G. Frederick Schafnit ^{1 2 3 4 5 7}

  General Notes:

Other researchers who are no doubt copying from one another, show his given name as "M. G. Fred Schafnit" with no source citation being provided for the information. Almost all records show only his preferred name of Fred but his obituary provided at least part of his real given name indicating the Fred, or Frederick, was actually his middle name.
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  Noted events in his life were:

• He has alternate birth date of February 1866 and a birth location of Iowa.

There are several good arguments as to why a birth year of 1866 seems more plausible than the year of 1867.

The 1900 Census shows a date of Feb 1866 with the original age of 33 entered by the enumerator. However, the supervisor upon checking the document, scratched out the age of 33 and wrote in 34 in order to make it validate the birth date of Feb 1866. So the question is, which one was originally correct, the year of 1866 or the age of 33? If the year of 1866 was correct, then his age should have been 34 which is how the supervisor changed it. On the other hand, if the age of 33 was correct, then the supervisor should have changed the birth year from 1866 to 1867.

The 1910 census provided an age of 44 which means the correct birth year was 1866.

The 1920 census provided an age of 53 but because the 1920 census was dated 1 Jan 1920, the birth year of 1866 would have been correct.

The 1930 census provided an age of 63 but because it was dated as of 1 Apr 1930, that age of 63 would mean Feb 1867 was a valid birth year instead of 1866. It is the only document that supports a birth year of 1867.
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• He appeared on the 1900 US Census in Moscow Township, Muscatine County, IA on 26 June 1900. ²

1900 US Census
Sheet 7A, District 102, Household 145
Moscow Township, Muscatine County, Iowa
Married 4 years
Farm owned, with mortgage
Fred Shafnit Jr..Head..Feb 1866..34..IA..Farmer

(Living with wife and daughter.)

NOTE - His birth year is believed to be 1867 instead of 1866.
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• He appeared on the 1910 US Census in Goshen Township, Muscatine, IA on April 1910. ³

1910 US Census
Sheet 1B, District 103, Household 8
Goshen Township, Muscatine County, Iowa
Fred Schafnit..Head..44..IA

(Living with wife and 3 children.)
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• He appeared on the 1920 US Census in Goshen Township, Muscatine, IA on January 1920. ⁴

1920 US Census
Sheet 7A, District 114, Household 154
Goshen Township, Muscatine County, Iowa
Fred Schafint..Head..53..IA

(Living with wife and 3 children.)
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• He appeared on the 1930 US Census in Goshen Township, Muscatine, IA on April 1930. ⁵

1930 US Census
Sheet 1A, District 0006, Household 6, Roll 670
Goshen Township, Muscatine County, Iowa
Fred Schafnit..Head..63..IA

(Living with wife.)
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• His obituary was published in the Muscatine Journal and News-Tribune on 28 May 1937 in Muscatine, IA.

G. F. Schafnit, 70, Lifelong County Resident, called G. Frederick Schafnit, 70, a resident of Atalissa for the past 40 years and of Muscatine county all his life, died at his home Thursday night following an extended illness with complications. Mr. Schafnit married Varena Crees March 26, 1896 at Atalissa. He was a member of the Presbyterian church of Atalissa and of the Woodman lodge. Surviving are his wife and three children, B. J. Schafnit and Mrs. G. W. Morrison of Atalissa and Miss Clara Schafnit of Muscatine, a brother, H. L. Schafnit of Moscow, and four grandchildren, Ronald Schafnit, Richard, Shirley and Doris Jean Morrison. Funeral services will be held Sunday at 2:30 p. m. at the Hoffman Funeral church. The Rev. H. E. Dieter, pastor of the Lutheran church at Atalissa, and Dr. David I. Berger pastor of the First Presbyterian church of Muscatine will officiate. Burial will be in Greenwood cemetery. The body will remain at the funeral home until the hour of service.

(Source: Muscatine Journal and News-Tribune, 28 May 1937, Page 1)
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G. F. Schafnit Rites Are Observed Here
Last rites for G. Frederick Schafnit, 70, of Atalissa who died Thursday night were conducted Sunday at 2 p. m. at the Hoffman Funeral church. The Rev H. E. Dieter pastor of the Lutheran church at Atalissa officiated with Dr. David I. Berger pastor of the First Presbyterian church of Muscatine in charge at the grave.

(Source: Muscatine Journal and News-Tribune, 31 May 1937)
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• He was buried on 30 May 1937 in the Greenwood Cemetery in Muscatine, IA.

Find A Grave Memorial #124007481
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G. married Varena Crees, daughter of Joseph W. Crees and Lucette Jane Linn, on 26 March 1896 in Moscow Township, Muscatine County, IA.^{1 2 3 4 5 7} (Varena Crees was born on 18 June 1877 in Cedar County, IA,^{2 4 5 7 9 10 11 12 13} died on 12 October 1964 in Muscatine, IA ^{7 13} and was buried on 15 October 1964 in Muscatine, IA ¹³.)

  Noted events in their marriage were:

• They appeared on the 1900 US Census in Moscow Township, Muscatine County, IA on 26 June 1900. ²

1900 US Census
Sheet 7A, District 102, Household 145
Moscow Township, Muscatine County, Iowa
Married 4 years
Farm owned, with mortgage
Fred Shafnit Jr..Head..Feb 1866..34..IA..Farmer
Verena Shafnit..Wife..Jun 1877..22..IA..1/1
Clara Shafnit..Daughter..Jul 1898..1..IA
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• They appeared on the 1910 US Census in Goshen Township, Muscatine, IA on April 1910. ³

1910 US Census
Sheet 1B, District 103, Household 8
Goshen Township, Muscatine County, Iowa
Fred Schafnit..Head..44..IA
Varena Schafnit..Wife..34..IA
Clara Schafnit..Daughter..11..IA
Joseph B. Schafnit..Son..8..IA
Gladys Schafnit..Daughter..1..IA
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• They appeared on the 1920 US Census in Goshen Township, Muscatine, IA on January 1920. ⁴

1920 US Census
Sheet 7A, District 114, Household 154
Goshen Township, Muscatine County, Iowa
Fred Schafint..Head..53..IA
Varena Schafint..Wife..43..IA
Clara J. Schafint..Daughter..21..IA
Bertram J. Schafint..Son..18..IA
Gladys B. Schafint..Daughter..11..IA
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• They appeared on the 1930 US Census in Goshen Township, Muscatine, IA on April 1930. ⁵

1930 US Census
Sheet 1A, District 6, Household 6, Roll 670
Goshen Township, Muscatine County, Iowa
Fred Schafnit..Head..63..IA
Varena Schafnit..Wife..53..IA
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