Biographical Sketch for
A. W. Safford Family
Albert Walter Safford--+ Rose Laura Welsch-------+
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+--+--George Chester----------+
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Martha Eliza Foote-----+ | Ruby Watson Goodner-----+
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+--Clara Mildred-----------+
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| Ralph Lowrie Wheaton----+
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+--Helen Louise
Albert Walter Safford
Known as A. W.
Born November 25, 1844,
in a log house near Smallpox Creek,
on a farm in Guilford Township, Jo Daviess County,
near Galena, Illinois.
Fascinated by the infant paleface, local indians would quietly
enter the family's cabin, look at the infant and then quietly
leave.
Twin brother Almond J. died on March 1, 1847.
Twelfth child and youngest son of
George (January 18, 1794 - June 14, 1882)
and Mahala Hutton (September 20, 1806 - June 30, 1867) Safford.
Graduated from the West Side High School, Rockford, Illinois,
on June 27, 1867.
He earned his tuition by living in the school house and
serving as custodian.
Reporter for the Rockford Gazette in 1867.
Insurance salesman for Charter Oak Life Insurance Co. in 1867.
Taught school during the winter term of 1867-68.
Married Martha Eliza Foote on June 4, 1879, at Lawrence, Mass.
See tree above for children.
Received a Degree of Bachelor of Divinity from the
Chicago Theological Seminary on April 27, 1871.
Commissioned by the American Home Missionary Society to be
the first missionary in Mitchell, Osborne, Smith, and Jewell
counties in north central Kansas.
Founded the Congregational church at Cawker City, Kansas,
and pastor until September, 1874.
Did postgraduate study at Andover and Yale seminaries
from September, 1874, through July, 1875.
Was a singing evangelist at times.
Served as pastor of the Millburn Congregational Church
for 14 years.
After serving at Millburn, he retired to live in Wheaton, Illinois.
He was known as a patient, gentle man and a fine story teller.
Died on February 15, 1928, at Elgin, Illinois.
Read a page from A. W. Safford's cash
account book.
A. W. was a minister for forty-eight years,
serving the Pastorates of:
Cawker City, Kansas (August, 1871, to July, 1874);
St. Johnsbury Centre, Vermont (June, 1875, to June, 1876);
Ogden, Utah (1876 to 1877);
Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin (February 1, 1879, to January 31, 1880);
Darlington, Wisconsin (February 1, 1880, to September 30, 1884);
Pilgrim Congregational Church, Des Moines, Iowa
(October 1, 1884, to July 1, 1887);
DeKalb, Illinois (October 1, 1887, to July 31, 1890);
Rock Falls, Illinois (August 1, 1890, to September 30, 1894);
Bowmanville Congregational Church, Chicago, Illinois
(October 1, 1894, to February 28, 1905);
Millburn Congregational Church, Millburn, Illinois
(March 1, 1905, to November 1, 1919).
Martha Eliza Foote
Born on November 29, 1853, at Derby, New Haven County, Connecticut.
Second child and daughter of
John Chester (April 11, 1819 - August 31, 1898)
and Jane Elizabeth Humphrey (August 5, 1821 - February 11, 1902) Foote.
Graduated from Lawrence High School on June 27, 1873.
Met Albert at the home of her uncle,
James Humphrey, in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin.
Married Albert Walter Safford on June 4, 1879, at Lawrence, Mass.
Martha's sister Clara (born June 29, 1856) came to live with her in 1902.
Died on October 30, 1938, at Wheaton, Illinois.
Children of Albert Walter and Martha Eliza Foote Safford
George Chester
Born on May 6, 1880, at Darlington, Wisconsin.
Graduated from Lakeview High School in Chicago on June 23, 1898.
Graduated from Beloit College on June 18, 1902.
Graduated from the Chicago Theological Seminary in 1913.
Served as Congregational Minister at several Pastorates.
Married Rose Laura Welsch on July 22, 1908.
She attended Wheaton College, at Wheaton, Illinois.
They retired to Pilgrim Place in Claremont, California, in 1950.
Rose died on January 29, 1956.
Married Ruby Watson Goodner on June 6, 1962.
Died on December 21, 1970, at Claremont, California.
Clara Mildred
Born April 14, 1882, at Darlington, Wisconsin.
Married Ralph Lowrie Wheaton, of Wheaton, Illinois,
on January 3, 1906.
Died on November 28, 1979, at Wheaton, Illinois.
Helen Louise
Born on December 3, 1890, at Rock Falls, Whiteside County, Illinois.
Did not marry.
Died on November 23, 1976, at LaGrange Park, Illinois.
