Joseph Schafer

Born in 1867 and active during the growth of professional history in the United States, Joseph Schafer became an important interpreter of Wisconsin and the American frontier. He studied the region's economic, political, and social development and wrote in a way that helped make state and regional history feel central to the larger national story.

Schafer was closely tied to the University of Wisconsin and to the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, where he served in major leadership roles. His career combined research, teaching, editing, and institution-building, and he helped expand the collection and use of historical records for both scholars and the public.

He died in 1941 at age 73. Remembered as a careful historian and energetic organizer, he played a lasting part in preserving Wisconsin's past and encouraging serious study of the Midwest.