activities and through a long exemplary life remained a leading man in his community. He was particularly active in Christian work and fellowship, being one of the pillars of the Lutheran faith in Fairfield County. It was mainly through his efforts that a congregation was organized at Hamburg, and in the building of the church he assumed one-sixth of the expense and also subsequently provided for a large part of its maintenance. He was one of the trustees, also an elder and for twenty years was superintendent of the Sabbath school. He was a man beloved for his many virtues and admired for his sterling character. He died April 20, 1875, at Carthage, Missouri, to which place he had moved in 1869; he was aged sixty-eight years and three months.
Up to the age of seventeen years, the subject of this sketch, who was the fifth child of his parents, assisted in the management of the home farm, attending school as opportunity was afforded. The youth of that day had few educational advantages, and no matter how ambitious and intellectual a boy might be, he was fortunate, in that section of Fairfield County, if he could obtain three or four months' instruction during the winter in the country school. Young Shaffer was exceptionally bright, and long before he entered Wittenberg College, in 1854, he had mastered everything taught in the rural schools. At Springfield he entered earnestly into study. taking the regular literary and classical course as then prescribed, and when he graduated he stood fifth in a class of ten students, and with one exception, was the youngest member of that brilliant class.
After graduating at Wittenberg College, Mr. Shaffer at once began the study of theology, entering the theological seminary connected with Wittenberg College, and remained until he completed the course. He was licensed to preach in 1861, by the Miami Synod. convened at St. Paris, and was ordained a minister of the Lutheran Church, at Circleville, in 1862. His first appointment was to the church at Xenia, Ohio, and when Mr. Shaffer took charge it was in poor condition both as to membership and interest. Under his pastorate it was revived and has had a continuous, steady growth up to the present time. At the time of his resignation of the charge, some twenty years later, it had increased in spirituality, membership and material possessions.
Dr. Shaffer has been the recipient of many honors in his church and has effectively filled many very responsible positions. He was thrice elected secretary of the Miami Synod and four times its president. He was retained on the directorate of Wittenberg College by tlie Miami Synod, for neary a third of a century, the college board twice elected him its president, and on numerous occasions he represented his synod in the general synod. He has served on the Examining Committee to examine candidates for the ministry, for more than thirty year-. While residing at Xenia, Dr. Shaffer took an active interest in civic matters pertaining to educational movements and for fifteen years served as an examiner of teachers for the county schools; for twelve years he served in the same capacitv for the city schools, and for fifteen years served on the Xenia Board of Education. He has never lost his deep interest in educational progress and at the time of this writing, is serving as clerk of the School Board at Delaware.
In March. 1881, Dr. Shaffer moved to Springfield in order to give his children what he deemed better educational advantages, placing them in his alma mater, Wittenberg College. He continued, however, to supply his charge at Xenia until a successor could be found, which was done in the following June, the old pastor never, in the meantime, having disappointed his congregation on a single occasion. He also supplied the churches at West Liberty and Tippecanoe City for some months. In addition to his pastoral work. Dr. Shaffer has done much literary work, all showing a high grade of scholarship. From September, 1881, to December. 1885. he prepared the comments on the Sabbath school lessons for the Lutheran Evangelist, and within this period also provided many articles covering a wide range of subjects for that and other papers. For two years he was associated with Dr. Ort as editor of the Evangelist, and with Dr. Singley as corresponding editor. He also taught in the theological seminary connected with the college the important branches of Hebrew, Biblical Archaeology, Sacred Philology, Biblical Evidences, Church History and Catechetics.
However, under this stupendous amount of work. Dr. Shaffer began to find his former robust health breaking down, and as his soul yearned for the regular work of the ministry, when the opportunity came to organize a church at Delaware, he came to this city. This organization was effected in November, 1885, and in eleven months the little but enthusiastic congregation dedicated a fine brick church, with a seating capacity of 500. In June. 1887, the board of Wittenberg College, at the recommendation of the faculty, conferred upon Rev. Shaffer, the degree of D. D. He has remained in this charge ever since, each year but serving to bind pastor and congregation in closer bonds. With the exception of Dr. Stuckenberg, Dr. Shaffer is given credit of having had more to do than any other man in bringing into existence the Women's Home and Foreign Mission Society of the General Synod.
On September 18, 1862. Dr. Shaffer was married to Eliza Jane Puterbaugh, of Xenia, who died in March, 1873. She left five children—Sallie M., Franklin Newton, who died at the age of thirty-five years. Walter St. Clair, Augusta Vernon, and John Samuel. Dr. Shaffer was married (secondly) October 8, 1874, to Margaret Ellen Barns, who died May 23, 1882. She left one child. Ella, who died at the age of three months. Dr. Shaffer was married, for the third time, July 3, 1884, to Kate M. Boggs, of Zanesville. Of this union there have been two children—Ralph Boggs, who died at the age of eight months, and Elida Marguerite, who is a member of the class of '09, O. W. U. Miss Boggs had consecrated herself to foreign missionary work, and in 1880 had sailed for India, being the first representative of the Women's Missionary Society to that country. On account of the intense heat of that land she broke down in health and was forced to return. Since then she has been verv active in the field ot home missions.
From 20th Century History of Delaware County, Ohio, and Representative Citizens by James R. Lytle