| 1839 | Born either on August 16, in Braunschweig, Prussia or on November 25, in Zorbau, Weißenfels, Pressia. |
| c. 1860 | Married Sophie Braun (1838-1924). |
| 1867 | Son Otto M. Schafer (1867-1911) born. |
| 1871 | Moved from Germany to the United States. |
| 1873 | May have traveled from New York City to San Francisco via Panama. |
| 1876 | October multi-artist auction of paintings in San Francisco, the first documented appearance of Schafer in California. |
| 1877 | First (known) Yosemite Valley painting by the artist. |
| 1879 | Exhibited 4 paintings at 14th San Francisco Mechanics fair (August). There is a legend of an overland trip to the east coast, perhaps to meet his wife and son, who may have arrived in the U.S. that year, and escort them to San Francisco. A painting of Donner Lake, dated 1879, supports the legend. The first time he is listed as a resident in a local directory is in 1879 in Oakland, which is consistent with this legend. |
| 1880 | Exhibited one painting at San Francisco Art Association Spring exhibition (March), four paintings at 15th San Francisco Mechanics fair (August) and three paintings at the California State Fair (September) |
| 1881 | Multi-artist auctions of paintings in Sacramento (June) and San Francisco (October). Schafer builds a residence in Alameda, California. |
| 1882 | Exhibited 2 paintings at 17th San Francisco Mechanics fair (August). Multi-artist auctions of paintings in San Francisco (July, August, September) and in Sacramento (November). Daughter Eda Schafer (1882-1935) born. |
| 1883 | Exhibited 11 paintings at 18th San Francisco Mechanics Fair (August). First solo auction of paintings, in San Francisco (November). From titles of paintings, probably traveled to Washington Territory sometime before. |
| 1884 | Naturalized as a U.S. citizen. Auction sale in San Jose, California (May). Traveled, probably by railroad, from San Francisco to Portland and then along the Columbia River during the summer, and may also have visited Salt Lake City. Exhibited 30 paintings at 19th San Francisco Mechanics Fair (September). Several auctions of at least 65 paintings in San Francisco (September and November). |
| 1885 | Travel to Victoria, British Columbia, where he exhibited paintings and held a sale in July. On return by way of Tacoma, Washington Territory and Astoria, Oregon where he held exhibitions and auctions in August. Went on to Portland, Oregon, where he exhibited one painting at the Portland Mechanics Fair. Auction of paintings in San Francisco (November/December). |
| 1886 | Travel to Los Angeles (late January) to paint and sell paintings at auction. Travel to Salt Lake City (May) for exhibition and sale. Travel to Portland, Oregon, exhibited one painting at Mechanics Fair, Portland (October). Travel again to Los Angeles (December) to sell paintings at auction. |
| 1887 | Auctions of paintings in Los Angeles (February), San Jose, California (March) and Sacramento, California (April). The 1887 date on Colquitz Creek near Victoria, British Columbia suggests possible summer travel to Victoria, British Columbia. Auction of paintings in San Francisco (November) and in Los Angeles (December). |
| 1888 | Multiple artist auction in San Francisco (June). Summer visit to Chicago, Illinois, and Denver, Colorado, for exhibitions and sales of paintings. Schafer takes out a (second?) mortgage on his Alameda house. |
| 1889 | Auctions in San Francisco (June and November) and Tacoma, Washington (December). Dates on paintings imply travel to Idaho, Alaska, and Colorado. |
| 1890 | Travel to Seattle, Washington for exhibition and auction sale (May). Visit to Portland, Oregon (September) with exhibit at Mechanics Exhibition. |
| 1891 | Exhibition and auction sale in Santa Cruz, California (May). Travel to Vancouver, British Columbia, with auction of paintings there (September) and in New Westminster (October). Travel to Utah with sales of paintings in Ogden (November) and Salt Lake City (December). |
| 1892 | Exhibition and auction sale in San Jose, California (May/June). Travel to Pacific Northwest to exhibit and offer "over 40" paintings at auction in Fairhaven, Washington, in July and Portland, Oregon, to exhibit and offer 30 paintings at auction in August. |
| 1894 | Exhibited two paintings at California State Agricultural Fair, Sacramento. Auction sale of 83 paintings in Los Angeles. |
| 1895 | Auction sale of 40 paintings in Portland, Oregon, perhaps accompanied by a visit there (August). |
| 1896 | Completion of murals in Masonic Temple, Alameda, California (April). |
| 1897 | Auction sale of 30 paintings in Los Angeles, perhaps accompanied by a visit there (January). Mortgage foreclosure on Schafer's Alameda residence. |
| 1901 | Schafer's former house in Alameda partially destroyed in fire. |
| 1906 | Grandson Frederick Otto Hughes (1906-1982) born July 3 to daughter Eda Schafer Hughes in Oakland, California. |
| 1911 | Last dated painting that has emerged so far. Son Otto M. Schafer died of tuberculosis on December 20, at age 44 years, in Oakland, California. |
| 1914 | Preparation of [La Grange Dam] (provisional title) for the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco. |
| 1917 | Auction including Schafer's paintings in San Francisco (October). |
| 1921 | Schafer gives box of casts to the University of California at Berkeley. |
| 1924 | Wife Sophie Braun Schafer died on June 30, at age 85 years, in Oakland, California. |
| 1927 | Frederick Ferdinand Schafer died on July 18, at age of 87 years, in Oakland, California. |