Transcribed from "An Illustrated History of The Big Bend Country, embracing
Lincoln, Douglas, Adams and Franklin counties, State of Washington",
published by Western Historical Publishing Co., 1904.
GEORGE SCHAFER is a prosperous
farmer residing nine miles south of Ritzville, where he owns nine hundred
and sixty acres of well improved and cultivated land. He has his
entire farm fenced, two wells which supply an abundance of water, and a
first-class orchard. He came to the place in 1891 and filed on eighty
acres since which time he has purchased land from time to time until the
tract has grown to the extent noted above. He came to the county
a poor man, and for the first few years he found it necessary to hire himself
out on wages in order to make a living. He now rates as one of the
well-to-do farmers of Adams county.
Mr. Schafer was born in Northern Russia September
23, 1853, the son of Conrad and Margaret (Haddow) Schafer, natives of Russia,
in which country they lived until coming to America in 1877. They
located in Nebraska, and eight years later came to Walla Walla, where the
father is now living. Our subject is a member of a family originally
numbering six children, who, besides himself, were: Conrad, Jacob, Margaret,
Katie and one who died in infancy .
Mr. Schafer began his education in a church
school in his native country. He came to America, Nebraska and to
Walla Walla with his parents, and after receiving a fair common school
education started in life for himself. His first work was on a railroad,
and from that occupation he entered the business of farming in Klickitat
county. He came to his Adams county homestead in 1891.
In 1874 occurred the marriage of George Schafer
to Margaret Weiderman, daughter of Conrad and Margaret Weiderman, and to
this union five children were born. Mrs. Schafer died in 1884, and
four years later our subject was married to Katie Leignar, daughter of
John and Christina (Reinhart) Leignar, natives of Russia, in which country
the father died, and the mother still lives at the age of seventy-seven
years.
This union has been blessed with one child,
Samuel, who lives with his parents.
Mr. Schafer is an active Republican, and with
his wife, is an ardent member of the Methodist Episcopal church.
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