Schürch Symposium
New Presentations are in the works. Stay tuned.
Jerry's presentation was very inspirational. A YouTube recording is available. See below.
NEW
Our symposium series is available on YouTube.
Click here to view our presentations, "The Migration of Schurchs to California" and "Schurch Symposium 101, Coming to America" 102, and Notable Schurchs with Lisa Schirch and Jerry Sherk. On a desktop computer the thumbnails will appear on the upper right of the screen. Click on the one you want to view.
If you have any suggestions for a topic, please send it to: SchurchSymposium@gmail.com
Y-DNA Project
Alan Leis is the new administrator of this project. Justin Houser is a co-administrator. If you would like to have your Schurch genes tested, contact Alan. He would be more than happy to assist you.
E-mail: alanleis1@gmail.com
How Many Ways can one Spell Schürch?
Scharc
Schark
Sharrach
Schearch
Schearck
Scherch
Scherck
Schereck
Scherg
Scherge
Scherich
Scherk
Scherrich
Schirch
Schirck
Schirg
Schirk
Scheorck
Schoerg
Schorch
Schorck
Schorg
Schorock
Schorrock
Sharrich
Shirrock
Schorg
Sherak
Shorck
Schuerch
Schurch
Schurcho
Schurck
Schuerg
Schurg
Schürg
Schurge
Schurger
Schurgh
Schurgo
Schurig
Schuricht
Schurke
Scurean
Scurge
Sharg
Sharick
Sharigh
Shark
Sharrich
Sherak
Shercg
Sherch
Sherck
Shereck
Sherg
Sherich
Sherick
Sherig
Sherk
Sherock
Sherog
Sherrick
Sherrig
Shierk
Shirch
Shirck
Shirg
Shirk
Shirok
Shirrock
Shorck
Shorg
Shork
Shurck
Shurg
Shurixh
Shurk
Sierck
Tscherck
Tsherch
Tsherck
FAMILY NEWSLETTER
The November 2022 issue of the Schürch Family newsletter is in the mail.
Click here for excepts of our latest issue.
Reunion 2024
Schürch Family of North America Reunion
JULY 25, 26, 27, 2024
Millersville University
Millersville, PA 17551
Yes, this was the location of the 2014 Reunion.
The campus has undergone many renovations and added new buildings and dorms. Every site that we will use was recently built.
The gathering spaces on the main floor of the Student Memorial Center will be within close proximity to each other. Dormitory housing will be an option, with each room having a private bathroom.
For those who prefer a motel, there will be choices within a five to ten mile radius of Millersville.
This comfortable setting will offer an opportunity to connect, to research, to learn, and to socialize in light, airy surroundings.
Please plan to join us in 2024!
SAVE THE DATE!
FREE digital copy of “Table of Contents” and “Every Name Index” based on all newsletters published 1983-2017.
This is a vital resource for researchers and newsletter subscribers. Send your request to Cary Adams cavalleyboy@earthlink.net and he will email you a pdf version.
How many? Sixty or more at last count. Add family surnames with ties to the Schürch family like Bergey, Brubacher, Clemmer, Detweiler, Erb, Good, Hunsberger, Martin, Shantz, and many more and the number of Schürchs skyrockets. In the 37 years since our association was established, Schürch historians have discovered numerous ties connecting the descendants of the first Swiss arrivals in 1727. Come and explore and celebrate your ties to Schürchs in Switzerland and across North America.
New Brubacher House Video
This new video shows the history of the Brubacher House as it relates to the Brubaker Family but the House also has deep Sherk roots. The House was built by John and Magdalena Brubacher. John’s father was Deacon John E Brubacher, Code C346 who was the first male Brubacher immigrant to Waterloo County. John E was the grandson of Maria Sherk Erb, Code C3, and her husband, Christian Erb, immigrants to Waterloo County about 1806.
John Brubacher’s mother was Catherine Sherk, Code H464, daughter of Joseph Sherk, Code H46, who was the first immigrant to Waterloo County in 1800.
