SCHAEFFER, CHARLES A., was born in Cass County, Ill., May 24, 1855. He is the eldest son of Calvin S. and Mary Jane (Shafer) Schaeffer. His paternal grandparents were Philip and Highly (Hoover) Schaeffer, who came to Illinois from Ohio, soon after Illinois was admitted into the Union. His maternal grandparents were Christopher and Rachel (Emerich) Shafer, who were natives of Virginia. Both sets of ancestors were farmers and landowners in Cass County. The father of Charles A. Schaeffer is still living and is now eighty years old, but the mother, Mary Jane (Shafer) Schaeffer, died in 1906. The children of Calvin S. and Mary Jane Schaeffer are: Charles A.; Winters L.; William D.; Rachel A., wife of C. E. David; Jennie M., wife of Henry Betz, all of Cass County; and George W., of Council Bluffs, Iowa.

Charles A. Schaeffer received his education in the district schools, the high school, and the State Normal School. At twenty-two years of age he began active responsible life, on his own account, as a teacher in the public schools of the county. On the thirty-first anniversary of his birth Charles A. Schaeffer received the nomination of his party for the office of county superintendent of schools of Cass County, and was chosen to the office in the ensuing election. Four years later he was re-elected by a greatly increased majority. During these eight years he made his home at Virginia, Ill. In 1890 he purchased the Virginia Enquirer, a weekly newspaper, which he later sold to F. E. Downing. In December, 1894, having purchased a half interest with Albert S. Coil in the Weekly Enterprise, he moved his family to Beardstown, where they have since made their home. Under the firm name of Coil and Schaeffer, editors and proprietors, the Weekly Enterprise was changed to a tri-weekly on March 3, 1895. In 1901 the firm added a daily which they named the Morning Enterprise. From thence the publications of the firm of Coil and Schaeffer were the Weekly Enterprise and the Morning Enterprise. On January 1, 1914, Charles A. Schaeffer purchased the interest of his partner, Albert S. Coil, in the Enterprise newspaper plant, and he and his son, Ledru G. Schaeffer, having a short time before purchased the Illinois Star, daily and weekly, father and son, consolidated the two plants, including the job departments of both, and began business under the firm name of the Schaeffer Publishing Company. The publications under the ownership and management of the co-partnership, known as the Schaeffer Publishing Company, are the Illinoian Star, daily (Independent), and the Weekly Enterprise (Democratic).

In 1882 Mr. Schaeffer was joined in marriage with Miss Nellie M. Garner, daughter of Rev. W. S. and Mrs. Nancy M. (Crews) Garner, of Oregon Precinct, Cass County. Of this union three children were born: Ledru G., Edna K. and Mary Helen. The last named died at the age of four years.

Charles A. Schaeffer, besides being a public school teacher, county superintendent of schools and newspaper owner and editor, was in 1892 admitted, after an examination before the Supreme court of the state, to practice law in the courts of Illinois. In 1896 he was elected state's attorney for Cass County and served one term. He belongs to the following named fraternal and beneficiary organizations: Masons, Knights of Pythias, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Modern Woodman and Court of Honor.