Schafer Family
Eva Privett is the granddaughter of Mary Elizabeth Schafer (nee Anderson)
Mary Elizabeth Schafer (grandmother of Eva Privett) was born Sept. 22, 1849 in Wheatland, Indiana (Franklin County). She was the daughter of Johann Christian Schafer and Mary Mattern Schafer. (ref) She passed away on March 28, 1929 and is buried with her husband in Green Forest cemetery. She married Jeremiah Anderson on March 23, 1869 and they had twelve (!) children:
- Sarah E. Anderson
- Phillip Sampson Anderson
- Martha M. Anderson
- Marion W. Anderson
- Alicia A. Anderson
- Mary Caroline Anderson
- Jeremiah Michael Anderson (Jr.)
- Clara A. Anderson
- Jacob Anthony Anderson
- Susan Alpha Anderson
- James Anderson
- Eva Delpha Anderson
The Schafers were reported to have bad tempers...especially the men. One day one of Jeremiah (Anderson's?) cows broke through one of the Schafer brothers fence. He was hopping mad,when he arrived at Jeremiah's door. "Your cow just torn down my fence!" he yelled at Jeremiah who was a quiet man of even temper. He stood quietly for a moment,then said "Well why are you yelling at me,it's Mary's cow."
Mary Mattern Schafer (great-grandmother of Eva Privett) was born around 1804 (possibly 1809) in Hanover, Germany. She married Johann Christian Schafer around 1845. Mary attended Heidelberg University College of Medicine, one of the oldest and best known universities in Europe. There she majored in obstetrics and medicine for home and family care. She was a licensed medical doctor and was no doubt one of the few woman attending college anywhere at that time. When the family came to the United States, she never called herself Doctor. A woman would never have been accepted as such then. She was a licensed mid-wife and used her medical skills to help all who ask. Folks said Grandma Schafer was better then any doctor. Small wonder, few doctors had the opportunity to study at one of the finest Universities in Europe.
Mary passed away in 1889 and is buried in Green Forest Cemetery in Salem, MO. Family legend has it that her husband, Christian, had an alcohol problem and that their relationship was so strained that she refused to be buried with him in Cage Cemetery.
The following information is from FamilySearch International Genealogical Index sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Information was provided by a site user and authenticity or accuracy cannot be guaranteed.
Johann Christian Schafer (great-grandfather of Eva Privett) was born on August 18, 1819 in Germany and passed away August 11, 1859. He was the son of Valentine Schafer and Anna Magdalene Voltz. He married Mary Mattern around 1845 in Indiana. (ref)
Anna Magdalene Voltz (great-great-grandmother of Eva Privett) was born in 1797 in Germany. She married Valentine Schafer in 1818. (ref)
Valentine Schafer (great-great-grandfather of Eva Privett) was born in 1793 in Germany. (ref)
