We are unable to determine John's origins in Pennsylvania, who his parents were or any of his siblings. Census records of his three oldest children indicate he was born in Pennsylvania. The only record of a John SHAFER (any spelling) in Somerset County that fits what is known of him was on the tax rolls for 1815 in Milford Township where the PUTMANs lived. There was a John SHAFFER, stiller-shoemaker listed. Later records indicate John was a shoemaker besides a farmer. No 1820 census which fits the family was found in any county between Somerset Co., PA and Stark Co., OH except a John SHAFFER family in Turkeyfoot Tp., Somerset Co. which might have been them if a mistake was made by the census taker on Mary's age bracket.

The family was in the 1830 census for Sugar Creek Tp., Stark Co., OH where John was taxed from 1825 through 1834 for 30 acres of land (which he didn't own) near Wilmot, Ohio. Mary's brothers, Gabriel and John had settled there earlier. He obtained land in what is now Allen Township, Hancock Co., OH from the US Government on 23 Oct 1832 and raised his family there until he died. He was originally buried on his own land, but evidently was moved at a later date to the Bechtel Cemetery at Van Buren, OH. (At least his and Mary's tombstones were moved there.)

According to a sketch on son, William Samuel, in Brown's History of Hancock Co., there were two other children born to John and Mary who didn't reach maturity. On November 24th, 1848, David DORSEY was named as guardian of "Catharine Shaffer aged 16 years the 19th day of March 1848 & also for Josiah Shaffer aged 16 yrs on the 15th day of March 1848."

In 1850, Catharine was living in Putnam Co., OH with her sister Elizabeth YOUNGKIN. There is a marriage record for a Catharine Shafer to a William C. Stewart on December 7, 1852 in Putnam Co., OH, and this is probably pertains to our Catharine, but no further definitive record has been found for her.