Genealogical Sketch of the Frederick Schaffner Family of Germany and San Francisco

 This is a genealogical sketch of the lives of the Frederick Schaffner family of Germany and New York. They are my wife Linda's 2nd great-grandparents. 

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Early Life in Germany

Frederick Schaffner, was born on 16 June 1828 in Darmstadt, Hessen, Deutschland.[1] His parents are not known.

Frederick Schaffner and Susanna Hoffman were married in about 1850, perhaps in New York, United States, and resided in New York City for some period of time. There is no birth information about Susanna Hoffman, or her parentage. She was probably born about 1830 in Germany.

There is no immigration or emigration information available for either Frederick Schaffner or Susanna Hoffman.

Married Life

Frederick Schaffner and Susanna Hoffman had the following child:[2]

• Herman Schaffner, born November 1851, New York, New York, New York,; married (1) Mary Ann Paul, before 1876, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, three children; married (2) Mary Jane McWhirter, 29 February 1912, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, no children; married (3) Fredericka Hartman, 30 August 1916, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, no children; died 8 December 1921, San Francisco, San Francisco, California.

The 1916 marriage certificate of Herman Schaffner and Fredericka Armstrong provide Herman’s parents names as Frederick Schaffner and Susanna Hoffman.[2]

Susanna (Hoffman) Schaffner probably died before 1855 in New York.

Frederick Schaffner married (2) Martha Matilda --?-- in about 1855 probably in New York, United States. Martha Matilda --?-- was born before 17 June 1837 in Ireland.

They certainly moved to San Francisco, California because Frederick Schaffner was naturalized on 1 November 1856 in the 4th District Court in San Francisco (age 40 in 1867, born in Hesse-Darm't, a cook).

Frederick Schaffner and Martha Matilda --?-- had the following children:

• Matilda Schaffner, born October 1857, San Francisco, San Francisco, California; married Lewellyn Augustus Bradford, about 1876, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, two children; died 24 Jun 1928, Alameda, Alameda, California.
• Frederick N. Schaffner, born August 1862, San Francisco, San Francisco, California; married Margaret Ann Ryan, before 1889, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, three children; died 5 Apr 1907, San Francisco, San Francisco, California.
• Louis Schaffner was born about 1864 in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, died after 1880.
• Charles Edwin Schaffner, born March 1867, San Francisco, San Francisco, California; married Louise A. Webber, before 1891, probably Oregon, three children; died 4 September 1916, Portland, Multnomah, Oregon.
• Nellie Schaffner, born 31 March 1870, San Francisco, San Francisco, California; married Norman Richardson Arter, May 1888, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, three children; died 18 November 1933, San Francisco, San Francisco, California.

Frederick Schaffner was on the 1867 Register of Voters for San Francisco residing at 1 Church (in Ward 2, registered 7 June 1866).

In the 1870 United States Census, this family resided in San Francisco, San Francisco County, California.[3] The household included:

• Fred Schaffner - age 45, male, born Canada
• Matilda Schaffner - age 35, female, born Ireland
• Hermann Schaffner - age 18, male, born New York
• Matilda Schaffner - age 14, female, born California
• Frederick Schaffner - age 9, male, born California
• Louis Schaffner - age 5, male, born California
• Charles Schaffner - age 3, male, born California
• Nellie Schaffner - age 1, female, born California

Martha Matilda (--?--) Schaffner died on 23 January 1875 at the age of 37 in Oakland, Alameda, California.[4] The obituary in the Oakland Tribune newspaper dated 23 January 1875 has this information:

"SCHAFFNER -- In this city, January 23d, 1875, Martha Matilda, wife of Frederick Schaffner, a native of Ireland, aged 37 years, 7 months and 6 days.

"Friends and acquaintances are respectfully invited to attend the funeral tomorrow (Sunday) at 2 o'clock P.M., from residence, corner Franklin and Ninth streets, without further notice."

Frederick Schaffner and Dora Mossmann were married on 20 April 1876 in Alameda, California, United States.[5] Dora Mossmann was born on 20 Sep 1838 in Oldenburg, Niedersachsen, Prussia. They had no children.

