Geneve L. A. Shaffer

Geneve Lucy Angela Shaffer (July 20, 1888 – December 13, 1976) was an American realtor, lecturer and writer. In 1909 she was touted by the San Francisco Call as "the first woman in the world to sail in a flying machine".

Early life and family Geneve Lucy Angela Shaffer was born on July 20, 1888, in Wisconsin. Her father was William Chase Shaffer, an associate of Thomas Edison and Alexander Graham Bell, and inventor of the sprinkler system, the automatic burglar alarm and the chemical fire extinguisher.

On August 22, 1909, Geneve Shaffer flew Cleve's airplane in the San Bruno hills near San Francisco. For this ascension, the Smithsonian Institution regards Shaffer as the first woman glider pilot in the United States. During one of her ascensions she made the first aerial photographs of Oakland and San Francisco. She also worked with Cleve in his Shaffer Aero Manufacturing Co., serving as secretary and chief rigger. In autumn 1909, Geneve was co-pilot of balloonist Ivy Baldwin of the balloon "The Pride of San Francisco", but the balloon crashed down in the water. After that Geneve gave up aviation.

Shaffer traveled all over the world and was a Hearst correspondent in the Orient.

As a realtor, she specialized in skyscrapers.

Shaffer was a member of: American Woman's Club (London), San Francisco Women's Athletic Club, California Writers Club, Speech Arts Club, American Pen Women, San Francisco Soroptimist Club.

In 1939, Shaffer was appointed to serve as a member of the State Real Estate Advisory Board, which cooperated with the state Department of Real Estate (DRE) in regulating the industry.

In 1969 Shaffer wrote her autobiography, Geneve, published by Vantage Press.

Personal life

Shaffer lived at 560 Sutter St., San Francisco, California. On December 17, 1961, she married John C. Parsons, 22 years older than her.