Perchinske & Strohmeyer Family History

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Catherine Schirf

Catherine Schirf

Female 1855 - 1870  (14 years)

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  • Name Catherine Schirf 
    Birth 5 Jul 1855  Pittsburgh, Allegheny, Pennsylvania Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Female 
    FSID M7GR-X9H 
    Death 1870 
    Person ID I1033  Perchinske Strohmeyer Tree
    Last Modified 5 Aug 2025 

    Father Jacob Schirf, Sr,   b. 2 Jul 1831, Baden-Württemberg, Germany Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 1 Feb 1915, Nicktown, Cambria, Pennsylvania Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 83 years) 
    Relationship natural 
    Mother Gertrude Heiler,   b. 16 Mar 1826, Germany Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 25 Apr 1905, Nicktown, Cambria, Pennsylvania Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 79 years) 
    Relationship natural 
    Marriage 1854  Pittsburgh, Allegheny, Pennsylvania Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9] 
    • The marriage records of Jacob and Gertrude have yet to be found, and may never be found. We know that they came over to the U.S. in 1854. The reason for this is that they were definitely not married where so many people list them as being married. I have a paper from St. Philomenas that states there is no record of their marriage at that church. There is a baptismal record. I plan on posting both as soon as I scan the pile of things I have to scan. This should help everyone with sourcing some.
      We know they lived in Sharpsburg, and since they were German they probably attended St. Mary's which was dedicated in June of 1854, but had had services held in the basement since 1852. The inability to find records of a marriage is probably the result of a fire that destroyed St. Mary's church and it's records. In 1866, several months later the cornerstone for a new church was laid, and the church was rebuilt.

      On deducing a date this is how I came upon a timeframe.
      In the Federal Census of 1900 taken 5 June 1900 Jacob and Gertrude list 45 years as being the length of their marriage . That puts the marriage date between 6 June 1854 and 5 June 1855. We can probably assume they were married prior to October 1854 because of the date of the baptism of their daughter Catherine. The 1900 census goes on to state that they have been in the US 46 years and both migrated in 1854, yet have been married 45 years. This shows that the wedding would have probably occurred in the U.S.
      Taking all of this into account the wedding range would be between June and October of 1854. In Sharpsburg because that was where they were living at the time, and being german one can assume they went to the Catholic Church locally that was primarily German, St. Mary's, it was a split off of St. Josephs. The Church also often used priest s from St. Philomena's in Pittsburgh where their daughter was later baptized, and where there is no marriage record for them.
      St. Mary's burned down in 1866, and all records were lost in the fire. Thus there is little chance of finding a record of the marriage.

      (This information from schirf.net)
    • St.Philomena,
    Age at Marriage He : ~ 22 years and 5 months - She : ~ 27 years and 9 months. 
    Family ID F321  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBirth - 5 Jul 1855 - Pittsburgh, Allegheny, Pennsylvania Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth 

  • Photos At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.

  • Sources 
    1. [S152] FamilySearch.org, FamilySearch Family Tree, "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M39H-7K3 : accessed 3 September 2020), Jacob Schirf, Barr Township Spangle borough, Cambria, Pennsylvania, United States; citing enumeration di.
      Jacob Schirf, "United States Census, 1900"
      https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M39H-7K3

    2. [S152] FamilySearch.org, FamilySearch Family Tree.
      Legacy NFS Source: Jacob Schirf - Government record: Death record or certificate: death: 1 February 1915; Nicktown, Cambria, Pennsylvania, United States

    3. [S152] FamilySearch.org, FamilySearch Family Tree, "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MWXF-3H3 : 15 July 2017), Jacob Schirf, Barr, Cambria, Pennsylvania, United States; citing enumeration district ED 207, sheet 451B, NARA microf.
      Jacob Schirf, "United States Census, 1880"
      https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MWXF-3H3

    4. [S152] FamilySearch.org, FamilySearch Family Tree, "Pennsylvania, County Marriages, 1885-1950," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VFSR-7XB : 5 August 2020), Jacob Schirf in entry for Conrad Schirf and Katharine Wassam, 20 Nov 1913; citing Marriage, Nickt.
      Jacob Schirf in entry for Conrad Schirf and Katharine Wassam, "Pennsylvania, County Marriages, 1885-1950"
      https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VFSR-7XB

    5. [S152] FamilySearch.org, FamilySearch Family Tree, "Pennsylvania, County Marriages, 1885-1950," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KH6R-73K : 5 August 2020), Jacob Schirf in entry for Giles Schirf and Mary Elizabeth Kirsch, 15 Sep 1908; citing Marriage, C.
      Jacob Schirf in entry for Giles Schirf and Mary Elizabeth Kirsch, "Pennsylvania, County Marriages, 1885-1950"
      https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KH6R-73K

    6. [S152] FamilySearch.org, FamilySearch Family Tree, "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MZL1-K65 : 19 March 2020), Jacob Shirf, 1870.
      Jacob Shirf, "United States Census, 1870"
      https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MZL1-K65

    7. [S152] FamilySearch.org, FamilySearch Family Tree, "Family Tree," database, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org : modified 30 April 2020, 22:06), entry for Jacob Schirf Sr(PID https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/4:1:M7GR-XML); contributed by various users. PersonID M7GR-XML.
      Jacob Schirf Sr
      https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/4:1:M7GR-XML

    8. [S152] FamilySearch.org, FamilySearch Family Tree, "Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV29-GBL5 : 3 June 2020), Jacob Schirf, ; Burial, , ; citing record ID , Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com.
      Jacob Schirf, "Find A Grave Index"
      https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV29-GBL5

    9. [S152] FamilySearch.org, FamilySearch Family Tree, "Pennsylvania, County Marriages, 1885-1950," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VF3T-9DX : 5 August 2020), Jacob Schirf in entry for John Schirf and Catharine Mary Nissel, 19 Oct 1897; citing Marriage, Ca.
      Jacob Schirf in entry for John Schirf and Catharine Mary Nissel, "Pennsylvania, County Marriages, 1885-1950"
      https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VF3T-9DX


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