Frederick David Schaeffer
Frederick David Schaeffer (born in Frankfurt am Main, 15 November 1760; died in Frederick, Maryland, 27 January 1836) was a German-American Lutheran clergyman.
Biography
In 1768 he was sent to the gymnasium in Hanau. When both of his parents died, he left the gymnasium.[1] In 1776 he emigrated with an uncle to the United States, but shortly after their arrival the uncle died, and he was left destitute. After teaching in York County, Pennsylvania, he studied theology with Jacob Goering,[1] was licensed to preach in 1786, and ordained in 1788.
He became pastor of Lutheran congregations at Carlisle (1786-1790)b[1] Germantown (St. Michael's; 1790-1812), and from 1812 to 1834 was the colleague of Rev. Dr. Justus Henry Christian Helmuth in Philadelphia. In 1834, in consequence of the infirmities of age, he relinquished the ministry, and moved to Frederick, Maryland.
He received the degree of D.D. in 1813 from the University of Pennsylvania. Schaeffer was a close student, a fine classical scholar, and a good Hebraist. He was most effective in his teaching of children.[1]
Works
- Antwort auf eine Vertheidigung der Methodisten, a response to the evangelists of the Second Great Awakening (Answer to a defense of the Methodists; Germantown, Pennsylvania, 1806)
- Eine herzliche Anrede (A heartfelt address, 1806)
Family
In 1786, he married Rosina Rosenmiller, who died the year before he did. They had eight children, four of whom became Lutheran clergymen: David Frederick, Frederick Christian, Charles Frederick and Frederick Solomon. The last named died at 25, leaving a son, Charles William, to become a Lutheran clergyman.[1]
Notes
- 1 2 3 4 5 George Harvey Genzmer (1935). "Schaeffer, Frederick David". Dictionary of American Biography. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons.
References
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Wilson, James Grant; Fiske, John, eds. (1900). "Schaeffer, Frederick David". Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography. New York: D. Appleton.