OBITUARY
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David Shaffer, Born Oct. 6, 1821---Died March, 12, 1901
The deceased was born in Pennsylvania and died in Vining, Washington county, Kan., aged 79 years 5 months and 6 days
He lived in his native state until 1858, having united with the Methodist church at about the age of 16. In 1842 he was joined in marriage to Miss Sarah A. Wykoff. In 1858 he with his family located to Illinois. In 1865 they moved to Kansas and settled in Clay county, having located in our city in Washington county about fourteen years ago.
Mr. Shaffer was a pioneer Methodist preacher and evangelist, having devoted his best life's work to that cause in early states and territories from Pennsylvania to Oregon. The deceased was a true Christian and devoted to the Christ work. He leaves a wife and seven children to mourn his loss, five boys and two girls.
His remains were interred in the Vining cemetary, Rev J. E. White of the Vining Christian church officiating. The services were held in the Vining church at 2 pm Wednesday, March 13, 1901
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DAVID SHAFFER DEAD
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Was a Resident of Clay County More Than Thirty-five Years--Typical Pioneer.
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I have been requested to express the heartfelt thanks of the family for the many kindnesses received during the last illness of David Shaffer, who died at Fining, Kan., March 12, in the eightieth year of his age.
His early manhood was passed in Potter county, Pa. When about thirty-seven years old he, with his young family , moved to Knox county, Ill., where he lived about seven years.
He came to Clay county, Kansas, in the fall of 1865 and took a homestead three miles northwest of Clay Center, which then consisted of a sod house, a log house and a small frame house. Mr. Shaffer had been a citizen of this county more than thirty-five years. The old settlers knew him as a straight-forward, honest, sincere Christian man. He was a local preacher of the Methodist church. He always regretted his lack of education, as he wished to give his life wholly to the ministry. He had an active, logical mind, was a great debater, was well read in the Bible and he was able to discuss intelligently most public and religious questions. He was a Christian of the old school, who accepted the gospel with all his heart. An old-fashioned camp meeting was to him like the gates of Paradise.
The old settlers are passing away. It was our privilege to become acquainted with many of them nearly a quarter of a century ago. We have seen wonderful exhibitions of manly Christian character in the old Kansas pioneers. We recall the names of Mr. Chester, Mr. Quinby, Mr. Shaffer, Dr. Warren, Thomas Mullis, Mrs. Vinzant, Mrs. Schinberger, Mrs. Miller and others living and dead, whose influence for good will be felt for generations to come. They have given us examples of plain, practical Christian living, which does more to illumine, expound and give credit to the Bible than all the scholars of the world with their hair-splitting learning and their theories tinged with unbelief.
And now, Father Shaffer, we shall meet you no more in our earthly pilgrimage, but we shall always remember you and we hope to meet you again. We often talked over the unsolved mysteries of the future life. We then saw as "in a glass, darkly,' but with you it is "face to face." How happy you must be singing and rejoicing in the great company of saints and worthies gone before.
We ought not weep and put on mourning for those who always do right and live pure and spotless lives. What evil can befall them, even though they die? Rather let us wear bright apparel, sing songs and solemnly rejoice at the thought of Christian victory and happy death. There is no dark river; there is light in the valley and the gloom is breaking away. And now, dearest brother, farewell, till we meet again in the morning. As Elisha said: "My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof."
N. H. Dimon, Jr.
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