Henry Schaffner/Shoffner: From Switzerland to Redbank Township

I recently had an email asking me about George Blose who was a coal miner that lived in Redbank Township in 1930.  In trying to help answer a question about what coal mine he may have worked in, I came across a site that I believe may be of interest to others since many people worked in the coal mines.  This site lists the coal mines in each county in western Pennsylvania by communities:  http://patheoldminer.rootsweb.ancestry.com/.

I've been feeling guilty since it's been a long time since I've posted on this blog.
Henry Schaffner/Shoffner is one of my ancestors that came from Switzerland and settled in Redbank Township, Armstrong County.  He died in Redbank Township, Clarion County sometime between 3 April and 6 May 1850. There is a passenger record for he and his family showing their entry into the United States on 16 August 1816, in Philadelphia on the ship Broderschap. The passenger record is available on both http://www.ancestry.com and https://familysearch.org.  Although Henry Schaffner left a will, it only names his wife Susanna and what she was to receive from his estate. Since he owned property at the time of his death that could not be divided among his heirs, the Orphans Court ordered that it be sold. The Orphans Court records are important since they list his children,the names of his married daughter's husbands, and the children of his daughter Eve who had died. The passenger's record is shown here. Barbara Schaffner may be another daughter who died after their arrival or another relative.

Henry Schaffner was married twice.  His first wife was Salome Thommen.  They were married 19 February 1799 in Sissach, Baselland, Switzerland.  Their marriage record is available at https://familysearch.org.  Nine of Henry and Salome's children were baptized at Anwil, Sissach, Baselland, Switzerland.  Their birth and baptism dates were obtained from Family History microfilm 953,174 for the Evangelisch-Reformierte Kirche Oltingen (Anwil).  Henry was married to Susanna sometime after he arrived in Pennsylvania.  His two youngest children were probably to Susanna.

His children were as follows:

1)  Elizabeth born 4 September 1799, baptized 8 September 1799, married John  Boozer
2)  Ann "Annie" born 29 April 1801, baptized 3 May 1801, married George Himes
3)  Henry born 7 February 1803, baptized 13 February 1803
4)  Eva born 19 June 1804, baptized 24 June 1804, married Peter Himes
5)  John born 20 January 1806, baptized 21 January 1806
6)  Salome born 22 March 1808, baptized 27 March 1808, married David Himes
7)  Jacob born 31 October 1809, baptized 5 November 1809, married Susannah Rhodes
8)  Mary born 2 April 1811, baptized 7 April 1811, never married
9)  Christian born 29 September 1812, baptized 4 October 1812, married Susanna
10)  Jane born August 1819, married Abraham Rhodes
11)  Catharine born about 1824, never married

The birth date on Salome's tombstone is for 1807 rather than 1808. Annie's birth date as calculated from her date of death and age given on her tombstone is not the same as the birth date in the church record.  Salome's baptismal record is shown below:

Three of Henry Schaffner's children married three Himes brothers, children of John William Himes and Anna Barbara Hetrick.

Henry Schaffner was living in Mifflin Township, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania in the 1820 census and in Redbank Township, Armstrong County in the 1830 and 1840 censuses. He purchased 193 acres on 13 March 1838 in Redbank Township, Armstrong County and later sold 56 acres to Levi Clepper on 3 March 1845 in Redbank Township, Clarion County.

Susanna Schaffner does not appear in the 1850 census in Redbank Township, Clarion County after Henry died.  She was living on 2 September, 1850 when the petition was filed in Orphans Court in Clarion County to sell Henry Schaffner's property.  There is no further record for her.

Hopefully the above information will be helpful to others looking for information on Henry Schaffner and his family.  If anyone has information to share on any of his children, please contact me.