Senator Joshua Monroe Shaffer View All Years

JOSHUA MONROE SHAFFER was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, September 13, 1830; he died at Keokuk, Iowa, March 25, 1913. He entered Washington and Jefferson College at the age of thirteen years, and graduated in 1848 with the degree of A. B. In 1849 he began the study of medicine with his brother, John E. Shaffer, at Elizabeth, and attended lectures at the University of Pennsylvania. He came to Iowa in 1852, locating in Fairfield, where he practiced medicine. In 1862 the honorary degree of M. D. was conferred upon him by the State University of Iowa. He became interested in the organization of the Iowa State Agricultural Society in 1853, and served as secretary in 1854 and 1855 and again from 1863 to 1873. In 1863 he was appointed surgeon of the board of enrollment for the First Congressional District of Iowa, and examined over five thousand men preparatory to their admission to the army. He was appointed commissioner from Iowa to the Paris Exposition in 1867, but as no expense fund was provided by the State he resigned. He was Senator from Jefferson county in the Ninth and Ninth extra General Assemblies. In 1874 he removed to Keokuk to act as secretary of the Iowa Life Insurance Company, and held that position as long as the Company existed. During the years 1876 and 1877 he lectured at the Keokuk College of Physicians and Surgeons. Dr. Shaffer was a lifelong student of natural history and made numerous large collections. His collection of birds shows his skill as a taxidermist and he was well known by authorities on natural history throughout the United States. He was also deeply interested in the history of Iowa and the West, and rendered great assistance in the collection and preservation of early historical data. He was an especial adviser and supporter of the founder of the Historical Department of Iowa. In politics he was a Republican and attended the first Republican convention in the State, which was held at Fairfield. He was a member of the Fremont Voters’ Association.