Jacob Daniel Scherer (1726 - 1795)

Born 11 Nov 1726 in Oberbetzbach (Bexbach), Germany

Ancestors

Husband of Hannah Sophia (Dick) Scherer — married 7 Oct 1755 in Berks County, PA, USA [uncertain]

Descendants

Died 25 Sep 1795 at age 68 in Guilford County, NC, USA

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Mitch Watson [send private message]

Biography

Jacob Scherer is a DAR Patriot Ancestor, A102284.

Jacob Scherer is an NSSAR Patriot Ancestor.
NSSAR Ancestor #: P285443
Rank: Patriotic Service

He arrived in America from Germany in 1752. One source lists him as the son of Nicholas Scherrer who was born about the year 1700. Another source lists his father as Hanss Nickel (Nickolaus) Scherrer. Both are probably correct, since one cites a man with one given name, and the other one with two - with the name common to both differing mostly in spelling. There are many spellings of the family name - Scherrer, Pschirrer, Scherer, Sherer, Schirrer, Shearer, etc... Sometimes brothers used different spellings. They may have originally been Scots, since the names Scherrer and Dick are found in Scotland as well as in Germany, and it is known that many Scots fled to Holland and Germany during the religious persecutions in Scotland.

The first record we have of Jacob Daniel's birthdate is from a church-book of the Lutheran Parish of Homburg (of which Ottweiler was a part) vol. xxi, p. 60, year 1726. It is a record of a christening as follows: "Oberbettsbach - born 11 November to trademaster Johann Niklas Scherer and his wife Maria Catherine, young son named Jacob Daniel, christened 15 November. Godparents were: Mr. Daniel Kirschhock. Miss Marie Barbara Kirschhock."

According to some descendants Jacob Daniel's birthdate was February 2, 1726; According to others he is said to have been born in 1730. The latter date perhaps because his Letter of Recommendation by the Masters of Tailoring is dated 1751, and states he was born "21 years ago." A translation of this Letter of Recommendation follows: "We, The Sworn Masters of Tailoring in the town of Ottweiler, do hereby certify that the present Jacob Daniel Sherer, born in Ober-bets-bach, 21 years ago, of average stature, brown hair, has learned the Tailoring trade to the satisfaction of Master Michael Grawang, and has shown himself industrious and truthful. We the undersigned wish to recommend him. Ottweiler, August 31st, 1751 Signed: W. H. Gerber, Local Supreme Master John Michael Martin Becoming Master John Adams Wagner John JacobEber-Gassett"

The seal of order was stamped in red wax. In the center of the seal are figures of two men, indicating the styles of garments; also a pair of shears, and around the border of the seal are the words, "Established 1707".

This Letter of Recommendation was carried by Jacob Daniel on his journey down the Rhine to Rotterdam, then by boat to Portsmouth, England, and then to America. After the death of his widow, it was turned over to her son Christian in Preble Co., Ohio.

Jacob Daniel Scherrer came to America on the ship "Richard and Mary." The voyage took from May to September 1752. He landed at Philadelphia on September 26, and on that date took the oath of allegiance to the King. He is shown on the list of passengers. John Moore was the Ship Master.

Jacob might have stayed in Philadelphia, or he may have gone directly to Berks County. Within a few years he sent for his bride-to-be Hannah Sophia Dick. According to tradition he paid at least part of her fare. One report says they were married October 7, 1755. They lived in Pennsylvania, or in the "Colony of Deleware" where their oldest son John Jacob Sherer was born.

By 1763, Jacob Daniel Scherrer and his family had moved to Orange County, North Carolina, living in the part which was later cut off and became Guilford County. He bought land there and became a part of the German settlement near Gibsonville. His farm was a little north of Rock Creek. He taught school there, probably in connection with the Friedans Church (sometimes called "Shoemaker's" Church) about 2 miles north of Gibsonville. It served both the Lutherans and the German Reformed people of the area.

