SCHAUFFLER, William Gottlieb, missionary, b. in Stuttgart, Germany, 22 Aug., 1798; d. in New York city, 27 Jan., 1883. He emigrated to Odessa, Russia, with his parents and about 400 others, in 1804, and adopted his father's trade, that of a maker of wooden musical instruments. In 1820 the preaching of Ignatius Lindl, a Roman Catholic priest of evangelical views, turned his thoughts toward religion, and he resolved to devote his life to mission work. After serving as an independent missionary in Turkey in 1826 he made his way to the United States, with no property but his clothes, his flute, and one dollar in money, and entered Andover theological seminary, where he supported himself for a time by turning wooden bed-posts. He was graduated in 1830, ordained on 14 Nov., 1831, and returned to Turkey under the auspices of the American board. He married an American lady soon afterward, and resided chiefly in Constantinople during his missionary service of forty-four years, laboring principally among the Jews and Armenians. In 1843 he was instrumental in persuading Sir Stratford Canning, the British minister, to interfere in behalf of members of the latter race that had been persecuted by the Armenian patriarch. For his efforts in behalf of the German colony in Constantinople he received a decoration from the king of Prussia. From 1839 till 1842 he resided in Vienna engaged in translating the Scriptures into Hebrew-Spanish. The work was published in that city in two quarto volumes. He made a visit to this country in 1857-'8, and from 1877, three years after his retirement from active work, resided here till his death. The University of Halle gave him the degree of D. D. in 1867, and Princeton that of LL. D. in 1879. Dr. Schauffler was a scholar of fine attainments, being “able to speak ten languages and read as many more.” Besides the work mentioned above, he was the author of a translation of the Bible into Turkish, which received high praise. His English publications include, besides single sermons, “Essay on the Right Use of Property” (Boston, 1832), and “Meditations on the Last Days of Christ” (1837; new eds., 1853 and 1858). See his “Autobiography,” edited by his sons, with an introduction by Prof. Edwards A. Park (New York, 1887).
SCHEBOSH, John Joseph, missionary, b. at Skippaok, Pa., 27 May, 1721; d. in Ohio, 4 Sept., 1788. He united with the Moravian church in 1742, and for forty-five years served in the Indian mission. His real name was Joseph Bull, and he was of Quaker parentage, but he was universally called Schebosh (running water), the name that was given him by the Indians. His wife was a convert from the Sopus Indians, who, after a union of forty-one years, died in 1787, leaving issue.
SCHELL, Augustus, politician, b. in Rhinebeck, N. Y., 1 Aug., 1812; d. in New York city, 27 March, 1884. He was graduated at Union in 1830, studied at Litchfield law-school, was admitted to the bar, and soon gained a lucrative practice in New York city. He was made chairman of the Tammany hall general committee in 1852, and was at the head of the Democratic state committee in 1853-'6. During the administration of President Buchanan he was collect or of the port of New York. He was chairman of the National committee of the wing of the Democratic party that supported John C. Breckinridge for the presidency in 1860, and in 1872 held the same office during the Greeley canvass. In 1867 he was an active member of the convention to revise the state constitution. After the trial of William M. Tweed and his associates Mr. Schell labored for the purification and rehabilitation of the Tammany society, and in 1878 was its unsuccessful candidate for mayor. He was a director in many railroad and financial corporations, and was active in the management of philanthropic institutions. Several of Mr. Schell's brothers have been well-known business men of New York city.
SCHEM, Alexander Jacob, author, b. in Wiedenbrück, Prussia, 16 March, 1826; d. in West Hoboken, N. J., 21 May, 1881. He studied theology and philology in Bonn and Tübingen, and came to the United States in 1851. In 1854 he became professor of ancient and modern languages in Dickinson college, but he resigned in 1860 to devote himself to literature. He was a writer for the New York “Tribune” till 1869, when he undertook the editorship of the “Deutsch-amerikanisches Conversations-Lexicon” (11 vols., New York, 1869-'74). From 1874 till his death he held the office of assistant superintendent of the public schools in New York city. He was a contributor to other cyclopædias of statistical, geographical, and religious articles. He was one of the editors of the “Methodist” and of the “Methodist Quarterly Review.” He prepared, with Rev. George B. Crooks, a “Latin-English Dictionary” (Philadelphia, 1857), and published several editions of “Schem's Statistics of the World”; the “American Ecclesiastical Year-Book” (New York, 1860); the “Ecclesiastical Almanac” (1868 and 1869); and, with Henry Kiddle, a “Cyclopædia of Education” (1877), which was followed by two annual supplements called the “Year-Book of Education” (1878 and 1879).
SCHENCK, James Findlay, naval officer, b. in Franklin, Ohio, 11 June, 1807; d. in Dayton, Ohio, 21 Dec., 1882. His ancestor, Roelof Martense Schenck, emigrated from Holland to New Amsterdam in 1650. He was appointed to the U. S. military academy in 1822, but resigned in 1824, and entered the navy as midshipman, 1 March, 1825. He became passed midshipman, 4 June, 1831, and lieutenant, 22 Dec., 1835, and in August, 1845, joined the “Congress,” in which he served as chief military aide to Com. Robert F. Stockton at the capture of Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, and San Pedro, Cal. He also participated in the capture of Guaymas and Mazatlan, Mexico, and in October, 1848, returned home as bearer of despatches. He was commended for efficient services in the Mexican war. Lieut. Schenck then entered the service of the Pacific mail steamship company and commanded the steamer “Ohio” and other steamers between New York and Aspinwall in 1849-'52. He was commissioned commander, 14 Sept., 1855, and assigned to the frigate “St. Lawrence,” 19 March, 1862, on the West Gulf blockade. On 7 Oct., 1864, he was ordered to command the “Powhatan” in the North Atlantic squadron, and he also received notification of his promotion to commodore to date from 2 Jan., 1863. He led the 3d division of the squadron in the two attacks on Fort Fisher, and was highly commended for his services. Com. Schenck had charge of the naval station at Mound City, Ill., in 1865-'6, was promoted to rear-admiral, 21 Sept., 1868, and retired by law, 11 June, 1869. — His brother, Robert Cumming, diplomatist, b. in Franklin, Ohio, 4 Oct., 1809; d. in Washington, D. C., 23 March, 1890. He was graduated at Miami university in 1827, was a tutor for three years longer, then studied law with Thomas Corwin, was admitted to the bar, and established himself in practice at Dayton, Ohio. He was a member of the legislature in 1841-'2, displaying practical knowledge and pungent wit in the debates, and was then elected as a Whig to congress, and thrice re-elected, serving from 4 Dec., 1843, till 3 March, 1851. He was a
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