Notes for John Charles SCHAFF

Notes for John Charles SCHAFF

SOURCE: Newspaper Obit. Land records, homestead papers, citizenship papers, naturalization certificate.

John C. Schaff was born in Germany in the year 1857 and while still a youth made his way to the united States as a stowaway. Although he had one brother and one sister, John was the only member of his family to come to America. Working his way westward, he joined the Fourth Cavalry. During military maneuvers, he made the acquaintance of Catharina Steichen, who was employed at the Joe May ranch east of Sturgis. Cathryn had also been born in Germany (Rollingen Luxembourg). on April 4, 1870, and had come to America as a girl with her sister, Mrs William Komes. two other sisters, Mrs Thorne and Mrs. Molitor came to America later, but the rest of the Steichen family, one brother and two sisters, remained in their native country. John and Catharina were married and lived at Fort Meade until after the birth of their son, John in 1890 and their daughter, Mary (Mrs. J.J. Hart) in 1892. Following John Sr's military discharge the couple took up a homestead several miles southeast of Volunteer, South Dakota, along the Belle Fourche River. On this homestead site were born three more children, Amelia (Mrs. Gerald Wetz) in 1895, Elizabeth (Mrs. Volmar Wetz) in 1898, Joseph in 1901. At the turn of the century the Schaff's moved to Bear Butte Valley. While making their home on this ranch the couple was blessed with two more children. Albert, born in 1903, and Margaret (Mrs. Lawrence Reinartz), born in 1907.

The Schaff's lived in Bear Butte Valley until 1920 when they moved to Sturgis and their son John J. moved onto the ranch. John C. Schaff died in Sturgis in 1929 and Mrs. Schaff died in 1937. John J. and his wife, the former Bertha Holdren, lived on the ranch until John's death in 1960. Bertha remained on the ranch until 1967, when she sold to Alfred Duprel and moved to Sturgis.

Written by Dorothy Wetz Reuppel Boice. Land of the Pioneers page 512 (1968)

Updated by Richard J. Duprel. Lacey, Washington (1993)

John C. Schaff arrived Pensacola Florida August 1873, he was from Niesse Germany. It is now part of Poland (Schlesien) This information is from his citizenship papers dated 1893. According to his newspaper obit he was born in Hendersdorf, Schlesean, Germany, and enlisted in the Army at St. Louis Mo. in 1880. It goes on to read that he had two sisters and one brother still in Germany. On John and Catherine marriage record his name is written as John Joseph Schaff, his father name is listed as Joseph Schaff and his mothers as Anne Marie Schaelsche from Henzerdorf. John age is listed as 33 years old the date of the record is 14 Nov 1889. His occupation was Soldier and he was station at Fort Meade. John religon was listed as Catholic.

Written by Richard J. Duprel. Lacey WA. 1994

NEWSPAPER OBIT: Sturgis Weekly Record dated 29 Aug 1929

Sturgis Loses Another Respected Citizen: Funeral services attended by an unusually large number of sorrowing friends, were held for the late John C. Schaff, Sr. at St. Martin's church, yesterday at 10 o'clock E.M. Rev. Father Columban, his friend and pastor for over a quarter of a century, sang the requiem High Mass and preached the sermon. Numberous and beautiful were the floral pieces and bouquets. Burial was in the Catholic cemetery. The pallbearers were chosen from the Holy Name Society of which the deceased was a member and were John Egger, Jas Lodge, Leo Keffeler, Frank Sloan, Frank Melaney and Michael Byrne. A firing squad from the Fourth U.S. cavalry was present and taps were sounded by a trumpeter. Born in Hendersdorf, Schlesean, Germany, May 28, 1857, he came to this country while a young man and enlisted in the U.S. army, at St. Louis in 1880, and was discharged at Fort Meade in 1892. He served in the Indian war of 1890-91. While in the army he served in Texas and New Mexico. He was a tailor by trade, which he learned while in the army. On November 14, 1889, he was married to Miss Katherine Steichen at Sturgis, by Rev. Father Rosen. To this union were born seven children. He filed on a ranch in Bear Butte Valley in 1903, where the family resided until 1919, when they purchased a home in Sturgis. About three years ago Mr. Schaff had a severe attack of flu from which he never fully recoverd, and during the past year has suffered a series of light strokes, which have kept him confined to his bed and chair, and during this time was ministered to with the greatest devotion by his wife. Last Friday he ahd a severe stroke, and on Sunday afternoon peacefully passed away. Those left to mourn are his wife and seven children; John Schaff, Jr., of Sturgis, Mrs. Mary Hart of California, Mrs. Amelia Wetz and Mrs Elizabeth Wetz of Vale, Joseph Schaff of Sturgis, Albert Schaff of Chicago and Mrs. Margaret Reinartz of Sheboygan, Wis, also sixteen grandchildren; two sisters and one brother in Germany. All the children were present at the funeral except Mary and Albert. Much could be written in sincere praise of the life and character of the deceased, but after all, when you say a man has lived over forty years in the same community, and still numbers his friends by his acquaintances, you just about say it all.

John arrived port of Pensacola, FL August 1873, this is per papers in the Sturgis, SD. courthouse 1989.