Jacob Daniel died of consumption, and is buried at Friedans Church Cemetery. His grave marker reads as follows: "Here lies Jacob Daniel Sherrer He was born 11th of Nov. 1726 Took to wife Sophia Dick Oct. 7, 1755 Begat 9 children, died Sept. 1795 68 years 10 mos. 14 days."

Jacob Daniel and his sons, John Jacob and Frederick, all fought in the American Revolution. The Battle of Guilford Courthouse was very near their farm home. The family took shelter in the cellar during the battle, and an officer refused one of the men permission to leave the battle to see if the family was safe.

Jacob Daniel Scherrer

(11 NOV 1726 - 7 OCT 1795)

He arrived in America from Germany in 1752. One source lists him as the son of Nicholas Scherrer who was born about the year 1700. Another source lists his father as Hanss Nickel (Nickolaus) Scherrer. Both are probably correct, since one cites a man with one given name, and the other one with two - with the name common to both differing mostly in spelling. There are many spellings of the family name - Scherrer, Pschirrer, Scherer, Sherer, Schirrer, Shearer, etc... Sometimes brothers used different spellings. They may have originally been Scots, since the names Scherrer and Dick are found in Scotland as well as in Germany, and it is known that many Scots fled to Holland and Germany during the religious persecutions in Scotland.

The first record we have of Jacob Daniel's birthdate is from a church-book of the Lutheran Parish of Homburg (of which Ottweiler was a part) vol. xxi, p. 60, year 1726. It is a record of a christening as follows:

"Oberbettsbach - born 11 November to trademaster Johann Niklas Scherer and his wife Maria Catherine, young son named Jacob Daniel, christened 15 November. Godparents were:

Mr. Daniel Kirschhock.

Miss Marie Barbara Kirschhock."

According to some descendants Jacob Daniel's birthdate was February 2, 1726; According to others he is said to have been born in 1730. The latter date perhaps because his Letter of Recommendation by the Masters of Tailoring is dated 1751, and states he was born "21 years ago." A translation of this Letter of Recommendation follows:

"We, The Sworn Masters of Tailoring in the town of Ottweiler, do hereby certify that the present Jacob Daniel Sherer, born in Ober-bets-bach, 21 years ago, of average stature, brown hair, has learned the Tailoring trade to the satisfaction of Master Michael Grawang, and has shown himself industrious and truthful. We the undersigned wish to recommend him.

Ottweiler, August 31st, 1751

Signed:

W. H. Gerber,

Local Supreme Master

John Michael Martin

Becoming Master

John Adams Wagner

John JacobEber-Gassett"

The seal of order was stamped in red wax. In the center of the seal are figures of two men, indicating the styles of garments; also a pair of shears, and around the border of the seal are the words, "Established 1707".

This Letter of Recommendation was carried by Jacob Daniel on his journey down the Rhine to Rotterdam, then by boat to Portsmouth, England, and then to America. After the death of his widow, it was turned over to her son Christian in Preble Co., Ohio.

Jacob Daniel Scherrer came to America on the ship "Richard and Mary." The voyage took from May to September 1752. He landed at Philadelphia on September 26, and on that date took the oath of allegiance to the King. He is shown on the list of passengers. John Moore was the Ship Master.

Jacob might have stayed in Philadelphia, or he may have gone directly to Berks County. Within a few years he sent for his bride-to-be Hannah Sophia Dick. According to tradition he paid at least part of her fare. One report says they were married October 7, 1755. They lived in Pennsylvania, or in the "Colony of Deleware" where their oldest son John Jacob Sherer was born.

By 1763, Jacob Daniel Scherrer and his family had moved to Orange County, North Carolina, living in the part which was later cut off and became Guilford County. He bought land there and became a part of the German settlement near Gibsonville. His farm was a little north of Rock Creek. He taught school there, probably in connection with the Friedans Church (sometimes called "Shoemaker's" Church) about 2 miles north of Gibsonville. It served both the Lutherans and the German Reformed people of the area.

