Mr. Schaefer has in his possession the original coat of arms of the Schaefer family. which was presented to them by King Ludwig A. D. 1329, and which bears this inscription: wappe des Geschlechts Schaefer. The crest still stands above the door of the old family seat in Hoeheime, Germany. The Schaefers were shepherds and later wine growers, and always bore a conspicuous part in public life.

George NV. Schaefer was educated in New York City. He left school and on September 1, 1857, enlisted for five years as a drummer boy in the regular army on Governor's Island. In the fall of that year he was detailed with a company that was sent to New York to quell the bread riot. Later he joined Company D, First Regiment Heavy Artillery, at Fortress Monroe, and in 1859 was present at John Brown's raid and also at the hanging of the latter, serving under Colonel Robert E. Lee, later of the Confederate Army. Mr. Schaefer served in Texas tinder General Twiggs, being There at the outbreak of the Katenas (Indian) war, and later went to Baton Rouge, where his regiment surrendered, January 12, 1861. to the government of Louisiana, after that State had seceded. Lieutenant Todd, a brother of President Lincoln's wife, was the ordnance officer.

Returning North to Fort Hamilton about January 23, 1861, Mr. Schaefer arrived at Fort McHenry, in Maryland, about February 10. and five days later was in Washington, D. C., where he was a member of Lincoln's body ward during the inaugural, camping in a house near Salmon P. Chase's residence on Capitol Hill. In April, 1861, he went to Fort Washington and drilled artillery volunteers. He was wounded in the head while there, and subsequently was sent to Fort Taylor, Key West, Fla., where he participated in the capture of the rebel steamer " Florida." Later he was at Hilton Head, Beaufort, S. C., and was in the battles of Secessionville on James's Island and Seabrook Landing on Lady's Island. He received two bullet wounds in the leg, and was honorably discharged on the battlefield September 1, 1862. Mr. Schaefer then served in the Ordnance Department at Washington until 1864 and afterward in the Quartermaster's and Transportation Departments, Army of the Potomac, tinder Captain J. G. C. Lee, Quartermaster-General, until the close of the war, resigning August 31, 1865.

He returned home and followed his trade as a machinist and engineer in New York City, being for four years in the civil engineer's department at the Brooklyn Navy Yard under Chief Engineer Norman L. Stratton. For four years he had charge of the conversion of a building into a coffee and spice mill on the corner of Duane and Hudson Streets, New York, for Clark & Huntington. Later he had charge of what is now the Star building on Broadway, corner of Park Place, for four years, and in 1881 he became Superintendent of the Hackensack (N. J.) Gas Company, which position he held two years. Since 1883 he has been the resident engineer of the re-organized Hackensack Water Company, being located at the water tower on the Bull's Ferry road in Weehawken.

Mr. Schaefer is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the old U. A. M., and the Royal Society of Good Fellows, of which he is Past Grand Ruler of New Jersey. For seven years he has been Treasurer of the order. He was one of the organizers of the Grand Lodge of Good Fellows in November, 1894, and was elected its first Grand Ruler. He is also a member and Adjutant of Ellsworth Post, No. 14, G. A. R., Department of New Jersey, and has served it two terms as Commander. In politics he has always been a Republican.