A Narrative History of The People of Iowa with SPECIAL TREATMENT OF THEIR CHIEF ENTERPRISES IN EDUCATION, RELIGION, VALOR, INDUSTRY, BUSINESS, ETC. by EDGAR RUBEY HARLAN, LL. B., A. M. Curator of the Historical, Memorial and Art Department of Iowa Volume IV THE AMERICAN HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Inc. Chicago and New York 1931 JOHN H. SCHAEFER, of Davenport, has been in the retail grocery business there for thirty-seven years, and is known from one end of the country to the other because of his leadership in and his service for some years as president of the National Retail Grocers Association. Mr. Schaefer was born at Davenport, in 1865, son of Adam and Ellen (Pheiffer) Schaefer. His father was a native of St. Louis, Missouri, and his mother of Pennsylvania, and the grandparents on both sides came from Germany. Adam Schaefer when a boy located in Davenport, in the early 1840's and for many years followed his trade as a stationary engineer. John H. Schaefer attended public schools in Davenport and the Duncan Business College. His first work being in a grocery store, he has never deviated far from this preliminary training and experience and has been identified with the retail grocery business ever since leaving school. For thirty-seven years he has carried on what is known as the J. H. Schaefer Grocery. His store is located in one of the high class residence districts and caters to a very prosperous community of people. Mr. Schaefer for a time was associated with a wholesale grocery house known as the Beiderbecke & Miller firm of Davenport. He is also active in the real estate business, owns a great deal of property in and around Davenport, and he built the business block at 1213 Harrison Street which houses his store, other portions being rented to business firms. He planted and developed the subdivision known as Schaefer's first addition, at Lombard and Gaines streets. Mr. Schaefer came into national prominence during the World war, when he was serving as president of three organizations, the Davenport, Iowa State and National Retail Grocers Associations. He was also a member of Mr. Hoover's personal staff and spent a great deal of time at Washington in connection with the work of the National Retail Grocers Association. He served three years as president of that association, three years as president of the Iowa State and twelve years as president of the Davenport Association. Mr. Schaefer has been for twenty-five years a member of the Davenport Chamber of Commerce and formerly accepted assignments to many of its important committees. He had much to do with securing the splendid new building for the Elks Club, and is a member of the Kiwanis Club. He has lived the life of a practical Christian without membership in any church. Mr. Schaefer married, in 1891, Miss Emma Goos, who died in 1925. There are five children. The son, Jack, associated with his father's grocery business, married Jane Kuehl, a daughter of Louis Kuehl, a pioneer grocer of Davenport. The daughter Elsie is the wife of R. A. FitzSimonds and Gertrude is the of N. A. Flick. Delia M., the third daughter, is the wife of W. H. Romine, a civil engineer and assistant superintendent of parks at Davenport, and member of one of the old families of that city. The youngest daughter, Jannette, is the wife of Harms Peters. Debbie Clough Gerischer Iowa History Project _http://iagenweb.org/history/_ (http://iagenweb.org/history/) Scott County, Iowa _http://www.celticcousins.net/scott/index.htm_ (http://www.celticcousins.net/scott/index.htm) **************Great Deals on Dell 15" Laptops - Starting at $479 (http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1219799606x1201361003/aol?redir=http:%2F%2Fad.doub leclick.net%2Fclk%3B213153745%3B34689725%3Bo)