LANCASTER COUNTY BARN TOUR
Tour Launch October 21 from 10 to 2
Location: Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum
For forty years, The Sherk Family by Thomas A. Sherk has been the go-to resource for Schürch family history. At the 2022 reunion auction, two copies sold for more than $200 each. Now, through a one-time collaboration with Tom Sherk, the Schürch Family Association of North America is able to offer copies of a limited reprint edition of The Sherk Family for US$159. This price includes shipping.
This book would make a wonderful Christmas gift for someone who is looking to learn more of their Schürch history.
To take advantage of this offer, please send your check/cheque or money order as well as the number of desired copies, your contact information including name, mailing address, phone number, and e-mail address, to our US treasurer at the following address:
Jack Sherick, 18 North Pine Street, Lancaster, PA 17603.
Please make payments payable to Schürch Family Association of North America in US$.
Canadians, please use a US bank draft or a money order.
The book is scheduled to be published on November 1st. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to own your personal copy of The Sherk Family.
Direct inquiries may be sent to Jack at sci5teach322@yahoo.com .
The Sherk Family
by Thomas A Sherk
Schürch Symposium
The latest symposium took place on Saturday, September 23rd, 2023. Lots of good information was shared in Introduction to SFANA Ancestry Discovery Tools.
If you missed it and would like to see it, it will be uploaded to our YouTube channel. It is not there yet but look back in a week or two.
To see the previous symposia, click on this link: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiS3CNfUlAeITjo09Y0aJ2DeNtlLgCCbG
The Historic Preservation Trust of Lancaster County has partnered with the Historical Society of the Cocalico Valley to create a LANCASTER COUNTY BARN TOUR. The tour is an ongoing, self-guided, exterior-only, driving tour of the beautiful historic barns of Lancaster County. With assistance from local historical societies throughout the county, local government entities, and private citizens, many barns with historical, architectural, and/or cultural significance have been identified for inclusion on the tour.
The LANCASTER COUNTY BARN TOUR will highlight some of the finest examples of historically and architecturally significant barns throughout Lancaster County and will include a beautiful, full color, keepsake tour book that you can purchase and use as a guide to view the exterior of the barns on your own. The 8 ½" x 11” tour book will include both historic and current photos of approximately 50 barns along with a detailed description of their significance to our history. In addition, the book will provide a Lancaster County map pinpointing the barn locations and will facilitate the SELF-GUIDED tour throughout our beautiful county.
A unique sponsorship opportunity called, “Deep Roots Lancaster County Farmers" has been added. If your family has ‘deep roots’ in farm ownership and/or farming in Lancaster County, you can purchase an ad that may include a family crest, logo, photo, and/or a brief history.
If you are unable to attend the launch, the tour books will be available to purchase online at the Trust’s website (www.hptrust.org) and in person at various locations across the County.
The Barn Tour schedule has been completed and 2 Schurch Barns have been selected.
The first Barn is located at 109 S King St. in Schoeneck, PA. It was owned by Jacob Shirk (E435) in 1844. It was conveyed to his son Rudolph (E4355) in 1856. Rudolph sold it to his son John Shirk (E43550) in 1903. After that it passed out of Shirk ownership. It is interesting to know that Rudolph had a brick manufacturing facility at this location
The second Barn is located at 5 East Queen St. in Schoeneck PA. It was owned by Peter Shirk (E41A) as of 1852 and then conveyed to Peter’s son, Moses Shirk (E41A1), at the death of Peter in 1878. When Moses died in 1903 the property was conveyed to John Shirk (E43550). In 1931 when John died, the property passed to John’s son, Alger Shirk (E435501). When Alger died in September 1973, the property was sold to Alger’s daughter, Merla Shirk Hulshizer (E4355011). The property passed out of Shirk ownership at Merla’s death in 2006. Thus there was 154 year Shirk continuous ownership of the Barn. The Barn itself was constructed of bricks made at Rudolph Shirk’s brick making factory.
The driving force behind this project is Elaine Shirk Hulshizer Bowman (E43550112). She is on the board of The Historical Society of the Cocalico Valley and also a former board member of The Historic Preservation Trust of Lancaster County. She is an 8th generation offspring of Ulrich and Barbara Schürch and still lives on the original land that was deeded by William Penn’s sons. Elaine’s presentation to the Historic Preservation Trust of Lancaster County will be on September 22.
Tom Shirk
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
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.
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.
FAMILY NEWSLETTER
The April 2023 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.