Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1901-10-19
WIFE OF CHURCH HISTORIANS,
Was cousln or Rear Admiral schiey
and Known 10 some Of the Older
Residents Of This city.

MANY of the older residents of
Mar tinsburg, particularly these who
have been identified with the Reform
ed church and Intimately acquainted
with the now deceased members of
the Wolff family, will he panied TO
learn of the death of Mrs. Mary
Elizabeth Schley Schaff, widow of
he famous Professor OF Cnurch His
tory Philip Schaff, and first cousin
OF Rear Admiral Winfield Scott
Schley Mrs. Schaff was ~ years
old She was married to DR.. Philip
Schaff in 1916, two years after he had
been called to this country from
Germany by a committee of the
German Reform Seminary, at Mer-
cersburg and While be was still
professoc ia that institution. She
saw her husband acquitted in his
great heresy trial and successful IN
his organization of the German Re-
formed Church in America, and went
with him to New York City in 1868,
when be became professor in Union
Theological Seminary This posi-
tion DR.. Scbaff still held at his death,
in 1894
The death of Mrs. Philip Schaff re-
moves the last OF the survivors of the
earlier generation of the professors
connected with the Theological
Seminary in Mercersburg, and their
wives. This earller generation may
be said to end with the names of Dr.
Bernard O. Wolff and DR. Schaff.
Mrs. Schatf passed away peacefully
in her sleep. Septem her 2S, at A p. IN.
in her home i'll New York City, at
the age of ~.
Her maiden name was Mary Eliza
beth Schley and she was the daughter
of David Schley and Anna Mary Hoke
of Frederick, Md. She joined the Re-
formed Church under DR.. Zacha rias,
and was married by him, December
10, 1S45, 10 Philip Scbaff, then the
youthful professor at Mercersbur g. He
had arrived from Berlin in 1s44.
They occupied at once the professor
residence. north of the seminary and
lived for twenty years, DR.. Schaff
doing his hard studying without
which, as he used to say, he conld
not nave aocompli she'd the literary
work of his later years. a lthogh Mrs.
Schaff' IS ancestors were of German
descent, she did not speak German,
aud the Ger man lessons her husband
began giving her were soon di soon
tInued on account of domestic cares.
And so she became his instructor,
rather, in English. Mrs. Schaff was
a true friend of the students and
often en- tertained them at her home
Eight children were born in the
Pennsylvania home, two of whom
passed away there, and laterly IN
New York three others. Especially
attached was Mrs. Schaff TO Mrs. Bern
ard @. Wolff, whom she looked upon
as a mother. and Prof VOLTS daugh-
ter, the late Mrs DR.. Theodore APP
pei, was one of her most intimate
friends
The funeral services were held at
the house i'll New York on October !.
The three children were present Miss
Mary G. Schaff, Anselm, with two of
his sons, and Prof David Schley
Schaff. accompanied by two OF his
sous, Philip and Walter. Students
from Union Theological Seminary
sang :" Art Thou Weary, Art Thou
Ian guild and Nearer, NV God. to
Thee DR.. Charles II. Parkhurst,
former pastor, read the Scriptures.
and DR.. Charles Cuthbert Hall. of
Union Seminary, offered the prayer.