Alexander Schaefer, part 2: His Widow

Here is the obituary of Katherine Schaefer, widow of Alex Schaefer. It looks like she had a long and productive life herself and her story deserves mention of its own.

I do wish to point out that the article's claim that late husband had fought at Gettysburg and Antietam seems to be a mistake as the 13th Ohio Infantry served in the Western Theater. He may have seen action at such major battles as Shiloh, Perryville, Chickamauga and others, but it seems highly unlikely he was ever back east for the battles mentioned below.

Last Rites are set of Mother of 19 – Civil War Soldier’s Widolw dies at 92

Funeral services for Mrs. Katherine Schaefer, widow of Alexander Schaefer, prominent Civil War soldier, will be held at the John J. Radel Co. funeral home, Newport at 2 p.m, Friday. Burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery. She was 92.

Mrs. Schaefer, who lived most of  her life in Newport, died Wed at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Augusta Lyons, 3417 Woodburn Ave, Cincinnati. She moved from Newport following the 1937 flood.

She was the mother of 19 children, all but five of whom she outlived. Mrs. Schaefer also reared six grandchildren whose mothers died when they were very young.

Her husband was a member of the 13^th Ohio Infantry and fought in the battles of Gettysburg and Antietam. He died in 1925.

Mrs. Schaefer remained in excellent health until a week before her death. She attended the Ohio League of Woman Voters’ meeting in Columbus, last June and was photographed with Gov. Bricker.

She leaves another daughter, Miss Lillian Schaefer, and three sons, Edward, Walter and Frank G. Schaefer, proprietor of the Knight Soda Fountain Co.

Alexander Schaefer, part 1

Headstone in section 28, Evergreen Cemetery

Here is part one about a man who had an interesting Civil War career. Next week's part two will have more information about his widow, but also includes a couple of comments about this man's remarkable experiences in the war.

Alexander (Alex) Schaefer was born in Germany in 1844. After coming to the United States, he joined the Union army, first in  a three-month regiment, the 6th Ohio Infantry, apparently known as the Guthrie Grays, and then re-enlisted in the 13th Ohio Infantry.

Here is some information about the Guthrie Grays  as well as the 13th Ohio Infantry  (scroll down the page - you will see some information on the 6th Ohio (Guthrie Grays) as well.)

The 13th Ohio certainly took part in some major battles and campaigns, so there were plenty of chances for him to be captured by the Confederates, as the below article claims. If he truly survived both Libby Prison and Andersonville,  he was remarkably fortunate.

The National Park Service's Soldiers and Sailors System website does show an Alexander Schafer of the 13th Ohio as a prisoner at Andersonville, listing him as being captured on 5/27/1864 in Dallas, Ga. His "type" is listed as "Held at Andersonville and survived," quite an achievement given that prison's notorious reputation.

From this information, it appears he was captured at the Battle of Pickett's Mill, part of William T. Sherman's Atlanta Campaign.

I have been unable to find any listing of prisoners held at Libby Prison in Richmond




Kentucky Post February 8, 1919

“War Veterans will Attend Golden Wedding”

“Mr. & Mrs. Alexander Schaefer married 50 years”

“Celebration Sunday at the family residence, Fourth Street, Newport”

Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Schaefer who were married in Cincinnati Feb 8, 1869, will celebrate their golden wedding anniversary Sunday at the family residence 412 West Fourth Street, Newport. Their children, grand-children, relatives and friends, including members of the Guthrie Grays, veterans of the Civil War, will attend the celebration. Mr. Schaefer was a member of the Sixth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, in the Civil War and was twice wounded. He was captured and held for 31 days in Libby Prison and later recaptured spending nine months in Andersonville prison. He is now 74 years of age and his wife 70 years.