Jacob Conrad Shafer

Jacob Conrad Shafter (11 January 1836 to June 24 1901) was a businessman who operated a pork-packing plant in the US state of Maryland.

Career
Shafter was born in Weisenhesse bei Sontra, nr. Kassel, the second son and fifth child of Frederick Shafer and Wilhelmina Ulrich. The family of eight children were of modest means, though substantial for a rural life by conducting a cattle farm for support. His childhood and schooling are unknown, and likely non-existent, which was usual in rural areas. Jacob's older brother, Nicholas, the first son and second child, preceded Jacob to the United States, settling on a farm in Urbana, Ohio.

Shafer was caught in the flood-tide of immigrants from Germany to the Port of Baltimore from 1833-1876; and if he came as a "redemptioner", he had to work out his repayment. The increase in immigration of Germans to the West was due to "reactionary laws and measures" in Germany, which caused the leaders of the revolutionary movement to flee to the West. "Those who could not afford sailing fare, came as "redemptioners."

In 1852, at age 16, and having arrived in Annapolis, Jacob went West to Ohio to live with his brother, who it is reported, financed Jacob's voyage. Jacob was naturalized June 13 1853. and after his immigration, opened the most progressive pork-packing plant of its time on the East coast, in Baltimore. The "Jacob C. Shafer & Co." was known by all the other meat companies as the "showplace of the East."

Jacob moved later to Baltimore and in 1870, was living at 679 (2313) Pennsylvania Avenue. He married Hannah Fillmore Horn (the daughter of Benjamin Horn and Regina Reppert) on 23 January 1873, at the parsonage of Whatcoat Methodist Church. The Shafer children were Elizabeth Wilhelmine , Mary Catherine , Hannah Regina , Florence Elizabeth , Jacob Frederick, Emma Estelle, and Clara Estelle.

Jacob initially worked for Peter Sweeney, an Irish pork packer, learning the trade, and eventually Jacob bought out Sweeney's business, founding the new Jacob C. Shafer & Co. -- Pork Packers. Sweeney's old building was demolished and the new plant was relocated on Louisiana (Lexington) & Diamond Streets in 1870 at a cost of $250,000. The plant was noted for its four-floor height and its four-floor depth for curing meat. There was an adjacent curing plant on Clay St. and the buildings were connected by a tunnel.

A Sunpapers May 19 1940 article "Meat-Packing Plant's Four Floors of Cellar" by E.T. Baker, informs about the cellars for curing meat, new mechanical refrigeration, and advances in storing and handling meat. Two more articles in the Evening Sun, one "Shafer-Sweeney's Dispute Origin of Tunnels", dated 6 November 1951, and the other, "Caverns of Greene Street" by J. Kelly, dated 1 August 1986, refers to the mystery behind the origin of the cellars.

By 1886, the Shafers lived at 1701 Linden Avenue (the same address as shown in the movie "Avalon"). Jacob loved music and invited the best of the musicians visiting Baltimore to his home, developing a small coterie. In one way or another, some of his immediate family and some of his grandchildren had musical talents and were closely associated with the Peabody Conservatory of Music. Jacob's son, Fred, played the violin so well that he was offered a position with the Baltimore Symphony. His Peabody teacher was J. van Aulsteyn, who was a personal musical mentor to the family, and took Fred to Europe. Much to his grievous disappointment, Fred had to turn down the offer because he knew he would have to take over his father's pork-packing business, even though he knew little about it. He became its President and General Manager.

Besides the family children and music, Jacob also loved his many carriage horses, some of which were named "Prince Albert," "Bismarck," and "Otto." The Shafer's also had a summer home called "Gehrman's Place" in Cloverlea, Arlington, where Jacob died of diabetes at age 65. He is buried with his wife, Hannah, and some of his children - Elizabeth W. Barrett, J. Frederick, Emma Estelle and Clara Estelle, at Loudon Park Cemetery.

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