Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 543 - 544 

MARKUS SCHAEFER is among the prominent and leading German citizens of Attica Township, and is one of the largest landholders in Sedgwick County, as he has a farm of 1,105 acres of highly fertile arable land. His residence, which stands upon section 9, is one of the best and handsomest in the locality, and is surrounded by neat, large and substantial barns and other out-buildings. He is a native of Prussia, Germany, born April 11, 1815, and is the son of Anton and Catherine (Neads) Schaefer, who are also natives of that country.

            Our subject was reared upon a farm in the Fatherland, and received but a limited education in his youth, as circumstances did not permit of his attending school regularly. On attaining the age of manhood, like all of the Prussian youth, he served some two years in the army, after which he returned to agricultural pursuits. Having attained the age of thirty-six in his native land, and finding that he had not accumulated much of this world's goods, as it is extremely difficult to raise one's condition in that oppressed country, he came to America to seek beneath the folds of the stars and stripes a home better suited to his mind. The first three years of his life in this country were spent in the State of Michigan, but in 1855 he removed to Dakota County, Minn., where he pre-empted 160 acres of land, and commenced making a farm on the virgin soil of the North Star State. He made his home in the latter place until 1874, when lie sold out all his property there, and migrated with the great flood of people who were thronging to Kansas. On coming here he purchased his present farm, on which he has placed all its present improvements, until today it is one of the best in the county.

            The subject of our sketch was married, in January, 1855, to Miss Catherine Duffen, but there were no children to bless this union, his wife dying Aug. 4, 1872. His second marriage took place Jan. 22, 1873, at which time he led to the marriage altar Miss Joanna Drexselus, a native of Germany, who became the mother of two children: Tonie, who was born in Minnesota, Nov. 11, 1873, and Matthew, in February, 1876, in Kansas. Once more he was bereft by death of his beloved companion, she dying Jan. 8, 1880, and upon the 22d of January, 1884, he entered into a matrimonial alliance with Mrs. Mary Smarsch, nee Seisberg. The lady of his choice is a native of the Empire of Austria, and was born Aug. 9, 1833. When she was about sixteen years of age she was united in marriage with Vincent Smarsch, to whom she bore some fifteen children, only five of whom are now living, as follows: Rosa, the wife of Emil Warner, a resident of Wichita; Joseph, living in Attica Township, this county; Mary, Mrs. William Palk, a resident of Wichita; Katie, who married John Simon, and makes her home in Union Township; and Tonie, a farmer of Sherman Township, this county.

            Our subject and his wife are both sincere and consistent members of the Roman Catholic Church, both of them having made their confirmation vows when they were twelve years of age. In his politics Mr. Schaefer is a stanch Democrat, and adheres to the principles formulated by that party. He is entirely a self-made man, being the only architect of his fortunes. Industry, energy and economy are his cardinal virtues, and have brought a merited success to crown his efforts. The genial, generous and sociable character of both himself and wife have endeared them to all with whom they have come in contact, and they merit and receive in the highest degree the respect and confidence of the community in which they live.

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