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A record of the people of Waterloo Region, Ontario.
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Abraham Sherk

Abraham Sherk[1]

Male 1817 - 1898  (80 years)

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  • Photos
    Abraham Shirk    		Abraham Shirk
    Photo published in the Newsletter of the Schurch Family Association of North America, from the collection of Sarah I. Banfield, 956 Cowichan St., Victoria, B.C. V8S 4E5
    Waterloo-LogSchool-00002.jpg    		Waterloo-LogSchool-00002.jpg

  • Name Abraham Sherk 
    Born 7 Jul 1817  Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8] 
    Gender Male 
    Name Abraham Sharick  [3] 
    Name Abraham Sherrick 
    Name Abram Sherrick 
    Residence 1845  Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [9] 
    Occupation 1852  Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [10] 
    farmer 
    Occupation 1861  Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [7] 
    Farmer 
    Residence 1861  Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [7] 
    Mennonite 
    Occupation 1881  North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [5] 
    Farmer 
    Residence 1881  North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [5] 
    Mennonite 
    Occupation 1891  North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [6] 
    Farmer 
    Residence 1891  North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [6] 
    Mennonite 
    Died 8 Apr 1898  Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [8, 11] 
    Residence 1989  15 Samuel St., Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Eby ID Number 00101-5613 
    Buried First Mennonite Cemetery, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [8, 11] 
    Person ID I15163  Generations
    Last Modified 12 May 2024 

    Father Jacob Sherk,   b. 18 Aug 1795, , Pennsylvania, USA Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 6 Aug 1834, Near, Breslau, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 38 years) 
    Mother Hannah Bechtel,   b. 24 Oct 1799, , Pennsylvania, USA Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 25 Sep 1874  (Age 74 years) 
    Family ID F1397  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Louisa Ann "Lucy" Buckler,   b. 9 Feb 1828, , England Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 22 Oct 1905, Breslau, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 77 years) 
    Married 30 Oct 1845  Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [2, 6, 7, 9] 
    • The marriage record recorded by Rev. Strang gives Oct 3rd not 30th as recorded by Ezra Eby.
    Children 
     1. William B. Sherk,   b. 7 Mar 1846, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 1 Oct 1906, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 60 years)
     2. Hannah Sherk,   b. 27 Aug 1847, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
     3. Rev Moses Sherk,   b. 31 Mar 1849, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 1928, , Lapeer Co., Michigan Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 78 years)
     4. Jacob Sherk,   b. 5 Dec 1850, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 12 May 1936, Victoria, British Columbia Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 85 years)
     5. Abraham R. Sherk,   b. 13 Feb 1853, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
     6. Elizabeth "Bessie" Sherk,   b. 1 Jan 1855, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 19 Jan 1937  (Age 82 years)
     7. Wendel Buckler Sherk,   b. 17 May 1857, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 17 Sep 1914, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 57 years)
     8. Thomas Sherk,   b. 19 Aug 1859, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
     9. Lucy Ann Sherk,   b. 13 Feb 1862, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 12 Dec 1936  (Age 74 years)
     10. Mary Sherk,   b. 2 Feb 1864, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 25 Sep 1865, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 1 years)
     11. Samuel B. Sherk,   b. 7 May 1866, Blair (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 1941  (Age 74 years)
     12. Caleb Sherk,   b. 15 Apr 1869, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
     13. Lauretta Sherk,   b. 1873, , Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
     14. Loretta May Sherk,   b. 30 May 1873, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
     15. Alvin Sherk,   b. 1881, , Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
    Last Modified 13 May 2024 
    Family ID F1398  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Notes 
    • Abraham Sherk, "was born July 7th, 1817. He was married October 30th, 1845, to Lucy Buckler who was born February 9th, 1828. Soon after their marriage they moved on a farm near Blair where they resided until lately when they moved to Berlin where they now reside. To them was born a family of thirteen children"


      Eby, Ezra E. (1895). A biographical history of Waterloo township and other townships of the county: being a history of the early settlers and their descendants, mostly all of Pennsylvania Dutch origin: as also much other unpublished historical information chiefly of a local character. Berlin [Kitchener, Ont.]: [s.n.].

      _______________________

      THE OLD SCHOOLHOUSE

      An interesting meeting took place the Saturday before last in the old log cabin in Waterloo Park.

      This house was, of course, the first schoolhouse in this area and stood originally on the school-house square at the corner of King and Church Streets in Waterloo. It was built in 1820 and served its purpose until 1842, when it was torn down and a 1-storey stone house was constructed on the site. The dismantled log house was erected again in Greenbush and served as a residence for a long time for the coloured man, Mr. Carroll and his family. In the course of this year, the Waterloo Park Commissioners purchased the house, moved it to their park and furnished it again as it was when it was a school-house.

