Before I go into my post for this week, a little housekeeping -- I have a new website, AnnalsofMemory.com My intent is to move this blog over there but I don't know yet when I will have a minute to do that. The new address will likely be www.annalsofmemory.com/shafferandzirkle. I will keep you posted. The main blog at Annals of Memory is my "professional" blog - I will be mostly blogging about Public History and things pertaining to what I am learning as I finish my course work for my Master's in Public History. It should be interesting!
Now, on to this week's post!
I am still trying to work on my mystery women (not much, I have a ton of homework), when I went back to Absolom Shaffer and his wife, Elizabeth Lambert, and realized I hadn't yet blogged about her. Elizabeth is another mystery in this tree. Again I know nothing of her until she and Absolom marry. (Absolom is the son of Abraham Shaffer and Rebecca Bennett, who I blogged about in Week 2 of #52Ancestors.) First I will give you Elizabeth's story, and then on to the other mystery woman for this week!
Elizabeth Lambert and Absolom Sehaffer (sic) are listed on page 190 of Vogt and Kethley's Shenandoah County, VA, Marriages 1772-1850. She was daughter of John, and they were married on 20 Aug 1846. They must have left the Shenandoah Valley pretty soon thereafter, because they are next found in Mad River township, Ohio, in 1850. Family stories and various Zirkle family books indicate a large group of Shaffer and Zirkle families made the trip from the beautiful Shenandoah Valley to the uncharted Ohio wilderness in the mid 1800s.
In 1850 Absolom is a blacksmith. Living with Absolom and Elizabeth are Margaret, who seems to be their daughter, but she is 6 years old (hmmmmm, premature birth??), their son James, who is 3, and their son John, who is 9 months old. Sadly, both John and Margaret passed away that same year and are buried in the Zerkle Cemetery. Poor Elizabeth would have to endure more heartache living in the wilds of Ohio. By 1860 she has had five more children - Sarah, now 10; Charles, now 7; Abbie, now 5, and Emma, now 4; AJ just born, and James is still living and is now 13. Unfortunately, AJ (Andrew James) and Emma both would pass away that same year. (And both of their headstones are missing from the cemetery) But, in 1861 she happily gave birth to Aaron Winfield Shaffer, who would grow up and be one of her only two children to have children - Aaron was my great grandfather, and the man who connects this Shaffer and Zirkle line a second time. In the 1870 Mad River twp, Champaign, OH census, Aaron is living a couple doors down from Absolom and Elizabeth, with his brother James and his wife, helping out over there I suppose - James is also a blacksmith. Also by 1870 Elizabeth has had one last child, Mary Ella Shaffer. She would go on to lose one more child, as Abbie passed away in 1871.
Elizabeth had five children to live to adulthood: James, Sarah, Charles, Aaron and Mary Ella. Of these five, only three had children of their own. Sarah and Charles lived together their entire lives and never married. Incidentally, their death records both state they are buried in the Terre Haute cemetery, Champaign, OH; but when I request photos, I've been told they aren't found. Both had an informant on their death record of Nevada Estelle Arbogast. She has helped me figure out who I think Mary Ella Shaffer is. That will be Week 5, which I will deliver a little early while I have time!
In the meantime, I have no idea what to do about Elizabeth. I can't find any John Lamberts in Rockingham, Shenandoah, VA. She died in Mad River, Champaign, OH on 25 Sept 1886. She is buried on a little hill in the Terre Haute cemetery. Her stone says she was 64 years old, which makes her born about 1822. The Findagrave memorial gives Jan. 8, 1822, but obit transcription says Jan. 7:
Transcription of obituary from St. Paris Dispatch, Friday Oct 1., 1886:
MRS. ELIZABETH SHAFFER, who has been wife of ABSOLOM SHAFFER for 40 yrs, severed her earthly relationship with him at her home in Terre Haute, Ohio, on Sept. 25th. She was born in Rockingham County, VA, Jan 7, 1822. Aged 64 yrs, 8 mo, 18 days, she was the mother of 10 children. Two sons and four daughters have passed on before her. She united with the Ev L Church in 1849 and was a member of the same at the time of her death. Funeral services were held at Terre Haute last Monday, conducted by Rev E D Smith. (Original source is here)
I'll post the other issue I had concerning her daughter Mary Ellen, in the meantime, anyone searching the Lambert family of Rockingham, VA?
