John C. Schafer

Who was John C. Schafer?

John Charles Schafer was a U.S. Representative from Wisconsin.

Born in Milwaukee, Schafer fought in the First World War in France, serving for twenty-two months. In 1921, he was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly before running for Congress a year later. Schafer was first elected to Congress as a Republican to the 68th Congress representing Wisconsin's 4th congressional district. He was then reelected to the four succeeding Congresses.

He lost his reelection bids in 1932, and failed in 1934 and 1936 to regain his old seat. In 1938, with the Democrats divided, he regained his old seat for the Seventy-sixth Congress. In 1940 he was again ousted by Democrat Thaddeus Wasielewski, coming in third behind Wasielewski and Progressive former state senator Leonard C. Fons. Schafer unsuccessfully contested the election results.

Schafer ran unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination for the Senate in 1957 to fill the vacancy left by the death of Joseph McCarthy.

Schafer returned to private life and died in Pewaukee in 1962.