      At this gathering, in addition to many other ladies and gentlemen, the following (male and female) former pupils attended, took their places on the benches, and were called to order by the 82-year-old teacher, Benjamin Burkholder, who held the scepter, or rather, the switch, from 1831 to 1842 in the old log-house: Joel Guth, 80 years old; Abraham Scherk, Blair, 79; Jakob Bricker, Waterloo, 77; Sarah Burkholder, nee Erb, Bridgeport, 75; Amos Weber, Berlin, 73; John C, Bricker, Hawksville, 71; Maria Erb, nee Quickfall, Norwich 69; David B. Eby, Waterloo, 69; Wendel Baumann, Woolwich, 68; Henry Stauffer, Erbsville, 67; Simon Beatty, Elmira, 67; Jakob Ratz, New Hamburg, 67; Israel Baumann, Berlin, 65; George Elbert, Moorefield, 63; George H. Baumann, Elmira, 63; John Devitt, Waterloo, 62; Richard Quickfall, Bridgeport, 62; Isaak Hoffmann, Waterloo, 61; Robert Barkwell, Peel, 60; Diana McMahon, nee Dekay, Berlin, 60; Thomas Quickfall, Floradale, 60; Benjamin Devitt, Waterloo, 60; Isaak Devitt, Floradale, 58; John Longmann, Peel, 57. In addition, to these, the teacher read the names of 25 pupils from the roll; they were, however, absent.

      Mr. Burkholder gave an interesting talk about the history of the old school-house, and after him, Rev. J.A. MacLachlan, Rev. J. McNair, Mr. J.E. Baumann, M.P., and Mr. Jakob Ratz spoke about the old days which brought many things out of the past to mind again. School was, as a rule, only in session in winter and the costs were borne by the parents of the children. There were few subjects taught, namely: Reading, Writing and Sums. The children heard little about language, and geography; no child had more than 2 or 3 books. The predominant language was German. The pupils learned to read and write English, but didn't understand a word of it. Among the teachers in the old school-house from 1820-1842, with the exception of Mr. Burkholder, were the following whose names are still recognized: Jephtha DeKay, Joseph Guth, John Herringer, Peter Otto, John Dobbin, Elias Eby, Robert Barber, & Joseph Eby.

      After those present, on hearing the various speeches felt themselves transported back to the past, the school was closed at four o'clock and the pupils were gathered together in front of the school and photographed as a group. On their return into the school, they found it had been transformed into a dining room with heavily-laden tables, which the old-timers thoroughly enjoyed. After everyone had chatted cordially for a while longer, the gathering broke up. The company will not meet again in complete numbers, nor in such a way.

      Berliner Journal September 26, 1895 Page 4 Column 4

      ________________

      Abraham Sherk Passes Over to the Great Majority

      At his home on Samuel St., Berlin, there died on Friday morning another of the early settlers, one who, at the time of his death was probably the oldest native born resident of this county. Mr. Abraham Sherk was born on the old Bechtel homestead just east of Blair (at present the home of Mr. Barclay) on July 7th, 1817. He was the eldest son of Jacob and Hannah Sherk. Joseph Sherk, the father of Jacob, was the first settler to arrive in the county with his family in the spring of 1800. Jacob Bechtel arrived during the same summer. The parents of Abraham Sherk were the son and daughter of these two first families in the county. They soon afterwards removed from the home in Blair, to a farm adjoining the Grand River west from Breslau - for many years occupied by Mr. Noah Betzner. At that time Berlin was not yet a village. Here Abraham Sherk grew to youth, when his father and one brother were suddenly cut off by cholera in 1834. About a year afterwards he was apprenticed to the late Wm. Moyer, father of the late P. E. W. Moyer. Mr. Moyer did a large business as contractor. A very common mode of housebuilding at that time was known as "roughcast". The old Commercial Hotel of this town, was one of the buildings constructed by Mr. Moyer. The village of Preston had a considerable number of them. The subject of this notice, however, preferred farming to housebuilding, and on his release at the age of 21 years, he hired out to his uncle, the late Henry Bechtel. At the age of twenty-two, with the assistance of his mother, he bought a farm, in what was then designated the "English Settlement" about two miles west of Carlysle near Blair. In 1845 he married Lucy Buckler, and resided on the farm until 1865, when he sold the place and bought the Schlichter farm near Blair. On this farm he continued to live until 1893, when he sold it and removed to Berlin. He had not the privilege of attending school when a boy, and feeling the lack of an education he took great pains to give his children a good common school training. He was in religion a Mennonite and in politics a staunch Reformer, journeying from Blair to Guelph to poll his first vote. He was 80 years and 9 months of age, and leaves the companion of his life for over 52 years and a family of twelve children, viz: William, Berlin; Hannah, Toronto; Moses, Michigan; Jacob, Victoria; Wendell, Waterloo; Thomas, Chicago; Mrs. Foreman, Berlin; Samuel, Berlin; Caleb, Detroit; and Mrs. Gehman, Dumfries. One child died in infancy.
      The funeral takes place on Sunday, 10th, at 1.30 p.m., from his residence, No. 15 Samuel street, to the New Mennonite church for service, thence to Mennonite cemetery at the east end for interment.

