GEORGE H. T. SCHAEFER.
George H. T. Schaefer, contractor and builder, has achieved such a reputation in his avocation during his more than thirty years of residence in Atchison, as to place him in the front rank of artisans in his adopted city. History is constantly repeating itself, when we chronicle the fact that “from small beginnings, great things have grown.” Mr. Schaefer began contracting in a small way, after quitting the first job which he held in Atchison. The results of his handiwork are now seen on every hand, and include the most stately and costly buildings of the city and structures throughout Kansas and Nebraska. Through all of his success Mr. Schaefer has remained the same, unassuming, plain citizen, whose motto has been, “honest work for honest money.” There are few men in his profession who can point to a more successful career, and who can look back over long years spent in erecting abiding places for mankind, and realize that every contract was fulfilled faithfully and the work well and consistently done to the satisfaction of the owners.
G. H. T. Schaefer was born November 11, 1857, in Indianapolis, Ind., and is a son of Rev. J. George and Minnie Schaefer. His father was a native of Stuttgart, Germany, and his mother of Hamburg, Germany. Both came to this country in youth with their respective parents. The father was educated for the Lutheran ministry, and in 1863 left Indianapolis and took charge of a church at Lanesville, Ind., twelve miles from New Albany, on the stage route in Indiana. From that time on he filled various charges and died in the midst of his pastoral labors in New Boston, Ind. The mother now resides in Atchison. He, with whom this review directly concerns, left the parental roof when thirteen years of age and went to Indianapolis, where he learned the trade of carpenter. After serving his apprenticeship he spent two years in the vicinity of his father’s home at New Boston, working for an old German contractor. This experience was invaluable, inasmuch as his employer took contracts for erecting barns, churches and bridges from the standing timber. The future contractor here learned to create buildings from the virgin timber of the forests. Desiring to gain a wider experience in his calling, in 1876 he went to Evansville, Ind., then, as now, an important river city. He spent one year in this city, and during that time witnessed the great cyclone which swept this section of the country and destroyed lives and many buildings. Mt. Carmel, Ill., was badly wrecked, and he arrived on the scene of the disaster in time to help bury the dead and assist in the rebuilding of the city. In 1879 he went to Greenville, Miss., and during the winter the yellow fever, which had been epidemic in New Orleans, broke out in Greenville, and he managed to catch the last boat leaving the wharf for St. Louis. From here he went to Kansas City, but no sooner did he set foot on the streets of this growing metropolis than he was besieged by real estate men who wanted to sell him property. He became disgusted with Kansas City and took a train for Atchison. Here he purchased a ticket for a point 200 miles west on the Central Branch railroad and landed at Cawker City. Upon alighting from the train and making inquiries about work he was informed that, inasmuch as he did not belong to any lodges, and had no connections in the western town, he could get no work. However, he got a job and was kept busily employed for two years, building in the surrounding country. He erected dwellings and business houses in Jewell and Mitchell counties, at a time when the country was in the initial stage of its development. He invested his savings in property, only to see his hopes of gaining a permanent competence swept away, when the hot winds came and ruined the corn crop and scorching everything in its path. Mr. Schaefer promptly left and decided to locate in Omaha. On his way eastward he drew matches to decide upon his stopping place and the choice fell to Atchison. This was in 1882. On reaching this city he saw in the Atchison Globe an advertisement, reading: “Competent man wanted to take charge of building,” etc. The following morning he applied for the job, and was given the post of foreman by Mr. Jones, a contractor, who had undertaken to erect the Presbyterian church, a stone structure. He received two dollars per day for his services as foreman, with the understanding that his employer was to advance his wages according to his worth as a foreman. As foreman he did not receive any more pay than the men who were working under him; consequently, when he had supervised the erection of the stone structure as far as the roof, he quit the job, despite the fact that his boss offered him three dollars per day to continue working for him. Mr. Schaefer’s first contract in Atchison was the erection of a barn on south Third street. Since his first job he has not lacked for contracts, and he has been employed repeatedly by the same patrons who were well satisfied with the work done. His most notable building operations included the magnificent Ingalls high school building, erected at a cost of $125,000; the G. C. Wattles residence, the Bradley residence, the Blish, Mize Silliman building, costing $125,000; three double officers’ quarters at Ft. Leavenworth; thirty church edifices in Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska; the Presbyterian church in Ottawa, Kan., and the Masonic Temple in Atchison, built at a cost of $65,000, and completed in December of 1915. He employs from ten to seventy-five skilled men, as occasion requires. He formerly operated a large planing mill on Eighth street, which was destroyed by fire in 1913. Mr. Schaefer was married in 1884 to Lizzie Jacobs, of Atchison, Kan. To them have been born the following children: Clara, wife of John Frommer, Oak street, Atchison; Minnie, wife of John Krusemark, 915 North Eleventh street; Etta, wife of Albert Frommer, St. Paul, Minn.; Corrine, wife of Paul Smith, merchant, of Atchison; Julia, Edwin, Laura, and Ruth, at home with their parents. Edwin is a machinist in the employ of the Railway Specialty Company. Mrs. Schaefer was a daughter of J. H. and Catharine Jacobs, who came from Germany in 1860, accompanied by their three children: Henry, deceased; Mrs. Schaefer, and John E., and a son, Conrad V., was born here. The Jacobs first located in Pennsylvania, and then in Ft. Wayne, Ind., removing from there to Illinois in 1865, and coming to Atchison in 1867. J. H. Jacobs was employed by the Hixon Lumber Company, and died February 8, 1896, at the age of seventy-two years. His wife died December 26, 1895, aged seventy-three years.
Politically. Mr. Schaefer is an independent Republican, and served one term as city councilman from the Fifth ward. He is a member of the Lutheran church, belongs to no lodges, and is essentially a home man when he is not engaged in building. His investments are principally in Atchison real estate and Texas farm lands. His handsome residence at 911 North Eleventh street was remodeled after his own ideas and presents an attractive appearance.