Other Events:

• : 1881

Notes:

Scherff, John, Jr. â€â€œ born January 13, 1877, in Hanover, Germany. He came to America with his parents in 1882. He married Magda Laackmann February 27, 1908. They moved to a farm four and one-half miles northeast of Alvord, Iowa, which was owned by the late John Reimers. In 1912 they bought the Rufus Ames place where he lived the rest of his life. He died November 1, 1938 and his wife died February 24, 1964. Three children were born to this union: Walter born November 27, 1908, still resides on the Scherff home place; Lillie born January 12, 1912, he married Elmer Watke June 4, 1939 and now resides two and one-half miles south of Alvord; Harry born October 20, 1919, served in the U.S. Navy during World War II from 1945 to 1946, and now resides on the Scherff farm place, farming it with his brother. from Alvord Family Histories - Alvord Centennial 1993

Served in WW2. Nearest Relative listed on draft card was Martha, his wife.

John married Magdalena Laackmann on 27 Feb 1908. Magdalena was born on 14 Feb 1887; died on 24 Feb 1964. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Walter John Scherff was born on 27 Nov 1908; died on 28 Jan 1992.
2. Lillie Emma Scherff was born on 12 Jan 1912; died on 3 Oct 1988.
3. Harry Johann Scherff was born on 20 Oct 1919; died in 1995.

Other Events:

• : 1881, Hannover, Germany; 1900 Federal Census Shows John Immigrated before Maria or children. Passenger List "Strassburg" from Bremen to Baltimore in Oct 1881 shows family immigrated together. The father may have returned for the family. They are listed with the surna

Notes:

CastleGarden.org shows a Scharff family arriving on 9 Oct 1881 with ultimate destination of Iowa. Members of the family are Gesine, Jacob, Johann (father), Johann, Johanne, Maig, Maria. Many of the birth dates match. The ship's name was the Strassburg (Bremen).

Immigrated from Hannover, Germany area to Holstein, IA. Moved to Doon, IA in 1900 and had 11 children. Hannover may have been their city of departure, not hometown. - Excellda Watke Shaw

Felix Meier Tree on Ancestry.com shows immigrated Oct 1881 on Strassburg from Bremen to Baltimore.

From http://www.rootsweb.com/~ialyon/bankingtwo.htm:
Temperatures were unseasonably cold the early months of 1907 and there was considerable fear that the crop could not be gotten into the ground soon enough. In April temperatures were dropping below freezing almost every night. Vegetables that had been planted were lying dormant. Fruits were damaged and early seeded cereals were in great danger. Some reseeding was being started.

A bad electrical storm hit the week of June 27 and many barns were struck, several destroyed. At the John Scherff farm the house and barn burned down as the result of lightning and five horses and a colt in the barn were destroyed.


John's name may have been Johann Jochim Heinrich Scharf, born in Mecklenberg to Friedrich Ludwig Scharf and Maria Dorothea Engel. The Friedrich listed as his brother may actually be his father in Wisconsin! Also possible is that he is the son of Friedrich Scherff and Maria Best of Plaggenburg Aurich, Hannover. Hannover is their likely birthplace according to most records.

me of Scharff.

John married Maria Steinke about 1869. Maria was born on 5 Apr 1848 in Hannover, Germany; died on 27 Jun 1935 in Luverne, Rock County, Minnesota, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• : 1882

Notes:

Some of the Steinke family changed their name to "Miller" because the English pronounciation sounded like "Stink Cat" or "Stinky". - email on 24, April 2002 from Fay Schlotfeldt based on information from Leona Andresen.