Phil,
Thanks for the interest in William Shaffer who was 2 years old in Switz. Co.,
in the 1870 Census living with David and Elizabeth Shaffer. We are pretty
sure he was their GRANDSON and was the SON of Mary C. Shaffer who was David and
Elizabeth's daughter. First off, as you mentioned, Elizabehth would have been
pretty old to have a child. Secondly, in the next census in 1880, he was
living in Caldwell Co., MO with Rebecca Shaffer Reagan and her husband William
Reagan and listed as "nephew" Rebecca Shaffer was the daughter of David and
Elizabeth.
William Shaffers death certificate (we haven't found a birth certificate)
lists his parents are listed as unknown. But we knew he had a half brother named
Amara Warden. We finally got a copy of Amara's death certificate and his
mother was listed as Mary Caroline Shaffer. So...we believe that she probably
had him out of wedlock and when he was very young they lived with her parents.
Then she married Francis M. Worden probably when William was about 5 years old
and they went on to have 5 or 6 children, including Amara. William never
discussed his parents with his children, probably because he had a pretty unhappy
childhood as we know that he moved around from living there with his
grandparents, then came to MO with his aunt and uncle Reagan, then also lived for a
while with another uncle in MO, Pleasant Shaffer. I think his mother and new
stepfather must not have wanted him or he didn't want to live with them?
Anyway, thanks for the interest.
Valerie
In a message dated 10/23/2006 2:48:42 PM Central Daylight Time,
tutor7798(a)yahoo.com writes:
Excuse my curiosity, but could 2-year old William really be the son
of
David and Elizabeth Shafer? She would have been 56 years old when he was born.
Is it possible instead the he is a grandson born to an unmarried daughter?
Phil Turner