Jacob Shafer was born in Germany, near Hesse Kassel, September 7, 1844. Anna Catherine Dehnart, also born in Germany, November 19,1848. Both of them came to the U.S.A. in 1867, they were married in Sandusky City, Ohio, on January 1, 1869.

Jacob Shafer started naturalization proceedings on August 27, 1873, at Sandusky, Ohio. He became a citizen of the U.S.A. on October 11, 1875. Moved to Illinois in 1881. The name Schaeffer was shortened to Shafer shortly after coming to America.

They had eight children:

1. Peter J.
2. Allen C.
3. John H.
4. Nettie E.
5. Luella E.
6. Charles E.
7. Mary L. and
8. Ira J., still living.

Jacob Shafer died July 20, 1931. His wife Anna died July 17, 1916. They are buried at Union Chapel Cemetery in Field Township, Jefferson County.

Allen Conrad, born in Sandusky, Ohio, in 1871, died in 1934. He married Anna J. Hinderer February 27, 1898. She was born February 17, 1877, and died June 14, 1962.

Born to this union were eight children, seven of which are still living:

1. William C.
2. Irma M. Davis
3. Fred G.
4. Raliegh A., who died October 19, 1932
5. Versa I. Sager
6. Walter J
7. Alice C. Scheibly
8. Vera E. Lagow.

All but the two older children were born in Section 6, Farrington Township, Jefferson County. All attended school at Climax, District No. 97.

On Friday, December 13, 1935, Vera married Lester Lagow at the home of Charles E. Cooper, Christian minister of the Marion, Jefferson County line, in Farrington Township. She has always lived on the old home place where six members of her family were born. Having missed the fun of moving, their two children, Norman L., of Kell, and Leila R. are now living in Mt. Vernon, Illinois. They were also born in the same house as their mother. Leila was also married in the house to Ray Eller in 1963. Norman was married in the Donoho Prairie Christian Church in Marion County to Sharon Ayers. Norman's two children, Randall D. and Karen A., were born in Centralia, Illinois. Kimberly M. was born in Mt. Vernon at Good Samaritan Hospital where her mother, Leila, works.

Norman L. and Leila R. also attended school at Climax, District No. 97, and later at Salem and Webber Township high schools.

Lester, semi-retired, is thinking of getting a job to get some rest. Vera keeps the house, cooks, v .shes dishes, does gardening, canning, yard work, builds f, .Ice, cuts wood, hauls hay, attends the registered Hereford, among a few other things.

The Lagow family were early settlers of Illinois, living on the Wabash River, around Palestine, Illinois. A family burial plot is in the Palestine Cemetery, several relatives being old soldiers.

General Grant was related to the Lagow family. Lester had one sister and three brothers, of which he was the youngest. His parents were Charles Lagow and Nettie Cannon Lagow, deceased. Lester's sister is Rosa Meador of luka, Illinois, brothers Lawson, deceased, Lowell of luka, and Lloyd of Mt. Carmel, Illinois.
- Vera Shafer Lagow