      Berlin Daily Telegraph, April 9, 1898

      _____________

      Death of an Aged Pioneer
      Abraham Sherk has Passed Away

      There died on Friday morning at 15 Samuel str. Berlin one of the few living members of the sturdy group of pioneers who hewed out the early settlements of Waterloo county - in the person of Abraham Sherk.

      He was born on the old Bechtel homestead, below Blair on July 7th 1817, and his grandfather and father were among the very first among the advance guard from Pennsylvania, to set foot in what is know the banner county of Ontario. He lived to see a great transformation effected in this district in the 80 years, 9 mos and 1 day of his life, and died full of years and much respected by a wide circle of relatives and friends.
      Over fifty years ago he married Miss Lucy Buckler and to them were born thirteen children of whom she and twelve survive the father and husband. The children are: William of Berlin; Miss Hannah, of Toronto; Moses of Brown City, Mich., Jacb and Abraham of Victoria B.C.; Mrs. D. Hibner, Berlin; Wendell B., of Waterloo; Thos W., Chicago; Mrs. H Foreman, and Samuel B of Berlin; Caleb of Detroit and Mrs Gehman of North Dumfries

      Mr. Sherk has lived a retired life in Berlin for four years and enjoyed good health up to within a few months ago. On Tuesday he was confined to his bed and sank rapidly.

      His remains will be interred in the Eby cemetery (east end) Berlin, on Sunday afternoon at 1.30 p.m. The funeral will leave his late residence for the New Mennonite church at that hour and after service proceed to the cemetery. Friends and acquaintances please accept this intimation.

      Berlin News Record, April 9, 1898

  • Sources 
    1. [S3] Book - Vol I A Biographical History of Waterloo Township and other townships of the county : being a history of the early settlers and their descendants, mostly all of Pennsylvania Dutch origin..., 215.

    2. [S10] Book - Vol II A Biographical History of Waterloo Township and other townships of the county : being a history of the early settlers and their descendants, mostly all of Pennsylvania Dutch origin..., 235.

    3. [S47] Cemetery - ON, Waterloo, Kitchener - First Mennonite CC#4507 Internet link First Mennonite Cemetery online.
      Gone / but not / forgotton / in / memory of / Abraham Sharick / who died / April 8, 1898 / aged 80 years / 9 mos. & 1 day / (verse)

    4. [S131] Census - ON, Waterloo, Waterloo Twp. - 1851, Div 5 Pg 10.
      Abraham SHERRICK Farmer Birthplace: Canada Age 35 Mennonite
      Lucy SHERRICK Birthplace: England Age 24 Mennonite
      William SHERRICK Birthplace: Canada F. Age 6 Mennonite
      Hovisch ? SHERRICK Birthplace: Canada Age 5 Mennonite
      Moses SHERRICK Birthplace: Canada Age 3 Mennonite
      Jacob SHERRICK Birthplace: Canada Age 2 Mennonite
      Hannan? SHERRICK Birthplace: USA Age 52 Mennonite

    5. [S205] Census - ON, Waterloo, North Dumfries - 1881, Div. 1 Page 23.

    6. [S2042] Census - ON, Waterloo, North Dumfries - 1891, Sect. 2 Page 43.

    7. [S894] Census - ON, Waterloo, Waterloo Twp. - 1861, Sect. 12 Page 83.

    8. [S3231] Find A Grave, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/32078788.

    9. [S12] Vit - ON, Gore - Gore District Marriage Register - Waterloo Entries, Rev. James Strang, Presbyterian Church Pg 35 1845.
      Oct. 3 Abraham SHARRICK, Waterloo, to Lucy BUCKLER, Waterloo. Wit: Samuel Sharrick, Abraham Buckler.

    10. [S131] Census - ON, Waterloo, Waterloo Twp. - 1851, Div 5 Pg 10.

    11. [S47] Cemetery - ON, Waterloo, Kitchener - First Mennonite CC#4507 Internet link First Mennonite Cemetery online.

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBorn - 7 Jul 1817 - Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - 1845 - Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsMarried - 30 Oct 1845 - Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsOccupation - farmer - 1852 - Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsOccupation - Farmer - 1861 - Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - Mennonite - 1861 - Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsOccupation - Farmer - 1881 - North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - Mennonite - 1881 - North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsOccupation - Farmer - 1891 - North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - Mennonite - 1891 - North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDied - 8 Apr 1898 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsBuried - - First Mennonite Cemetery, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth 


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