William L. Schieffelin. – Among the most useful of the citizens of Baldwin County, Alabama, William L. Schieffelin stands foremost. A native of the county, born July 23, 1852, he has ever had its interest at heart. He received an excellent academic education at Mobile, having graduated from Barton’s academy in 1869. In 1871, he went to Adams County, Illinois, and engaged in business until the latter part of 1873, when he returned to Mobile and secured a large and complete stock of general merchandise, with which he opened a store at Daphne, Baldwin county, and this business he conducted with unwavering success until 1889, when he disposed of it and turned his attention to other pursuits. During the interim, in 1884, he had been appointed to the responsible position of tax assessor of Baldwin county, held the office four years, and was then elected by the democratic party to the same office, which he held until the expiration of his term in 1892, giving during his entire incumbency the utmost satisfaction to the community. In 1875 he was joined in matrimony with. Miss Alice Copley, daughter of M. S. Copley, a worthy citizen and talented newspaper man of Mobile. This lady was born in Carrollton, Pickens County, Alabama, but at an early age was taken by her parents to Mobile, where she was reared and where she enjoyed excellent educational advantages at Barton Academy. She was married in her eighteenth year, and is now the mother of eight children, born in the following order: George B., October 27, 1876; William O., September 4, 1878; Cornelia A., July 18, 1880; Claude H., June 23, 1882; Lillian A., March 9, 1885 Mark C., March 21, 1887; Claribel, May 29, 1889, and Maud W., August 4, 1891. The mother of Mrs. Alice Schieffelin bore the maiden name of Augusta A. Waddle and was born in North Carolina in 1836; she was married in her native state in her fifteenth year, bore her husband nine children, of whom six are still living ; she is a communicant of the Episcopal church and is greatly respected. The parents of William L. Schieffelin were George A. F. and Cornelia J. (Starke) Schieffelin. George A. F. was a native of New York, but at an early age ran away to sea, and during his service on ship board learned sailmaking. Eventually landing at Mobile he opened a sail-loft and for many years followed sailmaking as a vocation, subsequently turnng his attention to other pursuits. He was married in Mobile and became the father of five children. His death occurred in 1871, he being a member of the I. O. O. F., at the time, having joined the order many years previously. Mrs. Cornelia J. (Starke) Schieffelin was born in Baldwin County, Alabama, and was eighteen years of age when married. She became a member of the Episcopal church early in life, and now makes her home with her son, William L. This gentleman owns and occupies a beautiful home of many rooms and wide, cool verandas, overlooking the placid waters of the beautiful Mobile bay, located at Daphne, surrounded by scenery well calculated to soothe the weary and please the eye of the most fanciful. Here the giant live oaks, with somber drapery of Spanish moss, flourish in profusion, also the orange tree, with its golden fruit-laden branches, forming a most cool shade. His garden is prolific with the pear, peach and plum, also grapes of many kinds. He owns property, both business and residence, in Daphne, and is considered one of Baldwin’s progressive representative men.
