Family Tree Maker's Genealogy Site: Genealogy Report: Descendants of Hans Sharer and Magdelena Huber

[ Home Page | First Page | Previous Page | Next Page | Last Page ]

Descendants of Hans Sharer and Magdelena Huber

Generation No. 1

1. HANS¹ SHARER was born Abt. 1705 in Bockshaft, Germany, and died Abt. 22 Oct 1757 in Donegal Township, Lancaster County, Pa.. He married (1) MAGDELENA HUBER. She was born Abt. 1706. He married (2) CATHARINE ?.

Notes for HANS SHARER:
Acknowledgements: Jim Ensinger, Don Heffley, and Richard Aurand Sherer have generously shared their files, numerous wills and other court documents, tax lists, and photos on the Shearer line with me.
Some information on Hans and his children has been extracted from the book Emigrants, Refugees and Prisoners (p. 361-363) written by Richard Warren Davis and a MennoSearch File, written by the same author.
Background notes on the author Richard Warren Davis: Davis is the author of three volumes of research written in the 1990's, focusing on Mennonite ancestry. Davis describes his volumes as follows: "These books are an attempt to establish a link between the known Anabaptist families in Switzerland and Germany in the 1600's and 1700's and the Anabaptist families who arrived in Pennsylvania between 1709 and 1776." The titles are listed below:

Emigrants, Refugees and Prisoners, Vol. I, by Richard Warren Davis, Provo, Utah 1995.
Emigrants, Refugees & Prisoners, Vol. II, by Richard Warren Davis, Provo, Utah 1997.
Emigrants, Refugees and Prisoners, Vol. III, by Richard Warren Davis, Provo, Utah 1999.

The early Shearers were Mennonite and the early Mennonites did not keep records of baptisms, marriages, etc., most likely due to fear of being persecuted. So, researching the early Shearer line is difficult. Many birth and death dates were found on tombstones, as opposed to finding them on birth and death certificates. It has been suggested to look for obits in The Gospel Herald, a Mennonite newspaper. It is presumed that most of the Shearers from northwestern Lancaster County (Donegal, Rapho, Mt. Joy, Manheim, Earl and Warwick townships) are closely related. There were both Scotish Shearers and German Shearers living in early Lancaster County, Pa., which complicates research. Southern Lancaster County is said to have had a large Scottish population in the early days. The surname Shearer, Shirer, Sherer, and other variants are translated as "the man who used scissors to trim finished cloth," or "the sheep-shearer."

Hans Sharer was a Swiss Mennonite living in Bockschaft, Germany in 1731. He immigrated to America on a pink named Plaisance on 21 September 1732. He presumably arrived in America with his 1st wife Magdelena Huber, daughter of John Huber, but no children. Please note that "pink" is a type of vessel, commonly a smaller vessel, used in the coasting trade as a merchantman. A description of this type of vessel and others is found at http://website.lineone.net/~cherbil/Ships/otherships.htm.

A transcription of ships lists found at: http://www.progenealogists.com/palproject/pa/1732plais.htm

According to this transcription, the pink named Plaisance arrived from Rotterdam by way of Cowes in the port of Philadelphia on 21 September 1732, John Parret, Captain. Seventy two Palatines, who with their families, totalled 188 persons on board. The following persons were travelling together-Hans Huber (age 54), Hans Scherrer (age 27), Magdelin Sheren (age 26), Matelin Sharin (age 20), Franey Hufar (age 20), and Barbary Hufarin (age 18). Their place of origin is not identified, although many of the individuals on this ship originated in Bayern (Pfalz) or Baden. Also listed in a separate group are Jacob Scheerer (age 65), Matelin Sharin (age 20, note that Matelin is listed twice), and Michael Schärrer. It is speculated, but not confirmed that Jacob Scheerer may be the father or uncle of Hans.

Hans was married twice, 1st to Magdelena Huber, and 2nd to Catherine (who later married Christian Bixler by 1762). It is believed that his earlier children Henry, John, Michael, Barbara, Abraham) belong to Magdelena Huber, and his later children (Jacob, Magdelena, Anna, Christian, Elizabeth) belong to Catherine, but it cannot be exactly determined which children belong to which mother.

The MennoSearch File by Richard Warren Davis lists the children of 4853 Hans Scharer (b. 1705) as follows:

1.      48531 Henry Sherer b. abt. 1734. Henry was an adult in 1758.
2.      48532 John Sherer b. abt. 1736. He married Magelena Stauffer, probably the daughter of Jacob Stauffer.
3.      48533 Barbara b. abt. 1739. She married John Snyder.
4      48534 Michael Sherer b. abt. 1741. He married Anna.
5.      48535 Abraham Sherer b. abt. 1743 He was m. to Annally. A minor over age 14 in 1758.
6.      48536 Jacob Sherer b. abt. 1746 Minor child
7.       48537 Madlena Sherer b. abt. 1748 Minor child
8.       There is no 48538, file skips to 48539 Anna Sherer b. abt. 1751 Minor child
9.      48530 Christian Sherer b. abt. 1753 [should be numbered 48540 ???] Died infancy.
10.      4853A Elizabeth Sherer b. abt. 1756 Minor child

Hans owned land in both Rapho and Donegal Townships, Lancaster County, Pa. Hans is listed as John in the tax lists of Lancaster County, Pa. as follows:

1757:      John Sharror (Hans b. 1705 who owned 250 acres in Rapho and 200 acres in Donegal)
1757:      John Sherror, Jr. "freeman" (Han's son, John b. 1736)
1758:       John Sharrer, 125 acres (John b. 1736)
1758:      Widow Sharrer, 125 acres (The widow Catherine Sharer who later married Christian Bixler)

