Proffer Family Tree 

 1.  John1 Proffer was born 1758 in Germany, and died 1838 in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri.  He married Margaret Helderman Abt. 1779 in Pennsylvania.  She was born 1760.

Notes for John Proffer:
The following information was written by Alice Proffer-Spillman, in her book entitled "A History of the Cape Co. & Stoddard Co. Proffer Family and its Antecedants and Descendants." (1976) She does not list her the sources of her information.  Much of this Genealogy Report is taken from her book, except for information on the Street & Chasteen Families.
 

John Proffer was the pioneer of the Proffer  family in Missouri.  He was born in Germany in 1758 and came to America as a boy, bound to a blacksmith.  In the olden days, if you were bound to someone, you would work for them, and they would teach you their trade.  This is how John Proffer became a blacksmith.  He arrived by ship in Pennsylvania, probably at a seaport in Philadelphia.  There is no record of John Proffer on any passenger ships of German Immigrants who arrived in Pennsylvania.   Since he came to America as a bound person, he was probably included as member of the family with whom he arrived.  The name of this family is unknown at this time.

In adulthood he married Margaret Helderman.  She was also born of German descent in 760.   Since marriage records for Pennsylvania were not issued until 1833, we assume they married before that date. Thus, there is no definite proof that his wife's maiden name was Helderman.  However, we know his wife was, indeed, named Margaret from her tombstone.  As his son, George Proffer, was born in Pennsylvania in 1781; therefore, this marriage probably occurred around 1779 or 1780.

Shortly after the birth of this son John Proffer moved his family to North Carolina where he lived for several years following his trade as a blacksmith and farmer.  His other known children were born in North Carolina.

After the summer crops were harvested in the fall of 1817,  the family once again packed their belongings.  This time they journeyed to Missouri where they arrived the following spring 1818) in time to clear land and plant the crops for next year.  They journeyed in covered wagons, pulled by oxens.  According to hearsay, the most valued item in John Proffer's wagon was an anvil which he used in his trade as a blacksmith.

The family settled in Cape Girardeau County, near a spring at what is known today as Crump, Missouri.  He lived the remainder of his life in that location, dying in 1838, at the age of 80 years.  His wife died the previous year in 1837, at the age of 77 years.  Both of them were buried on a nearby hillside overlooking the valley of Crump in what later became known as the Proffer Cemetery.  A monument was erected in later years to mark their final resting place.

Their children came to Missouri in the same wagon train as their parents.  The age differences of these children suggest the likelihood of other children, perhaps daughters whose married names are unknown at this time.

Children of John Proffer and Margaret Helderman are:
+2 i. George Proffer, Sr., born 1781 in Pennsylvania; died Abt. 1854 in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri.
+3 ii. Mary PROFFER, born 1791 in Lincoln Co. N.C.; died 1895 in Henderson Co TX    age 104.
+4 iii.Peter Proffer, born 1793; died 1858.
+5 iv. Daniel Proffer, born 1800; died 1855.
+6 v. David Proffer, born 1801 in North Carolina; died November 21, 1861 in Cape Girardeau County,
        Missouri.
+7vi. John Proffer, born 1806 in North Carolina.

Sources: Much of the data for the first five generations is taken from the book entitled, A History of the Cape County & Stoddard County Proffer Family and its Antecedants and Descendants by Alice Proffer-Spillman, 1976. Not all data from the book is listed here.  Basically, this chart includes the descendants of the sons of George Proffer, Peter & Moses.  Eventually, I will have all the names in the book in my database, but for now if the name you are looking for is not on my Proffer Tree, let me know and I'll look to see if it's in the book.

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