John Randolph Shafer ^{1 2 3 4 5 6}

  General Notes:

Most documents from his adult life show his name as Randolph but his gravestone is marked as John R. Shafer.
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  Birth Notes:

Birth date is calculated from the age at death of 78y, 1m, 6d.
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  Noted events in his life were:

• He appeared on the 1850 US Census in Middletown, MD on 16 July 1850. ³

1850 US Census
Page 321B, Roll 292, Dwelling 160, Family 166
Middletown, Frederick County, Maryland
Randolph Shaefer..36..MD..Farmer
(Living with wife, 4 children, and 2 brothers.)

NOTE - If his birth date was 20 Jul 1814, then his age should have been 35 instead of 36.
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• He appeared on the 1860 US Census in Middletown, MD on 20 June 1860. ⁴

1860 US Census
Page 63, Roll 474, Dwelling 453, Family 483
Middletown, Frederick County, Maryland
Robert Shafer..42..MD..Farmer
Randolph Shafer..45..MD
Catherine Shafer..42..MD
Charlotte Shafer..16..MD
Eliza Shafer..16..MD
John E. Shafer..13..MD
Sarah Shafer..11..MD
Martha Shafer..7..MD
Virginia Shafer..5..MD
Elizabeth Alexander..48..??..servant

NOTE - His brother, Robert, was listed first making it seem as if Robert was the "head of household" but I believe that Robert was merely living at the home of his married brother, Randolph, and his family. The real estate holdings were very large compared to neighboring farms. Their brother, Thomas, lived next door.
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• He appeared on the 1870 US Census in Middletown, MD on 27 July 1870. ⁵

1870 US Census
Page 23, Dwelling 160, Family 169
Middletown, Frederick County, Maryland
Randolph Shafer..56..MD..Farmer
(Living with wife and 7 children.)

NOTE - If his birth date was 20 Jul 1814, then his age should have been 55 instead of 56.
.

• He appeared on the 1880 US Census in Middletown District, Frederick County, MD on 9 June 1880. ¹

1880 US Census
Page 169A, District 72, Dwelling 179, Family 193, Roll 0509
Middletown District, Frederick County, Maryland
Jno. R. Shafer..Head..65..MD..Farmer
(Living with wife, 2 daughters, and 1 grandson.)
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• He was buried after 26 August 1892 in the Christ Reformed Cemetery in Middletown, MD.

Find A Grave Memorial #106279950
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John married Mary Catherine Routzahn, daughter of Daniel Routzahn and Catherine Charlotte Eickhoff, on 22 February 1844 in Middletown, MD.¹ (Mary Catherine Routzahn was born calculated 25 June 1816 in Middletown, MD,^{1 3 5} died on 21 January 1892 in Middletown, MD ⁷ and was buried after 21 January 1892 in Middletown, MD ⁷.)

  Noted events in their marriage were:

• They appeared on the 1850 US Census in Middletown, MD on 16 July 1850. ³

1850 US Census
Page 321B, Roll 292, Dwelling 160, Family 166
Middletown, Frederick County, Maryland
Randolph Shaefer..36..MD..Farmer
Mary C. Shaefer..33..MD
Charlotte E. Shaefer..5..MD
Eliza E. Shaefer..5..MD
John E. Shaefer..3..MD
Sarah C. Shaefer..5m..MD
Robert Shaefer..35..MD..Farmer
George Shaefer..22..MD..Laborer
Elizabeth Alexander..33..MD

NOTE - His real estate valuation was $16,000 which was extremely high for that area. They lived next door to his brother Thomas.
.

• They appeared on the 1860 US Census in Middletown, MD on 20 June 1860. ⁴

1860 US Census
Page 63, Roll 474, Dwelling 453, Family 483
Middletown, Frederick County, Maryland
Robert Shafer..42..MD..Farmer
Randolph Shafer..45..MD
Catherine Shafer..42..MD
Charlotte Shafer..16..MD
Eliza Shafer..16..MD
John E. Shafer..13..MD
Sarah Shafer..11..MD
Martha Shafer..7..MD
Virginia Shafer..5..MD
Elizabeth Alexander..48..??..servant

NOTE - His brother, Robert, was listed first making it seem as if Robert was the "head of household" but I believe that Robert was merely living at the home of his married brother, Randolph, and his family. The real estate holdings were very large compared to neighboring farms. Their brother, Thomas, lived next door.
.

• They appeared on the 1870 US Census in Middletown, MD on 27 July 1870. ⁵

1870 US Census
Page 23, Dwelling 160, Family 169
Middletown, Frederick County, Maryland
Randolph Shafer..56..MD..Farmer
Mary C. Shafer..54..MD..Keeping House
Charlotte E. Shafer..25..MD..House Keeper
Eliza E. Shafer..25..MD..House Keeper
John E. Shafer..23..MD..Farm Hand
Sarah C. Shafer..20..MD..House Keeper
Martha E. Shafer..16..MD..House Keeper
Emma V. Shafer..14..MD..At Home
Randolph J. Shafer..22..MD..Farm Hand
Marvin Lorentz..14..MD..Farm Hand
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• They appeared on the 1880 US Census in Middletown District, Frederick County, MD on 9 June 1880. ¹

1880 US Census
Page 169A, District 72, Dwelling 179, Family 193, Roll 0509
Middletown District, Frederick County, Maryland
Jno. R. Shafer..Head..65..MD..Farmer
Mary C. Shafer..Wife..63..MD..Keeping House
Eliza E. Shafer..Dau..36..MD
Sarah C. Shafer..Dau..30..MD
Edward R. Shafer..GSon..7..MD

NOTE - Living next door to brother Robert and Thomas. The grandson, Edward R. Shafer, was the son of Sarah Catherine Shafter and David Groff. They did not get married until 1887.
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