Anna Maria
Shambach
1828-1922
Maria was born in Darmstadt, Germany. (Darmstadt is a city in the state of Hesse, Germany, lying south of Frankfurt.) She came to America in 1842 with her Uncle and Aunt (Cash). She was a member of the Zoar Methodist Church. She was a native of Hanover, Germany. (Hanover is a historic region in north central Germany, now a part of the state of Lower Saxony ).
After Jacob died in 1896, Maria lived on their farm with her son George until she was unable to cook and keep house. She was remembered by her grandchildren as having a fit of temper in the kitchen, occasionally tossing pots and pans around with a few choice German words thrown in for good measure. She made a delicious coffee cake known as a "kuakua". Maria was said to have a hot toddy every day. She was afraid of mice and would jump on a chair if one crossed her path. (This was the same Maria who survived the hardships of a long and dangerous trip by covered wagon!) She spent time with each of their 10 children in the later years of her life.
Obituaries
"Maria Shamback Kleopfer, the subject of this tribute, was born in Darmstadt, Germany, September 12, 1828, and departed for her heavenly home Sunday March 26, 1922, age 93 years, 6 months, and 14 days. She came to this country in 1840 and was united in marriage six years later to Jacob Kleopfer who departed this life February 23, 1896. To this union were born twelve children, eight sons and four daughters, nine of whom are living, three sons having preceded her in death, two dying in infancy, George dying February 1921. She leaves to mourn their loss, four daughters, Mrs. Robert Eppley (Sophia), Mrs. George Trinkle (Mary), Mrs. J. L. Clever (Elizabeth), and Mrs. Charles Schulte (Margaret); five sons, Jacob, William, Louis, Charles all of Jefferson County and Phillip of Minock, Illinois; thirty-two grandchildren, 29 great grandchildren, two great great grandchildren, and a host of other relatives and friends. Early in her married life she with her husband united with the Zoar Methodist church of which she remained a faithful member until death. During the latter years of her life, although physically unable to attend the various services of the church, her interest in the church and in the kingdom of God did not waver. Sister Kleopfer was a good wife, a loving mother, a kind neighbor, and a faithful servant of the Christ."
Madison Courier 1922
Mrs. Jacob Kleopfer Dead (3/27/22)
Oldest resident of county died yesterday at her home in Saluda Township
Mrs. Marie Kleopfer, widow of Jacob Kleopfer, died yesterday at noon at the home of her son, Mr. Louis Kleopfer near Sharon Church, Saluda Township, from the infirmities of advanced age the decedent was in her 94th year and was one of, if not the oldest, resident of this county.
She came of an early pioneer family and was well known in highly respected in the western part of the county, where the family has resided for many years. Her husband has been dead a number of years, but a number of children living in this county survive.
Another obituary was published as follows:
Mrs. Marie Kleopfer
One of the county's oldest and most esteemed residents, died Sunday. Mrs. Marie Kleopfer, widow of Jacob Kleopfer, and one of the oldest and most esteemed residents of the county, passed away at one o'clock yesterday afternoon at the home of her son, Mr. Louis Kleopfer, in Saluda Township, five miles south of Hanover. Mrs. Kleopfer's death resulted from infirmities of advanced age. She was a native of Hanover, Germany, and was 93 years old. At an early age she came to this country and has since been a resident of Jefferson County. Nearly all of her useful life was spent in Republican Township, near Kent. She was a member of Zoar M. E. Church and she lived a beautiful Christian life and many friends will learn of her demise with much sorrow. The deceased was the mother of 12 children, nine of whom survive as follows: William, Jacob, and Charles Kleopfer, Mrs. Robert Epply, Mrs. Lincoln Clever and Mrs. George Trinkle of Republican Township; Louis Kleopfer of Saluda Township; Phillip Kleopfer of Minonk, Ill., and Mrs. Charles Schulte of Cincinnati. She also leaves one sister, Mrs. Margaret Kreiser of Potosia, Wisconsin.
