Paul J. Schafer - Oakland

Paul Schafer
photo from SF CallPaul Joseph Schafer (June 20, 1863 – May 6, 1955) was the assistant postmaster of Oakland in the early 1900s and later the postmaster for many years.

Schafer was born June 20, 1863 in San Francisco to German immigrants Albert B. Schafer and Katie Muller (Schafer) and was one of six children. The family moved to Oakland in 1868. He graduated with honors from Oakland High School. ⁹

In 1888, Schafer married Zebuline Adelaide Harrison Hunt (January 27, 1870 – ?) and they had three children: Josephine Symmes Schafer (March 15, 1891 – June 21, 1949), Paul Joseph Schafer, Jr. (September 30, 1892 – June 20, 1967) and Symmes Harrison Schafer (1894 – December 30, 1977). Zebuline was great granddaughter of U.S. president William Henry Harrison.

In 1902, Zebuline suddenly left and divorced Paul. In a case that made the headlines, Paul was accused in 1903 of kidnapping their daughter. ¹ He found Josephine walking with an unknown woman in Sacramento and took custody of her. Paul was arrested aboard a steamboat, but released when the details came out. Zebuline had left Paul and gone to Nebraska and obtained a divorce. A few days later in Iowa she married Herbert W. Beck of Sacramento. But the divorce was determined to be illegal, because Zebuline had lied about living in Nebraska for 6 months. ²

Career

Schafer served in a number of offices, but is probably best known for his work as assistant postmaster and later postmaster of Oakland. Oakland was growing rapidly in the early 1900s, and its postal service needed to grow rapidly, too.