Good Afternoon Vashenan Listmates and in particular Sharon, While looking for some information in old newspapers, I came across the following which I wanted to share since this is of historic value. It is the first time in the history of Shenandoah County, that a slate was admitted as a Will into the court for probate. ---------------- The Shenandoah Herald Friday, 12 April 1901 Page 3, Column 3 & 4 COUNTY COURT PROCEEDINGS Last Will and Testament of George W. Shaeffer, deceased, admitted to probate. In admitting this Will to probate, C. W. Bennick attorney of New Market, produced a slate into court, on which was written this Will, and handwriting of Testator proven, and the Will on the slate admitted to record. PERSONAL A WILL WRITTEN ON A SLATE On last Monday the Will of Mr. George Schaeffer of New Market, written on a slate in the handwriting of the testator was admitted to probate. For the first time in the history of this county, the clerk finds it to be his duty to file among the papers of his office a slate. Mr. Shaeffer wrote the Will on a slate and intended to copy on paper the following day, but died before he could do so. --------------------- TOMBSTONE INSCRIPTION Cedar Grove Cemetery, North of New Market and across from Cedar Grove Brethren Church on Hwy 11 (Valley Pike) George W. Shaffer Born: 16 August 1863 Died: 13 March 1901 --------------- Sharon already knows this, but for the rest of the List, George W. Shaffer Jr. was the son of George W. Shaffer and wife Margaret Ellen Golladay and they had at least 14 children that lived passed infancy. 1. Lydia Ann Shaffer - October 1859 2. Josephine Shaffer - 1860 3. Sarah Florence Shaffer - 1861 4. Mary Frances Shaffer - July 1862 5. George W. Shaffer - August 1863 6. Malinda Katorah Shaffer - March 1864 7. Emma Melicher Shaffer - August 1867 8. Casper Eugene Shaffer - January 1869 9. Luther Milton Shaffer - June 1871 10. Ava E. Shaffer - 1873 11. William Arthur Shaffer - July 1875 12. Dewitt Huston Shaffer - July 1877 13. Clarence Monroe Shaffer - June 1879 14. Valley T. Shaffer - July 1881 George Shaffer and all other spelling thereof is found in the census and newspapers under Shaver, Schaefferm Shaeffer, and Shaffer and on his tombstone as Shaffer. ------------- 1870 Federal Census: Virginia Lee District, Shenandoah County Enumerated 1 September 1870 Page 726B & 727A Lines 36-40 & 1-4, HH 349/342 George Shaver 35/Male/White/Laborer/$200-$100/VA Ellen Shaver 32/Female/White/KeepsHouse/VA Lydia A. Shaver 12/Female/White/VA Josephine Shaver 10/Female/White/VA GEORGE SHAVER 7/Male/White/VA Mary Shaver 8/Female/White/VA Malinda Shaver 6/Female/White/VA Emma Shaver 4/Female/White/VA Casper Shaver 1/Male/White/VA Next Door his brother: Lines 5-9, HH 350/342 John B. Shaffer 26/Male/White/Laborer/-----$100/VA Sally Shaffer 30/Female/White/KeepsHouse/VA Daniel Shaffer 2/Male/White/VA Casper Shaffer 2/Male/White/VA Sally L. Neff 9/Female/White/VA --------------------- 1880 Federal Census: Virginia Lee District, ED 88, Shenandoah County Enumerated 7 June 1880 Page 512A Lines 15-25, HH 195/207 George W. Shaffer W/M/45/Md/WorksOnFarm/ChronicBronchitis/VA/VA/VA Margaret E. Shaffer Wife/W/F/41KeepingHouse/VA/VA/VA Sarah F. Shaffer Dau/W/F/19/AtHome/VA/VA/VA GEORGE W. SHAFFER JR. Son/W/M/16/WorksOnFarm/VA/VA/VA Malinda K. Shaffer Dau/W/F/14/AtHome/VA/VA/VA Emma M. Shaffer Dau/W/F/12/AtHome/VA/VA/VA Casper E. Shaffer Son/W/M/11/AtHome/CannotReadOrWrite/VA/VA/VA Luther M. Shaffer Son/W/M/8/VA/VA/VA William A. Shaffer Son/W/M/4/VA/VA/VA Dewitt H. Shaffer Son/W/M/2/VA/VA/VA Clarence M. Shaffer Son/W/M/11mosBornJune/VA/VA/VA ---------------------- 1900 Federal Census: Virginia Lee Township, New Market, ED 77, Shenandoah County Enumerated 9 June 1900 Page 216A, Sheet 5 Lines 21-29, HH 84/86 George W. Shaffer Head/W/M/Feb1835/65/Md46yrs/Farmer/OwnsFree/VA/VA/VA Margaret E. Shaffer Wife/W/F/Sept1838/61/14children11living/VA/VA/VA Lydia A. Shaffer Dau/W/F/Oct1859/40/Single/VA/VA/VA GEORGE W. SHAFFER Son/W/M/Aug1863/36/Single/Farmer/VA/VA/VA {Wrote Will on Slate} Emma Shaffer Dau/W/F/Aug1867/32/Single/VA/VA/VA Luther M. Shaffer Dau/W/F/June1871/28/Single/Farmer/VA/VA/VA Dewitt H. Shaffer Son/W/M/July1877/22/Single/FarmLaborer/VA/VA/VA Valley T. Shaffer Dau/W/F/July1881/18/Single/VA/VA/VA Cletus V. Shaffer Grandson/W/M/April1886/14/AttendedSchool/VA/VA/VA --------------------- Researched and Submitted by Gloria Bushong