Another, somewhat different, version of the Kleopfer history in California comes from a book in the California State Library in Sacramento. The book is called "Tears of Yesteryears" by Anna Luneman Baldwin. The "Kloepfer" incidences in the book were related by Elizabeth Kloepfer to Mary O'Toole, her oldest granddaughter, and to other members of the family. Elizabeth was married to Louis Kleopfer (the brother of Jacob Kleopfer) in 1849 in St. Joseph's Church (Missouri?). In 1850 they applied for and were accepted in a covered wagon train going west. The group included Louis, Elizabeth, Jacob, his wife (she is referred to as Mae throughout the book - perhaps Maria's nickname), their three boys (this is not consistent with what we know from other sources), and Bernard Leusbrock. They were unable to depart in 1851 because Louis and Elizabeth had an infant daughter, Agnes, who would have been too young to travel. They finally departed from St.Louis in the Spring of 1852, after deciding to leave Agnes behind with Elizabeth's mother, Adelaide. The book also states that Jacob's oldest son, John, was 14 years old in 1852. (This is unlikely since Jacob would have been only 14 when his child was born. Jacob's oldest child, George, was born in 1850 in Indiana ) The book relates a tragic incident which occurred on the trek across the plains. John failed to return from a scouting party and was presumably abducted and killed by Indians. In another unfortunate incident, Louis was accidentally shot in the knee by his wife during an attack by Indians. The wound flared up from time to time throughout his life and eventually he succumbed to it while in his early fifties. As they neared California in 1852, the second child for Elizabeth and Louis was stillborn.
The book reads: "No time was wasted as Bernard Leusbrock and Jacob Kloepfer and his oldest son struck out looking for a claim for each one of the men. All suitable land on or near the river in Coloma, Uniontown, or the environs were taken". The book continues later: "In these pages one hears little about Jacob and Mae Kloepfer, their doings or their whereabouts. Our memory seems to be fogged up as it reveals very little about them. The tragic incidences in their lives which concerned the Kloepfers, too, were about all that the family ever mentioned. Perhaps there was an estrangement between the two women and as a consequence they saw little of each other.
They may have moved some distance away again proving the adage that no house is big enough for two women, especially in-laws. Then, too, Mae may have gone through a traumatic experience when their oldest boy was captured by the Indians on the plains and this may have affected her outlook. It is also possible that the bitter disappointment when the get rich idea did not materialize in the diggings was too much for her to endure. We do know that she was "sick" of it all." The book describes their return to St. Louis: "The Kloepfers enjoyed their little family and their home and soon they would be the only two of the original group of eight who left St. Louis with such high hopes in 1852, as Jacob and Mae and their one remaining son made final plans to return home... They left for Sacramento where they boarded a steamer for San Francisco. There the trio had no problem getting passage on a sea going vessel for the Isthmus of Panama. Their plans were to cross the Isthmus, take another steamer to New Orleans, and then home before the winter rains set in... We do know that after some wait they showed up in New Orleans. There they talked with mutual friends of the family before taking a steamer up the Mississippi River." This was presumably in the fall and early winter of 1861. The book goes on to describe a hurricane: "The steamer that they on was never heard from again and it is presumed that all on board were lost."
Her name was spelled "Shamback" on a pension application which was witnessed by a John Shamback who said he had known her for 35 years.
An affidavit:
General Affidavit
State of Indiana, County of Jefferson, ss: In the matter of Mary Klopfer, widow of Jacob Klopfer, Co. I, 40 INDIANA Infantry Volunteers Widows No. 632451 on this 31st day of March 1897 personally appeared before me M. Marshall a notary Public in and for the aforesaid County, duly authorized to administer oaths Phillip Cash aged 54 years, a resident of Republican Township, in the County of Jefferson and State of Indiana; George Cash, aged 52 years and a resident of Republican Township in the County of Jefferson and State of Indiana whose post-office address is Kent ,Jefferson County, Indiana well known to be reputable and entitled to credit, and who, being duly sworn, declared in relation to aforesaid case as follows: We are well and personally acquainted with the applicant - Mrs. Mary Klopfer from the time she was a girl of 15 or 16 years of age. She made her house at my father's house in Republican Township, Jefferson County, Indiana and the said Jacob we have known from the time he was a young man but after he was married to the said Mary Klopfer in said place and we know from personal knowledge that the said Mary Klopfer was not married until she married the said Jacob Klopfer. The said Jacob Klopfer we are satisfied in our own minds was never married until he married the said Mary Klopfer but have in personal knowledge only what we have often heard him say that is Jacob Klopfer and that he was never previously married that we believe the xxxxx to be him. That the aforesaid was made from personal knowledge and that the said was written by xxx Marshall in his office at Madison, Indiana this 31st day of March 1897 in our presence ....
Memories of Mary Margaret Kleopfer Tevis: "Broken English - said her prayers in German - Cum Be Ye So Psalm"
Return to Klöpfer, Kloepfer and Kleopfer