Charles Stoever Schaeffer

Educator and Pastor

Charles (Charlie”) Stoever Schaeffer was born in Germantown, Pennsylvania, on 16 November 1830 to John and Sarah Stoever Schaeffer. He and Ada (Addie) August Smart (1837-1921) married 28 November 1872 in Germantown. By May 1897 Charles filed as an invalid to collect a US Civil War Pension. He died on 5 May 1899 in Pennsylvania after several operations, living to be 69 years old. He was buried in Ivy Hill Cemetery, Philadelphia, Pa.

Ada and Charles had two children. Their first child, Charles Harrison Schaeffer was born on 16 Sept 1873 in Christiansburg, Va.

Charles H. married Mary Mae McClung Childress (1877-1969) on 2 March 1898. Mary’s father was M. G. Childress and mother was C. Gardner Childress. Charles H. died in Christiansburg on 14 December 1923 from poisoning. His death certificate listed his occupation as a “traveling salesman” but on the marriage certificate as “jeweler.” Elizabeth Winifred Schaeffer Dillon (1895-1972) was born to this couple.

Charles S. and Addie’s second child, Mary Elizabeth “Bessie” Schaeffer was born in 18 January 1876 in Christiansburg, Va. and died on 13 August 1892, at age 16 years old from diabetes mellitus. She was buried in Ivy Hill Cemetery, Pa. Her mother, Addie died in Germantown, Pa in July 1921.

Charles S. Schaeffer

  • Charles H. Harrison, The Story of A Consecrated Life Commemorative of Rev. Charles S. Schaeffer, Brevet-Captain US V, 1900. Printed by Author by JP Lippincott Co, PA. A man of his time and fraught with the Lost Cause mythology, Harrison provides much information from letters and reports about Schaeffer’s time in the county. (An interesting note, Schaeffer’s son’s middle name is also Harrison.)
  • National Museum of American History Information about Charles S. Schaeffer “Charles S. Schaeffer was a highly respected soldier who rose quickly in rank with the 1st Delaware Volunteers. At the start of the war, Schaeffer was a commissary sergeant. On June 25, 1862, he was promoted to second lieutenant. On December 28, 1862, Schaeffer was promoted to first lieutenant of Company K. During the July 1863 Battle of Gettysburg, Schaeffer was wounded, but commended by his superiors on his bravery. He was appointed adjutant, on August 21, 1863. Records show Schaeffer was discharged on June 27, 1864, due to disability from an unknown injury.”
  • Schaeffer Baptist Church History History of Schaeffer’s life and involvement in the establishment of the church which was known as Christiansburg African Baptist Church on Zion Hill. The rockstone “Parsonage” which Schaeffer built was located where the Veterans of Foreign Wars building now stands, 450 High Street, Christiansburg.

Freedman’s Bureau Sources

  • National Archives
  • Captain Charles Schaeffer Documents
    • Killen, Linda and Cheryl Shouse. Freedmen’s Bureau: The Reports of Charles S Schaeffer from the Virginia counties of Montgomery and Pulaski, with additional information on the counties of Floyd, Giles, Craig, Whyte, and Roanoke – 1866-1868

Friends’ of the Freedman’s Association Sources

Christiansburg Institute (CI) Sources

Hill School and Christiansburg Institute (CI) Sources

Schaeffer Memorial Church, High Street, Christiansburg, Virginia

Library of Virginia Special Collections

  • 43960, 45554, 50423, Correspondence and Subject files of the Director of the Department of Historic Resources, 1966-2007. (Box 5, folder 6, CI)
  • Box 4, Deeds of easement of the Virginia Dept. of Historic Resources, 1969-2010, Long Building (Edgar Long Building at  Christiansburg Institute ), Montgomery County (Acc. 43430), 2005

Virginia Tech Special Collections & University Archives – Specific Collections Listed

Reports of Charles S. Schaeffer 1866-1868