Notes
Note for: Johann Augustus Scherrer Shearer, 22 AUG 1711 - 1794 Index
Burial:
Place: Frederick Co.,MD
Individual note:
bp. August 26, 1711 conf. April 21, 1726 LDS films 0488296, 0488298
He was listed as (Johannes) Augustus in a handwritten tree from Rudiger
Scholz from Germany. Normally being named Johannes, he would be called
Johannes but he also had a brother named Johannes, and a half brother
named Johannes that stayed in Germany. Johann being the first name, they
would go by their middle name, in this case Augustus.
In the book "Pennsylvania German Pioneers" JOHANN AUGUSTUS SCHERRER is
listed;
Aug. 29, 1730 Palatines with their families, two hundred and sixty
persons, imported in the ship THISTLE, of Glasgow, Colin Dunlap, Master,
from Rotterdam, last from Cowes. List 11 C
Also listed among the passengers are: ULRICH SCHERRER and JOHANNES
SCHERRER. JOHANNES 33 and ULRICH were Uncles of JOHANN AUGUSTUS SCHERRER
19 and Johannes 16. Johann and Johanne's Father FRANTZ, 40 listed but
unaccounted for (did not make the journey but stayed in Lachen-Speyerdorf
married Anna Armbruster in 1729 so assume he divorced Regina or she died
prior to the voyage to America) mother? or another named ANNA REGINA of
Augustus19 & Johannes 16 listed.
source* Seventy-seven Palatines, who with their families, make about two
hundred and sixty persons. A study of the individuals and families on
this ship, especially those from the region of Ludwigshafen a. Rhein, was
made by Fritz Braun in 1730 and published in Schriften zur
Wanderungsgeschichte der Pfälzer Vol. 8 (1959) under the title,
Auswanderer aus der Umgebung von Ludwigshafen a. Rh. auf dem Schiff
"Thistle of Glasgow" 1730
Johann Augustus changed the spelling of his surname to Shearer on arrival
to America, but records have various spellings.
JOHAN SCHERRER received a land warrant in 1737 for 100 acres in
Philadelphia County, PA. On April 25, 1764, AUGUSTUS SHARRER purchased
lot #5 in Taneytown plus five acres near Taneytown, MD. son ANDREW
SHARROW, purchased lot #14 on April 23, 1767 agreeing to build a good
dwelling house described as: 24 x 20' with stone or brick chimney.
Taneytown was laid out May 1762 with sixteen lots of 7900 acres. On
April 6, 1772, JOHANN SCHERRER purchased lot #24 in town plus 100 acres
in Frederick Co. (now Carroll Co.) Maryland. He lived on the MD. side.
In May 1775, he sold the second lot #24, selling lot #5 on June 10, 1782.
Lot #5 was sold as five different lots during the period from June 1782
through January 1794 in the year of his death.
Littlestown, or Petersburg, located in the extreme southwestern portion
of Digges' tract, was part of the
Conewago Settlement. It is probably the oldest town in what is now Adams
County, having been laid out
in 1765 by Peter Klein (or Little), 15 years before James Gettys laid out
Gettysburg and one year after
Richard McAllister founded Hanover.
For at least 50 years, the village was known as "Kleina Stedtle" (in
English "Little's Town"). Later it became
Petersburg, but since the present York Springs was also known by the same
name, a great deal of confusion
resulted. Both communities changed their names. One became York Springs,
the other Littlestown.
They were members of the Christ Reformed Church in Littlestown, PA The
site was a place called Littletown, about 15 miles southwest of
Gettysburg now Adams County and about 5 miles north of the border with
Maryland.
Christ Reformed Church, (German Reformed, now United Church of Christ)
organized in 1747 near present-day Littlestown *note section of its 1798
building stands today; Reverend Michael Slatter was their spiritual
leader in 1747.
AUGUSTUS SCHERRER was a witness to the will of Christian Schreyer,
probated at Lancaster, PA 18 Jan 1744. Christian Schreyer was a pre list
emigrant from Friedelsheim. The testator and witnesses lived in the
Conewago settlement, today York and Adams Co.
York co. Deeds, Vol. 2: 537-538:
dated 7 April 1762 Gorg Miller of Germany TWP sold a 50 acre tract to
Gorg Onstot..one of the adjacent landowners was Augustus Sherr. A witness
to the transaction was Augustus Sherrer.
York Co. deeds, Vol. 3 589-590
dated 21 January 1752 deed concerns a 200 acre tract adjoining lands of
Augustinus Sharrer, John Shaun and Peter Little in Germany TWP
(Littlestown, York Co., PA).
*York County, St Matthew's Lutheran
Augustus Jeremias of Henry Bishoff born 7 March 1748; baptized 24 April
1748. Witnesses: AUGUSTUS SCHERRER and wf. ANNA MAGDALENA.
The following baptismal records from the book, "Adams County Church
Records of the 18th Century", published by Family Line Publications, Rear
63 East Main street, Westminster, MD 21157 (no author given), from the
York Co, PA Historical Society
On page 67 for Baptisms - Christ Evangelical & Reformed Church
(CONEWAGO), Littlestown, PA: "10 November 1750: Magdalene, b. 5 December
1750 [dates could be switched & 10 November could be date of birth & 5
December baptism date], of Balthasar HYSSONG & Susanna Margaret; wit.
AUGUSTUS SCHERER & MAGDALENE."
Anna Magdalene, b. 20 Novenber, 1750 of John George Bender & Regina wit.
AUGUSTUS SCHERER & MAGDALENE
(Christ Evangelical & Reformed Church was in what is now Union Township
(formed in 1841), which is adjacent to and east of the current Germany
Township (formed in 1749) in Adams Co, PA. Both are on the MD border and
Union Twp forms the southeast corner of Adams Co. Adams Co. was formed
from York Co. on Jan. 22, 1800. The current town of Littlestown, PA is
about 28 miles NE of Frederick, MD on Hwy 194.
*Note: York Co. is now Adams Co. PA