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William O. Shaffer
Born November 3, 1862 |
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| William 0. Shaffer, a successful and enterprising merchant of Wyoming, dealing in clothing, slices and men's furnishings, was born in Center county, Pennsylvania, on the 3d of November, 1862. His parents, Nathan and Mary (Durst) Shaffer, are likewise natives of the Keystone state, the former having been born in Columbia county in September, 1823, while the latter's birth occurred in Center county in 1833. Nathan Shaffer was a minister of the Methodist church and in 1863 removed with his wife and two children to Buchanan county, Iowa, where he preached the gospel for three years. On the expiration of that period he went to Canton, Jackson county, this state, where he likewise labored in a ministerial capacity for three years. At the end of that time, in 1869, he came to Jones county, purchasing a farm in Madison township on which he made his home until 1896, since which time he has resided at Wyoming. His wife also still survives and they are well known and highly esteemed throughout the community. Their children were five in number, namely: Harriet B.; William O.; of this review; Charles B.; Margaret; and Arthur, who is deceased.
William O. Shaffer was reared to manhood on the home farm in Madison township, this county, obtaining his education in the country schools and also at Wyoming. After putting aside his text-books he assisted in the cultivation of the home place and when his father retired from active life he took charge of the farm, managing it successfully for a number of years. In 1899 he came to Wyoming and purchased the interest of R. S. Williams in the firm of Fishwild & Williams, being thus identified with mercantile affairs until 1906, when he bought the interest of Mr. Fishwild and has since conducted the enterprise alone. He deals in clothing, shoes and men's furnishings and has built up an extensive and profitable trade along these lines, owing to his reliable and straightforward business methods. His establishment is up-to-date in every particular and he is widely recognized as one of the progressive and representative merchants of the county.
In March, 1891, Mr. Shaffer was united in marriage to Miss Amy Brush, a daughter of William Brush, who was an early settler of Jones county. They have become the parents of four children, as follows: Berdale; Wallace; Dillon, who died at the age of four years; and Elizabeth.
At the present time Mr. Shaffer is capably serving his fellow townsmen as a member of the city council. He is a valued and consistent member of the Methodist church and also belongs to the Masonic fraternity, of which he is a worthy exemplar. A resident of the county for four decades, he is widely known within its borders and the substantial qualities which he has displayed in the varied relations of life have gained him a high place in the regard and good will of all with whom he has come in contact.
Source: History of Jones County, Iowa, Past and Present, R. M. Corbitt, S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., Chicago, 1910, p. 84. |
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© Copyright 1997-2013, The Art Department, © Copyright 2014-2020, Richard Harrison.
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