1891 Biography - Thomas Shaffer

THOMAS SHAFFER, FRANKLIN.--Thomas Shaffer is a native of Terrebonne parish, born October 9, 1842. He is the son of William A. and Emilie (Bourgeois) Shaffer. William A. Shaffer was a planter by occupation, and was first engaged in his pursuit in Lafourche parish and subsequently removed to Terrebonne parish, where he established what is known as the Crescent Farm. He died at a ripe old age in 1886. His wife died in 1875. They were the parents of three sons and four daughters, viz: John J., W. R., Lizzie H., wife of T. T. Brooks; Belle W., wife of Dr. J. H. Sanders of St. Mary parish; Thomas J., the subject of this sketch; Benjamin F., died at the age of 25 years, in Texas, in 1871.

Thomas Shaffer received his early education in the private schools of Terrebonne parish, and in 1854 went to Shelby College, Kentucky. He returned home in the fall of 1858 and then went to the Centenary College, at Jackson, Louisiana, where he remained until the war, when he left school, and going to Richmond, Va., joined the First Louisiana Battalion, under General Magruder, and after having served about a year he was promoted to the position of Lieutenant of the Twenty-sixth Louisiana Regiment, a command of volunteers from Southwest Louisiana, composed mostly of Creoles. The command was organized at Berwick City, under Alexander Declouet, and numbered about eleven hundred strong. This regiment was engaged in the fall of New Orleans, and was then ordered to Vicksburg with the Army of Mississippi. This regiment participated in many of the engagements on the Yazoo River, Deer Creek and Battle of Chickasaw, and went into Vicksburg before the siege, where he (Shaffer) was made Inspector General under General N. L. Smith. July 4, 1863, he was taken prisoner and shortly after was paroled by General Grant. He then went home and remained inside the Federal lines until 1864. He took passage on a boat to attend a camp of reorganization at Alexandria, but only went as far as Natchitoches, where he remained for some time and then returned home. After the war he engaged in planting on his father's place, and after remaining here for a year he engaged with T. T. Brooks and Charles Taenant in a mercantile business at Houma. April 23, 1868, he married Miss Anna P. Pelton a native of Terrebonne parish, born 1846. She is the daughter of the late John M. Pelton, one of the most energetic and successful planters of Terrebonne parish and the owner of the celebrated Du Lac plantation, of which our subject took charge in 1868. The same year he purchased his present plantation, known then as Cherokee Edge and now as Anna plantation. Since that time he has given his attention to the growing of sugar cane and rice. His plantation lies on both sides of the Teche, between the famous Oak Lawn and Bellevue plantations. Mr. Shaffer is the father of five children, viz.: Susan Margaret, William A., Katie L., Ben F., Edna. Our subject was for three years president of the police jury. He is a stanch Democrat. He is a charter member of the Knights of Honor and of the American Legion of Honor. He and wife are members of the Episcopal church.

Contributed 2021 Nov 04 by Mike Miller, from Southwest Louisiana Biographical and Historical, published in 1891, Biographical Section, pages 392-383.