William J Shafer

William J was born in May 1874 in Illinois.¹   William J's father was Peter H Shafer and his mother was Annie E (Anna) Middleham.  His maternal grandparents were William H Middleham and Lucy Jane Marshall. He had four brothers and five sisters, named Henry F, Robert S, George W, Emerson C, Nealie, Nellie, Alice, Marie A, Myrtle M and Ethel L.  He was the oldest of the ten children.

They had a daughter named Wilma M.