Scherf, John J. 1866 - 1947

SCHERF, FRANK, SCHROEDER, KRUSE, SKIBBE, WEHRKAMP, HERUM

Posted By: Reid R. Johnson (email)
Date: 11/17/2023 at 22:36:28

Clayton County Register, 02 Oct. 1947.

Funeral services were held Friday, Sept. 19, at St. Paul's Lutheran church, Garnavillo, for John J. Scherf, Farmersburg. The Rev. Alexander Meyer officiated. Pallbearers were Joe Uriell, Fred Bente, Harry Freitag, Arno Henning, J. C. Wahls, and Orville Zittergruen. Honorary pallbearers were Henry Henning, Theo Matt, Chris Bierbaum, and August Hempler.

John J. Scherf was born March 06, 1866, at Hanover, Germany, and died Wednesday morning, Sept. 17, at his farm home near Farmersburg, at the age of 81 years, six months and 11 days.

Mr. Scherf remained on the farm in Germany until he was 21 years old, his father having died when he was eight.

After coming to the United States with his mother, he lived for a time with his brother Robert near Farmersburg. When he was thirty years of age he was married ___ Sophie Frank of near Clayton _____ The couple settled on the __________ farm near Elkader, _____ ___ Scherf died a short ____ ____ John then moved to Fayette where he purchased a farm. While there he was married to Marie Schroeder. One child was born to this union, and shortly after the child's birth Mrs. Scherf died. Mr. Scherf left Fayette county and worked on various farms until 1906, when he purchased the farm on which his son Chris now lives.

About that time Mr. Scherf was married to Marie Kruse, and they became the parents of four children. Mrs. Scherf died a short time after the birth of the fourth child. Mr. Scherf continued to live with his son Chris until a few years after the son's marriage, when the father lived successively at Arlington and St. Olaf. In 1936 he was married to Katherine Skibbe of Strawberry Point and the couple moved to Guttenberg, where they remained for six years before moving to the farm near Farmersburg.

A member of St. Paul's church since his arrival in this country, Mr. Scherf presented to the church on its 75th anniversary in 1928 the marble urns on the alter and the marble statue of Christ as a memorial to Marie Scherf, who died that year at the age of 11.

Mr. Scherf had suffered some illness during the past year and this spring had submitted to an operation. He died suddenly early Wednesday morning Sept. 17.

Surviving are his wife, Mrs. Katherine Scherf of Farmersburg township; three sons, John of Garnavillo, William of Farmersburg township, and Chris of Elkader; one daughter, Mrs. Adele Wehrkamp of Garnavillo; one sister, Mrs. Louis Herum of Manley, and 14 grandchildren.

Three brothers, two sisters, and one daughter preceded him in death.