Description 

Professor of History, Richard Schaff is a larger gentleman due to his love of food and drink. Known for writing The History of New Alexandria.

Early Life 

Richard Schaff – His own words for a minute: Richard's Memory of the Civil War

An Interview with Rich’ Schaff by one of his students.
"Ya' want my story young'n? Well here ya go.
I am Richard Schaff Jr, born to Richard Schaff Sr and Sharon Shaff of Franklin County Pennsylvania. Not far off from Chambersburg, a small town not known for much growing up, but it would get its name made during the War. As a boy I grew up in the hilly farmlands, between cool shady forests and deep rolling streams right off the Appalachians. My Pa' did carpentry, but his main way of take'n care of us kids, - my sis' and brother and I, was to see to farming. We did, ohhh, corn, beans, potatoes, few others but the soil there is clay once you go 'bout a foot down.
Ironically, I never was much one to pay a mind in school. I'd run off as much as I could from the house and play down in the streams with the older boys. My pa' he had taken to the bottle a good bit, and my mother never really left the bedroom. With my pa's habits and his work, he never paid mind to my lack of studies. My ma' she practically lived on an island, just kept to herself, kept to that bed, kept to herself. She loved us kids, but she was a troubled woman.
With the Rebs getting their dander up and with Lincoln calling up for troops, I felt I should be going. I naturally enlisted even though I wasn't supposed to. I was only 15 at the time, but I wrote on a bit o'paper the number 16, put that in my shoe. When I raised my right hand to swear to the recruiter I was "above 18" and he saw no lie in my face, I was accepted. You see, I didn't lie, I was standing on that number, so I was above it. With all the chaos at the station, they didn’t care, passed me to the next man to have me sign. Everyone was in a frenzy to sign up.
My pa' paid no mind to me going off, he had my brother and sister still, my mother cried like never before, but we all thought it would do me good. I served with the 35th Pennsylvania, known as Bate's Regiment. We mainly did duty outside the capital, guarding the white house and what not. Our first bit of action was in 61' at Dranesville December 20. Small skirmish, not much of a scrap. After that we moved up and down Maryland, Northern Virginia, to and forth. I swear all I really did was march. It wasn't till 62 that things really began to change. . . Ganesvile, Bull Run, South Mountain, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, Rappahannock, the Wilderness, Spotsylvania, Harris Farm. . our regimental flag kept gaining those florals and honors. . . we kept lose'n boys. Damn near 200 men were gone by the end of the war. . . Yeah nothing compared to some of the other regiments or even some companies for that matter. Still, how can you not mourn that loss of life? When we were mustered out in June 11, 1864, I went back to Pennsylvania, there I helped with the farm and family.
In my mid 20's my pa and mother died, not two years apart. Pa's heart gave out, and me mum's lungs took her. They had just opened a school, Shippensburg, in 71. I'd given it thought and said I'd make something of myself.
I learned histories, language, and the sort, began teaching in the area till I had some more asset to my name.
I moved to Philly, that Philadelphia for ya' if you didn't know. . . There I began to get my higher education done.
I left there as Dr. Schaff. Most folks would look to me and think it womanly I teach history and language. . . but them I tell, I did my man's duties in the war. . . Haha.
I would travel Europe, teach where I could here in the states. . . Eventually, the drinking, the traveling and the sort caught up to me. . . I found myself in debt. . . and well. . . thats why I moved out here, running from my debt before the banks catch up. I am old, fat, not good with a pistol, but I can teach you about Agincourt, teach ya' to read and write, quote you Shakespeare, the Classic Philosophers, and I can speak to you in 4 languages. I’ve loved women, lived with them, maybe even married one or two, but I aint gonna tell all my secrets. . . No doubt out west here I'll meet my end, haha, if it aint from the drinking, from my lungs given out on me like me mum's, or the natives. . . It will damn sure be the ladies. . . Speaking of which, while you finish writing this down, I'm going to bid ya' good day. . . I see a soiled dove right outside this window look'n for a fixing, I feel I shall oblige her and try and have myself a good night. I'll see ya in the morning and review your spelling. "

Present Life 

Currently drinking, eating, and working on his history book.

Affiliations 

None

Quotes 

"Deputies, I have 3 questions!"

Trivia 

Wrote the book on New Alexandria History of New Alexandria