Introduction
EMMANUEL WASHINGTON SCHAEFFER was born in Rock, Pennsylvania in 1877. By 1902 he had come to Camden, New Jersey. In that year he married Mary Bartlett Williams. City Directories for 1903 show him at 209 Mickle Street, and at 211 Mickle Street when daughter Edna May was born. In 1905 he began working for the Reading Railroad. The following year he transferred to the Atlantic City Railroad, which in the 1930s became the Pennsylvania-Reading-Seashore line. The family moved to 320 Mickle Street in 1906, the year that son Ralph was born. They stayed at this address through 1910. The 1911 City Directory shows the Schaeffers at 412 Mickle Street, and they are listed at 414 Mickle from 1912 through 1917. By September of 1918 Emmanuel and Mary Schaeffer moved to 449 Benson Street, where they would live out their days. Two other children were born, Dorothy and Elwood; sadly, oldest son Ralph died in June of 1920.
Working his way through the ranks at the railroad, Emmanuel Schaeffer worked until 1947 as an engineer. He retired on April 28, 1947 after 42 years of service. Locally, he was well known in his neighborhood for his Christmas display, which featured hand-painted lights. His display was featured in the Christmas Eve edition of the Courier-Post in 1965.
Mary Schaeffer passed away on June 28, 1966, and Emmanuel joined her in October of that year.
Baby Book for Ralph Schaeffer
Baby book for Ralph Schaeffer
World War I Draft Card
World War I Draft Card – Emmanuel Washington Schaeffer
In Memoriam: Ralph L. Schaeffer
Philadelphia Inquirer —
SCHAEFFER.—In sad and loving remembrance of Ralph L. Schaeffer, who departed this life June 20, 1920.
You are not forgotten Ralph / Nor will you ever be / As long as life and memory last / We will always think of thee.
So sadly missed by your Mother and Aunt.
SCHAEFFER.—In sad and loving remembrance of Ralph L. Schaeffer, who departed this life June 20, 1920.
Ralph dear how much we miss you / In our sad and lonely home, / So sad, so sudden was the call / Our dear boy’s death surprised us all. / No one knows how much we miss him, / No one knows the tears we shed, / But in heaven we to meet him / Where no parting words are said. / As we sit here thinking of him / To our Heavenly Lord we pray / That He will let us join him / In that Heavenly Home some day.
So sadly missed by Mother, Father and Sisters.
Bro. E. Schaeffer Ends Last Run
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, Division 71 —
DIV. 71, PHILADELPHIA, PA.
Brother Emanuel Schaeffer, who retired from active service on April 28, 1947, had spent 42 years of active duty on the railroad.
He was first employed by the Reading Company in 1905. In 1906 he transferred to the Atlantic City Railroad, which later became a part of the Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines.
Brother Schaeffer’s career has been a steady climb owing to his dependable, industrious and efficient service. In 1918 he was promoted to locomotive engineer.
Left to right – Superintendent Van Luvanee presents Brother Schaeffer with a basket of flowers, while Brother W. E. Norris, Chief Engineer Div. 71, looks on.
Photos
Emmanuel Schaeffer at Moutwell Pond, 1920s
Named: Circa 1950, First Methodist Church steps in Camden. Back Row: Elwood and Gladys Schaffer, Dorothy and Jack Dischert. Middle: Doris Stratton, her mother Edna Schaffer, Grandma and Grandpa Schaffer. Front: Allen Cabrera (Doris’s son, and first marriage), Terry John, Larry & David Dischert..
At 449 Benson Street, 1952
At 449 Benson Street, 1952
Mr. and Mrs. E. Schaeffer
Camden Courier-Post —
MR. AND MRS. E. SCHAEFFER of 449 Benson st., are celebrating their 62nd wedding anniversary today. Schaeffer is a retired railroad engineer with the Reading Railroad. The couple has four children, seven grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.
A Yule Glow All His Own
Camden Courier-Post —
MR. AND MRS. SCHAEFFER clean and redye bulbs for their tree of 1,000 lights, a Camden Christmas spectacle for 50 years.
By MARY ARCHIBALD
Courier-Post Staff
A Christmas tree with 1,000 lights has been among the local seasonal highlights for 50 years. But many who knock at Emmanuel Schaeffer’s door at 449 Benson Street are unaware that he cleans and re-dyes each bulb by hand.
“I’ve been told I’m the only person in the United States who does this,” the 88-year-old retired Reading Railroad engineer said as he showed “before” and “after” strings of bulbs. The standard opaque bulb paled when next to a rich-toned re-dyed one.
“The bulbs today are frosted. I don’t like them so well,” he said. “So first I take off all that with paint cleaner.
“You have to use the cleaner outside,” he continued. “The fumes are strong. I used to use alcohol to take off the dye but that doesn’t work too well anymore.”
Proud of Hue
The final step? “I put my stuff on them,” he said.
Schaeffer is proud of the red hue he has developed by dipping bulbs first in canary yellow dye and then in purple. He uses a specially prepared lacquer which preserves the bulb’s transparent appearance.
To demonstrate his technique, Schaeffer held a little glass filled with purple lacquer to a string of yellow-dyed bulbs on metal racks in the basement. Presto, a scarlet beauty!
“I give them two dips of the yellow and two of the purple. They dry in about two hours,” he explained.
Tree Trimmed
Schaeffer’s 10-foot tree is trimmed with 25 strings of scarlet bulbs, 25 purple, 25 green and 25 blue.
“The yellow is too flashy for the tree. We just use some of those for the chandeliers.”
The tale of the tree first was spread by church and Eastern Star groups. He then attracted Mayor Alfred R. Pierce and city councilmen.
A letter from the mayor several years ago read in part: “I am sure that had there been a contest for Christmas trees, you certainly would have fared very well. Your . . . willingness to have many people participate in sharing the joy of the Christmas season is really significant.”
Only one bulb burned out last year during the six weeks the Schaeffer tree stood in the parlor. In previous years 25 to 30 had gone out. “I used two extra sockets to cut down the voltage used,” Schaeffer commented.
Star of Lights
A Schaeffer-designed star of lights in the window delights many passers-by nearly as much as the tree. About 20 years ago, he be-
Obituary
EMANUEL W. SCHAEFFER of 449 Benson Street, died in John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital, Stratford. He was a retired railroad worker, a member of the First Methodist Church of Camden, Trimble Lodge 117, F&AM, Excelsior Consistory and Crescent Temple. He is survived by a son, Elwood L. of Oaklyn; two daughters, Mrs. Dorothy M. Dischert, Haddonfield, and Mrs. Edna M. Wood of Camden; a brother; four sisters; seven grandchildren and fourteen great-grandchildren. Services were at the Murray Funeral Home, 408 Cooper Street. Burial in Lakeview Memorial Park, Cinnaminson. Died Friday, Oct. 14, 1966.
MRS. MARY B. SCHAEFFER, 79, of 449 Benson Street, died in Cooper Hospital. Mrs. Schaeffer was a member of the First Methodist Church of Camden and the Order of the Eastern Star, Chapter 35. She is survived by her husband, Emanuel W.; a son, Elwood L. of Oaklyn; two daughters, Mrs. Edna Wood of Camden and Mrs. Dorothy M. Dischert of Haddonfield; seven grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. Services were at the Murray Funeral Home, 408 Cooper Street. Burial at Lakeview Memorial Park, Cinnaminson. Died Tuesday, June 28, 1966.
449 Benson Street, 2005
449 Benson Street, November 18, 2005. Photos courtesy of Craig Campbell.