WI BIO - Kenosha Co - SCHERF, Anton

History of Kenosha & Kenosha County, Wisconsin. Lyman. Clarke Publishing, 
1916, v 2, pp 112-117

Anton SCHERF, Section 19, Salem Township, Kenosha County, Wisconsin, was born 
23 February 1827 in Thueringen, Germany, a son of Johan George and Eva 
(STOHR) SCHERF, who were also born in Germany. Nickolaus SCHERF, the 
paternal grandfather, following milling in Germany. The maternal grandfather 
was a farmer, and he and his wife lived to an advanced age and left four sons.

Johan G. SCHERF, the father of our subject, followed the occupation of 
milling, to which he was reared. He [Johan G. SCHERF] passed away in 1846 in 
Hirschberg, Germany, when sixty-one years of age. The mother [of Anton 
SCHERF] was born in the same year as Emperor William I [1797], and lived to 
be over ninety years of age. She was the second wife of Johan G. SCHERF, who 
first married a Miss SPINDLER, by whom he had two children. He [Johan G. 
SCHERF] was a member of the Lutheran church and conformed his life to its 
teachings.

To his [Johan G. SCHERF's] second union were born four sons and three 
daughters, of whom Anton SCHERF is the only one now living. Gottlieb SCHERF 
[brother of Anton] also came to the United States, served in the Civil War as 
a member of General HANCOCK's brigade, and was killed at Vicksburg, giving 
his life in defense of his adopted country.

Anton SCHERF was reared upon his father's estate and learned the miller's 
trade with [from] him after he had completed his schooling. He [Anton] 
remained in Germany until 1854, when at age twenty-seven years he came to 
America. He made his way to the Middle West, and in July [1854] located in 
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he secured a position in a threshing machine 
shop. Later he engaged in wagon making, but in 1859 came to Wilmot, Salem 
Township, Kenosha County, Wisconsin, and entered the employ of a Mr. BENHAM, 
who owned the first mill erected at that place.

In 1868 Mr. [Anton] SCHERF purchased his present farm, which comprises one 
hundred and forty-five acres on Section 19, Salem Township, on which he has 
since resided. For many years he personally operated the place, seldom 
failed to harvest good crops, and also found the raising of stock profitable. 
He is now living retired, however, enjoying a period of leisure which is 
well deserved.

During the early days he [Anton SCHERF] experienced many hardships and 
privations. In 1857 he walked from Burlington [Racine County], Wisconsin to 
Clinton [Clinton County], Iowa, in order to work in the harvest fields, and 
during the winter of 1860 he walked a distance of twelve miles every 
Saturday, from [p 117] Burlington [Racine County] to Wilmot [Kenosha County], 
in order that he might spend Sunday with his family, and returned on Monday 
to resume his work.

On 17 November 1855 Mr. [Anton] SCHERF was married to Miss Natalie FISCHER, a 
daughter of Ernest and Caroline (BACHMANN) FISCHER, who were born in 
Saalfeld, Thueringen, Germany, and passed their entire lives in that 
locality. Ernest FISCHER was an architect who stood high in his profession, 
and his father was also a lifelong resident of Germany. Mrs. Caroline 
(BACHMANN) FISCHER had a brother and sister, Ernest and Dorothea; Dorothea 
[nee FISCHER] married a Mr. LAUDENSCHLÄGER. Mrs. SCHERF [Natalie (FISCHER) 
SCHERF], born 21 January 1827 in Germany, the only survivor of a family of 
one son and seven daughters, came to America in 1855.

She [Natalie FISCHER] was married [in 1855] two days after her arrival in 
Milwaukee, Mr. [Anton] SCHERF meeting her and taking her to the home which he 
had provided. They [Anton and Natalie (FISCHER) SCHERF] became the parents 
of five sons and a daughter: (1) Ernest, living at home; (2) Louis, who 
engaged in milling for ten years, but is now farming in Clark County, 
Wisconsin, married Charlotte SABIN, and their children are Fred, Savin, 
Emeline, Natalia, Floyd, and Anton; (3) William, who learned the tailor's 
trade and is now living at Crystal Lake [McHenry County], Illinois, married 
[Miss?] Mary BARTLETT, and they [William and Mary SCHERF] have a daughter, 
Paulina; (4) Edgar, who died when three years of age; (5) Albrecht, who 
died at the age of thirty-five years; and (6) Louisa, at home.

Mr. [Anton] SCHERF votes independently, supporting the men whom he deems best 
fitted for the office without regard to political allegiance. Since 1865 he 
has been a member of Salem Lodge, No. 42, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, 
of Wilmot, and is a worthy exeplar of that fraternity. He and his wife 
[Anton and Natalie (FISCHER) SCHERF] are both members of the Lutheran church. 
Anton SCHERF served in the German army for three years, from 1847 to 1850. 
He is one of the oldest residents of Salem Township, having reached the 
advanced age of eighty-nine years. He was for many years engaged in farming, 
and gained a gratifying measure of success, owning one hundred and forty-five 
acres of excellent land. He is widely known throughout the county, and his 
genuine worth is attested by the high esteem in which he is generally held.

Submitted by Cathy Kubly