In the 1880 United States Census, this family resided at 315 Lombard Street in San Francisco, San Francisco County, California.[6] The household included:

• Frederick Shaffner - white, male, age 52, married, a saloon proprietor, born Prussia, parents born Prussia/Prussia
• Dora Shaffner - white, female, age 43, wife, married, keeping house, born Prussia, parents born Prussia/Prussia
• Frederick Shaffner - white, male, age 19, son, single, book binder, born California, parents born Prussia/Prussia
• Louis Shaffner - white, male, age 16, son, single, printer, born California, parents born Prussia/Prussia
• Charles Shaffner - white, male, age 13, son, single, at school, born California, parents born Prussia/Prussia
• Nellie Shaffner - white, female, age 11, daughter, single, at school, born California, parents born Prussia/Prussia

The Later Years

Frederick Schaffner died 29 June 1899 in San Francisco, California.[7] He was buried in Greenlawn Memorial Park in Colma, San Mateo County, California.[1]

An obituary for Frederick Schaffner appeared on page 10 of the San Francisco Chronicle newspaper dated 1 July 1899.[7] It says

"SCHAFFNER -- In this city, June 29, Frederick, beloved husband of Dorothea Schaffner, and father of Herman, Frederick and Charles Edwin Schaffner, Mrs. Matilda Bradford and Mrs. Nellie Arter, a native of Germany, aged 71 years and 13 days.

"Friends and acquaintances are respectfully invited to attend the funeral to-morrow (Sunday), at 12:30 o'clock, from his late residence, 423 Lombard street, thence to Franklin Hall, Fillmore street, between Bush and Sutter, where services will be held under the auspices of King Solomon Lodge, No. 260, F. and A.M., commencing at 1:30 o'clock. Please omit flowers."

Dora (Mossman) Schaffner died of fatty degeneration of heart on 11 April 1904 at the age of 65 in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States.[8] Dora was buried at Greenlawn Memorial Park in Colma, San Mateo, California, United States.[9] An obituary was published in the San Francisco Call-Bulletin newspaper on 13 April 1904, page 15.[10] It reads:

“SCHAFFNER -- In this city, April 11, 1904, Mrs. Dora Schaffner, widow of the late Frederick Schaffner, a native of Oldenburg, Germany, aged 65 years 6months and 21 days.

“Friends and acquaintances are respectfully invited to attend the funeral to-morrow (Wednesday), April 12, at 1:30 o'clock, from her late residence, 112 Scott street, between Haight and Waller./ Cremation I.O.O.F. Cemetery. Please omit flowers."

Sources:

1. Find A Grave, imaged, (https://www.findagrave.com), Greenlawn Memorial Park, Colma, Calif., Frederick Schaffner (1828-1899) memorial #134543773.

2. "California, San Francisco, County Records, 1824-1997," imaged, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org), Marriages > Marriage Certificates, Vol. 22, 1916, image 289 of 510, Herman Schaffner and Fredericka Armstrong entry, 30 August 1916.

3. "1870 United States Federal Census," San Francisco County, California, Ward 2, Page 197 (stamped), dwelling #1024, family #1024, Frederick Schaffner household; imaged, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com); citing National Archives Microfilm Publication M593, Roll 79.

4. "DIED," death notice, Oakland [Calif.] Tribune, 23 January 1875, page 3, column 6, Martha Matilda Schaffner death notice; Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com : accessed 26 June 2018).

5. "California, Marriages, 1850-1945", imaged, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V2ZS-RF3 : 24 March 2020), San Francisco County, F. Schaffner and D. Mossman entry, 20 April 1876.

6. "1880 United States Federal Census," San Francisco County, California, population schedule, San Francisco, Ward 2, Enumeration district 12, Page 142C (stamped), dwelling #129, family #154, Frederick Schaffner household; imaged, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com); citing National Archives Microfilm Publication T9, Roll 73

7. "San Francisco Chronicle," online database, SFGenealogy (https://www.SFGenealogy.com); citing original documents at San Francisco Public Library, San Francisco, Calif., Frederick Schaffner Death Notice, 1 July 1899, page 10.

8. "San Francisco Funeral Home Records, 1835-1931," imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org), Dora Schaffner entry,

9. Find A Grave, imaged, (https://www.findagrave.com), Greenlawn Memorial Park, Colma, Calif., Dora Schaffner (1837-1904) memorial #61428920.

10. "DIED," death notice, San Francisco [Calif.] Call Bulletin newspaper, 13 April 1904, Page 15, column 3, Mrs. Dora Schaffner death notice; imaged, GenealogyBank (https://www.genealogybank.com : accessed 27 June 2018), Newspaper Archives collection.

Relationship

Frederick Schaffner (1828-1899) and Susanna Hoffman (c1830-c1855) are maternal 2nd- great-grandparents of my wife, Linda (Leland) Seaver (1942-still living), through:

•  her great-grandfather Herman Schaffner (1851-1921) who married Mary Ann Paul (1854-1908) in 1876 in San Francisco
• her grandfather Paul Frederick Schaffner (1879-1934) who married Edna Catherine McKnew (1884-1974) in 1906 in San Francisco. 
• her mother Edna May Schaffner (1913-1979)  who married Leo Severt Leland (1911-2002) in 1937 in San Francisco.

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