Daniel Loffer

  General Notes:

Daniel was a farmer, carpenter and shoemaker. He made all of the shoes for his family before they were commercially produced. For most of his life he was a devout Methodist who read the bible frequently. Late in life he began attending the Church of Christ.
He was the son of Christian Loffer, Jr. and 2nd wife Elizabeth Teagarden. Daniel's father died three weeks before his 1st birthday and Elizabeth died when Daniel was three and a half. Their 160 acre farm was eventually divided equally between their 7 children. Daniel and younger brother, Simon Peter were raised by older siblings.

On December 19, 1844, Daniel married Charity Christiana Woodring, daughter of Henry Woodring and Mary White. Charity was born in Fairfield Co. Ohio in 1824. Daniel and Charity had 4 children. Henry Sylvester was born in Ohio. Daniel and Charity migrated to Howard County Indiana by 1850, living near Daniel's two brothers Simon Peter and Christian III. Their second child, Nancy Jane was born in Howard Township in 1851. By 1854 they had moved to Buffalo Township, Linn Co., Iowa, where Daniel grew wheat and corn. He and Charity's last two children, John W. and Mahala Elizabeth were born there.

The Civil War had been going on for 2 years when 41 year-old Daniel enlisted, to fight on the side of the Union, at Kokomo, Indiana. He was a private of Capt. J.M. Garrett's Co. E, 11th Regiment of the Indiana Cavalry Volunteers, enrolled on Dec. 3, 1863. His military papers describe him as 5'4", fair complexion, blue eyes and dark hair. While on detail, picking up U.S. Army horses from Kentucky and leading two and three at a time to Tennessee, Daniel ruptured a shoulder, and also suffered from piles. He spent Nov and Dec in the hospital in Nashville, and then was moved to the hospital in Madison, Indiana. The Civil war ended on April 6, 1865. In May, Daniel was discharged from service while still at the hospital in Madison. Daniel was permanently damaged by his ailments, and in pain, off and on, for much of the rest of his life. He was completely unable to work in cold weather.

Moving west, the family lived briefly in Chariton Co., Mo. and Crawford Co., Kansas before settling in Sugarloaf, Boone Co., Arkansas in 1876. Charity died in 1888. On May 5, 1889 Daniel married Patsy Shoulders in Boone Co., Arkansas. The marriage lasted less than two years. They separated in 1891.

In January of 1884, Daniel filed a claim for disabilities resulting from his Civil War Service. After nearly seven years had passed, countless affidavits filed and endless depositions given from neighbors attesting to Daniel's disabilities, the U. S. Government finally awarded Daniel a pension of eight dollars per month, in the summer of 1890. By now Daniel was living with Henry, Sarah, and his grandchildren. In 1892 he moved with son Henry to Bruno, Arkansas where Henry opened a blacksmith/wood shop. Daniel spent much of his time in a corner of that shop, making shoes. He passed away in Henry's home, in Bruno, Arkansas.

Daniel married Charity Christiana Woodring, daughter of Henry Woodring and Mary White, on 19 Dec 1844 in Pickaway County, Ohio. (Charity Christiana Woodring was born in 1824 in Fairfield County, Ohio and died on 27 Aug 1888 in Boone County, Arkansas.)

  Marriage Notes:

Married by Daniel Wise-Daniel's pension

Spelled Woodering in LDS source

Daniel next married Patsey Shoulders on 19 Dec 1844 in Pickaway County, Ohio. (Patsey Shoulders was born in 1823.)

  Marriage Notes:

Married by Daniel Wise-Daniel's pension

Spelled Woodering in LDS source