Jacob Daniel died of consumption, and is buried at Friedans Church Cemetery. His grave marker reads as follows:

"Here lies Jacob Daniel Sherrer

He was born 11th of Nov. 1726

Took to wife Sophia Dick Oct. 7, 1755

Begat 9 children, died Sept. 1795

68 years 10 mos. 14 days."

~The cemetery is 15 miles east of Greensboro, North Carolina.~

Jacob Daniel and his sons, John Jacob and Frederick, all fought in the American Revolution. The Battle of Guilford Courthouse was very near their farm home. The family took shelter in the cellar during the battle, and an officer refused one of the men permission to leave the battle to see if the family was safe.

Jacob Daniel's wife Hannah Sophia Dick was an unusual woman. She bore Jacob 9 children between 1759 and 1777 or '78. She was deeply religious, and many of her sons, grandsons and great-grandsons were ordained ministers of the Lutheran, the Reformed and other churches.

After her husband's death in 1795 Hannah Sophia lived on the 195 acre farm until 1801. Then she and her sons, Jacob Jr., John, Christian and David, sold it to Henry Strader for $600.00. After that she made her home with Elizabeth in Tennessee, and later moved to Southern Illinois where she lived with her son Christian, often visiting her older son John Jacob and his family. The date of her death is not known, but she was still living in June 1825. She died at the age of 95, and at her request was buried in one corner of her son Christian's homestead. In 1909 the grave could still be seen.

A.T. Scherer, the family genealogist, writes of her:

"Bereft of husband and home, this noble mother, of whom we find only words of endearment, now took up her abode with her children...sending words of encouragement to the children then (1825) scattered in several states."

Her son Frederick, after his brother Godfrey's death, wrote that he "only wanted Mother well cared for." Letters show that she was greatly loved by her family. James Goodner, a grandson, addresses her as "my most loving grandmother" and signed himself, "your obedient and dutiful son." Her son Christian wrote: "Mother still enjoys her religion and desires it mentioned, and very often finds herself happy in waiting on the Lord." In her last days she became quite helpless and was a charge upon her son Christian and his wife Sarah, who made her last days as happy as possible. Her great-grandson said that "her stature was portly, her complexion fair, and health very good; that she died of old age at the age of 105. Place of burial, Preble County, Ohio."

Sources

• This comes from his tombstone. I saw a photo

http://www.griffinfamilytree.com/bios/bio_scherrer_jd.html

primary reference is Whitsett, Dr. WT, A Remarkable American Family The Scherers of North Carolina, Greensboro Daily Times, 1932-10-09.

also Sanders WR. The Scherer Family of Montgomery County Illinois, Oct 1945. "Deutschland Geburten und Taufen, 1558-1898," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NC34-L83 : 9 March 2018), Jacob Daniel Scherer, 11 Nov 1726; citing ; FHL microfilm 1,057,462.

Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/18155240), memorial page for Jacob Daniel Scherer (11 Nov 1726–25 Sep 1795),citing Friedens Lutheran Church Cemetery, Gibsonville, Guilford County, North Carolina, USA ; Maintained by SierraBravo (contributor 46829986) .

Parents of Jacob

• Name: Jacob Daniel Scherer

Gender: Male Baptism Date: 11. Nov 1726 (11 Nov 1726) Baptism Place: Oberbettsbach, Saarland, Germany Residence Place: Homburg (BA. Homburg), Bayern, Germany Father: Johann Nicolas Scherer Mother: Maria Catharina FHL Film Number: 1057462

Source Information Ancestry.com. Germany, Select Births and Baptisms, 1558-1898 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014.

Original data: Germany, Births and Baptisms, 1558-1898. Salt Lake City, Utah: FamilySearch, 2013.

Description This collection includes birth and baptism records from Germany.