Hans Sharer died sometime before 22 October 1757. In a court document dated 22 October 1757, Catherine Sharer and John Sharer, the younger, Michael Sharer and Rudy (?) Beam posted bond in the amount of 500 pounds. Catharine Sharer and John Sharer, the younger are ordered to present to the court an inventory of John Sharer, the older (late of Rapho Township) estate by 22 September 1758.
In 1762, Mathias Blaser was guardian of Hans' minor children-Jacob, Magdelena, Anna, and Elizabeth.
Abraham, Jacob, Madlena, Anna, Christian, and Elizabeth are mentioned as children of John Sharer in orphan's court document of 1 March 1758.
A court document dated 1st Tuesday December 1760 names the following children in the settlement of the deceased John Sharer's estate: the eldest son Henry, John, Barbara, Michael, Abraham, Jacob, Magdelena, Ann, and Eliz.
A court document dated 1 June 1762 names the following in the settlement of John Sharer's estate: Christian Bixler and Catharine his wife, late Catherine Sharer, widow of the deceased and presumed children: Henry Sharer, John Sharer, Barbara Snyder (wife of John Snyder), Michael Sharer, Abraham Sharer, Jacob Sharer, Magdelena Sharer, Ann Sharer, and Elizabeth Sharer. Jacob, Magdalena, Ann, and Elizabeth are named as minor children under the age of 14 of the deceased John Sharer in this document.
Notes on townships: The orginal township was Donegal (settled in abt 1716 and incorporated in abt. 1738). Rapho was spun off in 1741 and Mount Joy in 1759.

Notes for MAGDELENA HUBER:
Magdelena's name is found in the MennoSearch File. According to this file, Magdelena Huber, daughter of Hans Huber was born in abt. 1706.

Notes for CATHARINE ?:
Catherine's maiden name is unknown. After the death of her husband Hans Sharer, Catherine married Christian Bixler.

Children of HANS SHARER and MAGDELENA HUBER are:

HENRY² SHARER, b. Abt. 1734.

Notes for HENRY SHARER:
1790 Donegal Township, Lancaster County, Pa.
Henry Sharer 3 males (16+), 2 females

Please note: This is NOT the same Henry Sharer who married Maria Barbara Behm. The Henry Sharer who married Maria Barbara Behm resided in Letterkenny Township, Franklin County, Pa. Henry Sharer, son of Hans Sharer resided in Donegal Township, Lancaster County, Pa.

The early nineteenth century tax lists for Donegal show Henry, Christian, David and Samuel, who are presumed to be sons of Henry, as per Richard Aurand Sherer.

Note to self: The Bainbridge wills I picked up in Lancaster County, Pa. in June 2005 may be related to this line. Bainbridge was a village in Conoy Township, just west of Donegal Township.

A will for George Sharer of Bainbridge, Lancaster Co., Pa. written on 14 Dec 1832 and proved on 15 April 1833 naming a wife Nancy, and sons Henry and John. Frederick Hipple, executor.

A will for Henry Sharrer of Bainbridge, Lancaster Co., Pa. written on 8 Feb 1835 and proved 28 Feb 1835 naming wife Catherine and "the proceeds to be divided among my children," who are not named. Simon S. Seiple, executor.

2.	ii.		JOHN SHERER, b. Abt. 1736, Resided Rapho Township, Lancaster County, Pa.; d. Bef. 16 Mar 1813.
	iii.		BARBARA SHARER, b. Abt. 1739; m. JOHN SNYDER.

Notes for JOHN SNYDER:
The John Snyders found in the early census records are too numerous too determine with any certainly which one is the correct John Snyder. A number of possibilities for John Snyder and his wife Barbara Sherer are as follows:

1790 Mount Joy, Lancaster County, Pa. (p. 221)
John Snyder (head of family) 2 males (16 and up, including head of family), 1 female

living 8 farms away:
John Lemmon (head of family) 2 males (16 and up, including head of family), 1 female

on the next p. 222
John Lemmon (head of family) 3 males (16 and up, including head of family), 1 male (under 16), 1 female
p. 222 (10 farms from John)
Peter Lemmon (head of family) 3 males (16 and up, including head of family), 1 male (under 16), 2 female

1790 Manheim, Lancaster County, Pa. (p. 145)
John Sneider (head of family) 1 male (16 and up, including head of family), 2 males (under 16), 1 female

1800 Manheim, Lancaster County, Pa. (p. 45)
John Schneyder 1 male (under 10), 1 male (45+), 2 females (under 10), 1 female (10-15), 1 female (26-45)

1820 Rapho, Lancaster County, Pa., p. 28
John Snyder 3 males (under 10), 1 male (26-45), 1 female (under 10), 1 female (26-45)

1820 Manheim, Lancaster County, Pa., p. 26
John Snider 1 male (under 10), 1 male (16-26), 1 male (26-45), 2 females (under 10), 1 female (16-26), 1 female (26-45)

	iv.		MICHAEL SHARER, b. Abt. 1741; m. ANNA ?.
3.	v.		ABRAHAM SHERER, b. Abt. 1743; d. Abt. 26 Feb 1794, Donegal Township, Lancaster County, Pa..

Children of HANS SHARER and CATHARINE ? are:

	vi.		JACOB² SHARER, b. Abt. 1746.
	vii.		MAGDELENA SHARER, b. Abt. 1748.
	viii.		ANNA SHARER, b. Abt. 1751.
	ix.		CHRISTIAN SHARER, b. Abt. 1753.

Notes for CHRISTIAN SHARER:
According to the MennoSearch File, Christian is believed to have died in infancy.

ELIZABETH SHARER, b. Abt. 1756.

[ Home Page | First Page | Previous Page | Next Page | Last Page ]