Elizabetha Shaffer (1743 - bef. 1789)

Born 14 Dec 1743 in Tulpehocken Township, Berks, Pennsylvania

Ancestors

Wife of Caspar Rieth Jr — married 1760 in Berks, PA

Descendants

Died before Nov 1789 before age 45 in Pennsylvania, United States

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Christopher Gorman [send private message] and Christopher Bitner [send private message]

Biography

Elizabeth was born on December 14, 1743, in Tulpehocken Township. ^[1] She was the daughter of Michael Schaeffer and Anna Margaretha Gleb. She was baptized at Reed's church, with sponsors Johann Reinhardt Ronner (possibly aka Bonner) and his wife.

Reed's Church is now known as Zion's (Reed's) Lutheran Church and is located at 38 Main St, Womelsdorf, Berks County, Pennsylvania. It was the first Lutheran congregation in the area.

See Elisabetha's father's profile for a complete list of her siblings' births.

She inherited her father's plantation at Plumton Manor after he died, sometime in 1760. ^[2]

Her brother wrote of his loss of this property in his Lebenslof:

"Soon afterward my dear Father came to visit us and he pleaded at length with me, and he asked me whether I didn't want to come to him [return to Tulpehocken]. He told me if I did, he would leave me his place in his Last Will and Testament. I told him that would be done in vain, for I am no longer able to come to him since I am now in the Community. There I want to live and to die, let happen to me what will. My father was most dissatisfied with me and so he returned home where he made his Will. In it, he left his place to my youngest sister and I came up short with my share of the inheritance." ^[3]

Elisabetha married Caspar Rieth/Reed/Riedt, Jr. at some time before her first known child was born on January 6, 1762. They appear to have lived at Plumton Manor. ^[4]

The couple had at least the following 10 children:

1. John Frederick (1762-1836) m1 Elisabeth Klingler (~1767-~1790), m2 Mary E. Groves (1769-1865); children
2. Anna Margaretha (1764-1827) m Jacob Lauks/Loucks
3. Johannes (1767- ) m Maria Magdalena Schaefer (1768-1845)
4. Johann Phillip (1767- ) twin of Johannes, died as an infant.
5. Magdalena (1768- 1840) m Michael Kalbach (1768-1840)
6. Anna Maria (1773-1848) m Jacob Fidler
7. Catharina (1776-1798)
8. Johann Caspar (1778-1847) m Elizabeth Leiss (1780-1863)
9. Johann Michael (1781- )
10. Maria Barbara (1783-1867) m George Haag/Haak/Haeg? (1777-1852)^[5]

Elisabetha was still alive on October 30, 1780 when her mother wrote her will. ^[6]

Elisabetha must have died before November 11, 1789 when her husband Caspar remarried Maria Magdalena Fedler, the widow of John Benesch. ^[7]

Research Notes

This woman's name is Elisabetha Schaeffer, not Elisabeth Magdalena. No record found for her indicates a middle name "Magdalena."

She has been confused with, but is not the same as, Anna Schaeffer (Schaefer-2805), who married Captain Casper Rieth (Rieth-120) on August 12, 1754 at Altalaha Evangelical Lutheran Church (Atolhoe), located at 11 Godfrey Street, Bethel, (Rehrersburg), Berks County. PA. No baptism record has been found for Anna, and her parents aren't yet confirmed.

Sources

1. ↑ Wright, F. Edward. Berks County, Pennsylvania Church Records of the 18th Century, Volume 3, Colonial Roots, Lewes, Delaware 2003, reprinted 2009, p. 72
2. ↑ His will, dated December 31, 1759 and probated September 20, 1760, contains this provision: "To youngest dau. Elizabeth SHAFFER, my plantation in Manor of Plumton whereon I now live for £300." Michael Schaefer in the Pennsylvania, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1683-1993
3. ↑ Lebenslauf von Joh. Nic. Schaefer (Autobiography of John Nicholas Schaefer 1722 - 1807) in Pennsylvania Folklife, Vol. XXVIII, No. 3; Transcribed and Translated by Willliam T. Parsons; Publisher Pennsylvania Folklife Society, Inc., Spring 1979, Lancaster, PA. Repository information: Marx Room - Easton Area Public LIbrary. pp. 2 - 13. The entire "Lebenslauf" is reproduced in PA Folklife. Written in German with English translation; however, some of the translation is missing details from the German version.
4. ↑ On December 22, 1763, David Brown & wife (Margretha Elizabeth Schaeffer), and Philip Brown and wife ( Anna Barbara Schaeffer) release to Casper Rieth property where their father Michael Shaffer had lived, probably his plantation in Plumton, which went to his daughter Elizabeth. B 5 p 48. [need more complete citation]
5. ↑ Her husband was maybe more likely George Hey/Hoy (Hoy-1211) rather than George Haag/Haak/Haeg. See comments on profile for Reed-23122.
6. ↑ See below. The will was written at her home in front of witnesses John Meyer and Simon Augler.
7. ↑ Fidler-297

Named in Father's 1760 Will

Michael Schaefer/Shaffer of Tulphenavon, Berks, PA, husbandman

Housewife: Anna Margreta

1st Child - Son: John Nicklaus Shaffer

Daughter: Maria Margretha Heyny/Heinin

Daughter: Maria Catharine Shaffer now in Bethleheim

Grandson: John Jacob Lesh

Daughter: Anna Barbara Brown

Daughter: Margred Elisabeth Shaffer

Youngest Daughter: Elisabeth Shaffer

Executors: Philip Brown, son-in-law; and neighbor Nicklaus Swengel

Witn: Johan Georg Kehl; Adam Jordan

Will written: 31st September 1759

Will proven: 20th September 1760

Translated from German

Berks, Pennsylvania Probates Vol 1, image 168/278

....

1760 Estate Papers for Michael Shafer

Original Will in German along with English translation

Disbursements:

Anna Margaretta Scheffer a Legacy

Matthias Reber for Schooling

Christopher Heyne a Legacy

Catherine Scheffer

Philip Brown in part of a Legacy

David Brown in part of a Legacy

Elisabeth Scheffer in part of a Legacy

Berks, Pennsylvania Estate Papers

.......

Named in Mother's 1778 Estate Papers

Anna Margaretha Shaffer, widow of Michael Schaefer, of Tulpehacon, Berks County, Pennsylvania

Daughter: Margareth Elisabeth Rudy (alias Brown) - gives her ward, Rob

Daughter: Elisabeth, wife of Casper Reed Junior

Son: John Nicholaus Schaefer

Daughter: Anna Maria Catharina Schaukirchin

Executors: Friend, Casper Reed, Senior

Witn: John Meyer; Simon Augler

Will written: 30th Ocotber 1780

Will proven: 23rd December 1782

Inventory: taken 20th December 1782 - presented January 3rd, 1783

Berks, Pennsylvania Estate Papers

.......

• Author: Dennis Cleveland Title: Cleveland, Moon, Thames Web Site Text: MyHeritage.com family tree

Acknowledgements

• Schaeffer-416 was created by Christopher Gorman through the import of Michael Johann Schaffer 1696-1760 2.GED on Feb 13, 2014.
• Thank you to Christopher Bitner for creating WikiTree profile Schaefer-464 through the import of Bitner Directs_2013-01-29.ged on Jul 31, 2013