Thus John Brubacher, descendant of John E Brubacher and Catherine Sherk and builder of the Brubacher House can claim two Schurch codes, C3464 and H4644.
At the Schürch Reunion in 2016 in Waterloo Region, this house was one of the stops on a bus tour.
Enjoy the video!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msVJar4UzeI&list=PLRVDwi_WScLnjyYTLm0njOMFG8Dg3AnKB&index=2&t=0s
Who are the Schürchs?
Well, if your family name or that of any ancestor is Scherich, Scherch, Schirch, Schuerch, Sharick, Sherck, Sherick, Sherk, Sherrick, Shirck, Shirk or any of the more than 70 variants, you are a member of the Family. The Schürch Family originated in Switzerland and through emigration spread to North America in the late 1600s.
Our Swiss-German ancestors spelled their name Schürch and this is still the accepted spelling in Switzerland today. The Swiss also spell it ‘Schuerch’ exchanging the umlaut for the letter ‘e’. Our immigrant forefathers did not speak English and the clerks on the ships at the port of arrival did not usually speak German. Thus in Colonial America and later in the 1800s, various phonetic spellings were adopted. The name of the Family Association uses the Swiss spelling since it is the original surname and is representative of all the various branches of the family in North America today.
The Schürch Family Association of North America (SFANA) was created in 1982 by a group of individuals who were interested in preserving their family heritage. At that time, it was known that at least twenty-five individuals with likely ties to a Schürch family arrived in North America between the years 1727 and 1808. Many of those families (but not all) had ties to Sumiswald, Switzerland. Consequently, a sister organization, Schweizische Gesellschaft für Namenstrager Schürch (SGNS), developed around the same time, with similar goals. This sister organization has compiled extensive documentation on family branches in Switzerland.
The Swiss Schürch Association meets regularly. To learn more of the Schürch Family Association of Switzerland, abbreviated SGNS, visit the Swiss Schürch Family.
SFANA has provided this site to disseminate information about our family and the activities of the Association. Check in on a regular basis to see the latest information on the biennial reunion, research and family happenings.
To learn more of the Schürchs who first landed on North American shores go to Schürch History.
The Executive for 2022 - 2024
President:
Margaret Sherk (Code C & H)
6882 First Line W., RR#1,
Elora, ON Canada N0B 1S0
Telephone: 519-846-5197
Email: margaretsherk1@outlook.com
Vice-President/Reunion Planner
R. Stephen and Kathy Sherrick (Code C)
359 Portland Place
Lititz, PA 17543
Email: kathy.ann.sherrick@gmail.com
Cell: 717-371-0804
Secretary:
Betty Sherk
6 Loyalist Court,
Newcastle, ON, Canada L1B 1A8
Telephone: 647-225-0650
Email: esherk18@gmail.com
American Treasurer:
Jack Sherick (Code N)
18 N. Pine St., Apt.#2
Lancaster, PA 17603
Telephone: 845-323-1767
Email: sci5teach322@yahoo.com
Canadian Treasurer:
Laurine Mills (Code E)
1750 Killaly St. East,
Port Colborne, ON, Canada L3K 5V3
Telephone: 905-834-6027
Email: estherlmills@aol.com
Historical Committee Chair:
Stephen D. Shirk (1996) (Code H)
5201 Old Highway 2 East
Belleville, ON K8N 4Z4
Telephone: Cell: 613-813-7524
e-mail: steve.shirk@yahoo.ca
Newsletter Editor:
Cary Adams (Code E)
4851 Denny Ave.,
North Hollywood, CA, U.S.A. 91601
Telephone: 818-762-9267
Email: cavalleyboy@earthlink.net
Publications Committee Chair:
Margaret Sherk (Code C & H)
6882 First Line W., RR#1,
Elora, ON Canada N0B 1S0
Telephone: 519-846-5197
Email: margaretsherk1@outlook.com
Ex-Officio Members:
Betty Sherk (Code H) - Advisory Newsletter Editor
6 Loyalist Court,
Newcastle, ON, Canada L1B 1A8
Telephone: 647-225-0650
Email: esherk18@gmail.com
Vanessa Warner (Code N) - Old Photograph Project
6498 Bostwick Rd.,
Union, ON, Canada N0L 2L0
Telephone: 519-755-5274
Email: vanessa.warner@rogers.com
Ray and Joan Shirk (Code H) - Database Maintenance
11 Krell St., Nuangola, PA U.S.A. 18707
Telephone: 570-606-9114
Email:rayshirk3@gmail.com
Ex-Officio Members: (cont'd)
