In 1872, Peter and Elizabeth Scherer came to America from Bavaria, Germany. They are not listed at Ellis Island which infers that they had enough money to purchase better tickets than steerage. Only those who traveled steerage were processed through Ellis Island.This is a safe assumption as when they landed, they purchased a single family home.
When they traveled to America, Peter was 35 yrs old, his wife was 38. Their 3 children were Anna,14, Peter,10, and (our ancestral grandfather) Jacob,5. A fourth child was born the first year after arrival , although I cannot confirm exact dates, so I am left to assume Lizzie was pregnant during the trip. Henry was born in America in 1872, the year they immigrated. When they arrived and when she conceived Henry remains a mystery but he was born in America.
The 1880 census shows them living at 102 Flagg Place, Queens. It states that they owned a single family home. The conflict is the address is on Staten Island, there is no Flagg Place in Queens, therefore I question this truth, but it matches the fact that they did not travel steerage. And other census shows they owned their own home. In reading the census, one can see that the majority of residences were from Bavaria in particular. This address can’t be found currently and needs more proof to validate. I will work on this.
Peter Scherer, our immigrant grandfather is listed as working in a sugar house in the 1880 census, eight years after he arrived. Later in 1892, he was listed as a brewer. I wonder if this is tied to the saloon photo I have, which remains unidentified. Peter died in July 20, 1895.
Elizabeth, his wife, went by Mary and also Lizzie. After her husband died, the census reveals that she lived with her son Jacob, who then married and had 2 children while she still lived to enjoy them. She passed away on Oct.28,1900 and was buried with her husband.
When she passed, her grandson, Henry was not yet 2 and Anna was 1. She had enjoyed living with two grand babies before passing. In the 1900 census it states that Lizzie Scherer gave birth to 12 children but only had 3 children living by the time she was 68. She endured a lot of loss in her life.
Peter and Lizzie’s son, Jacob Scherer (our ancestral grandfather) came to America when he was 5. In the 1892 census, he was 25 years old and listed as living with his parents and working as a tailor. His father died three years later when he was 28. He married Anne a year later in 1896. His older sister Anna and brother Peter Jr. worked as tailors, and interestingly Jacob took up the craft as well.
Jacob and Anna Scherer gave birth to Henry 3 years after marriage in 1898, Annie came along a year later in 1899. sadly, then his mom died in 1900. They then gave birth to Charles (our ancestral grandfather) in 1902 and Martin in 1905.
The census states that they lived at 177 Jefferson Ave, Queens, NY. This would be the apartment where Jacob lived with his new wife, 2 infants and his mother, where she died.
In the 1910 Census shows Jacob and Anna living at 198 Forest Ave with 4 children, Henry,11,Anna,10, Charles,7,and Martin,4. I cannot resolve the address as Forest Ave exists but does not have anything about 98. Possibly the 1’s before each number are wrong. If that is the case, then click here to see the house at 98 Forest Ave, Queens,NY
In 1911, sadly Anna died. In the sudden state of single parentage, Charles and Annie, the middle two children, were given to adoption. Jacob kept Henry, the oldest and Marty the youngest. In the 1915 census, it shows Jacob living with his brother Henry, and wife, Margaret and Jacobs’ two sons Marty and Henry, who worked as a printer. They are shown to live at 208 Fresh Pond Road, Queens, Ny,
(click on the above address to see the house.)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This family is a work in progress. Although I have searched census records and immigration passenger lists, I have yet to see actual death or birth certificates and intend to do so. I am having difficulty searching Jacob’s wife Anna. I know when she died, where her headstone lays, when she immigrated, by her own statements on census reports. But surprisingly I have yet to determine her maiden name or parentage. The search continues. And I will offer updates on the FB page as I learn new bits of information. I had always heard that they grew up in Hells kitchen. According to census reports, that isn’t true. They all lived in Queens and Brooklyn. And being mostly tailors, that as well surprised me. And that’s the fun of family history, the unexpected surprises you uncover along the way. I press onward to bring you as much about them as I can uncover. One of the family owned a bar, I am also searching that as well.
For who wish, here is a PDF of the fan chart I have so far. It’s only a beginning but you can print it out for yourself. You can print it out for yourself. Scherer Family Fan Chart #1
Hits: 2