Justin Houser - Lost Years Project and Co-chair of the Online Database Committee
107 Pebble Lane
Bellefonte, PA 16823
Telephone: 814-360-0638
Email: jkhouser84@gmail.com
Alan Leis - Co-chair Y-DNA Project
540 W. VanBuren Ave.
Napervile, IL, USA 60540
Telephone: 630.369.1890
Email: alanleis1@gmail.com
Carolyn Strecker - Co-chair of Online Dabatase Committee with Justin Houser
15 Warren St. , #330
Jersey City, NJ 07302
Telephone: 201.434.4310
Email: carolyn.strecker@gmail.com
Doug Sherk (Code E) - Schurch Symposia Committee
Apr - Nov 4 Meadow Rd, Unit 1
Provincetown, MA 02657
Dec - Mar 800 E Palm Canyon Dr #203
Palm Springs, CA 99264
415-652-9100
Email: doug@mdcgs.com
Kurt and Judy Schürch – SGNS Contact
8406 Winterthur , Switzerland
TEL: 0041 52 203 1780
Or. : 0041 79 642 9081
email: k.j.schurch@bluewin.ch
René Schürch – Historian
He passed away on Dec. 2, 2017 losing a battle with cancer. His loss is great to our association. Cards may be sent to his wife Liselott and their son Marc at this address.
Seftaustrasse 40 CH-3047 Bremgarten-Bern, Switzerland Telephone: 41 031 301 41 25
Email:marcs10@bluewin.ch
Past Presidents:
Susan Shirk (Code E)2014 - 2016
1001 E. Oregon Rd., Lititz, PA U.S.A. 17543
Telephone: 717-203-1851
Email: suesbug@msn.com
Thomas A. Sherk (Code N)1986 - 1988 & 1994 - 1996
9 Palatine Place, Womelsdorf, PA, U.S.A. 19567
Telephone: 610-589-1888
Email: tsherk@comcast.net
Jane Sherk (Code H)1988 - 1990
77 Culpepper Dr., Waterloo, ON Canada N2L 5K8
Telephone: (519) 635-3505
Email:umakeitagreatday@gmail.com
Stephen D. Shirk (Code H)1996 - 1998
5201 Old Highway 2 East Belleville, ON, Canada K8N 4Z4
Telephone: 613-966-4594, Cell: 613-813-7524
Email: steve.shirk@yahoo.ca
Margaret Sherk (Code H)2004 - 2008
6882 First Line W., RR#1, Elora, ON Canada N0B 1S0
Telephone: 519-846-5197
Email: margaretsherk1@outlook.com
Joe Sherk (Code C) 2008 - 2014
104 Victoria Ct., Downington, PA, U.S.A. 19335
Telephone: 610-873-2196
Email: jzsherk@verizon.net
Tom Shirk (Code E) 2016 - 2022
2 Riverhills Lane, Toledo, OH, U.S.A. 43623
Telephone: 419-346-1811
Email: tomshirk@bex.net
Presidents of the Association who have Passed Away
Jerry Sherk (Code E)
1984 - 1986
James Sherrick (Code C)
1990 - 1992
John S. Shirk (Code E)
1992 - 1994
Douglas Sherk (Code E)
1998 - 2000
L. Ron Sherk (Code H)
1982 - 1984, 2000-2004