Jacob Schirf, Sr

1831 - 1915  (83 years)

• Name	Jacob Schirf  [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11]
  Suffix	Sr
  Birth	2 Jul 1831	Baden-Württemberg, Germany   [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11]
  Gender	Male
  Immigration	1854  [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9]
  Census	1 Jun 1860	Oakland, Butler, Pennsylvania   [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9]
  Residence	1870	Carrolltown, Cambria, Pennsylvania   [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11]
  Residence Post Office: Munster
  Census	1880	Barr Township, Cambria County, Pennsylvania   [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9]
  FSID	M7GR-XML  [2, 7]
  Residence	1880	Barr, Cambria, Pennsylvania   [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9]
  Residence	1880	Barr, Cambria, Pennsylvania   [2, 7]
  Residence	1900	Barr, Cambria, Pennsylvania   [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9]
  Burial	1915	Nicktown, Cambria County, Pennsylvania   [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9]
  	Saint Nicholas Cemetery
  		53326932_127585612061
  Death	1 Feb 1915	Nicktown, Cambria, Pennsylvania   [1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8]
  	CAMBRIA COUNTY PROBATE WILLS Vol 5, pg. 480 (17 Oct 1899) thru Vol 10, pg. 334 (2 Mar 1918) SCHIRF, Jacob, father Village of Nicktown r 8 Mar 1915 / 8 Jan 1917 IX-626CAMBRIA COUNTY PROBATE WILLS Vol 5, pg. 480 (17 Oct 1899) thru Vol 10, pg. 334 (2 Mar 1918) (From schirf.net)
  		Peter Shirf Sr Probate Record
  Probate	15 Mar 1915	Cambria, Pennsylvania
  	Peter Shirf Sr Probate Record
  	CAMBRIA COUNTY PROBATE WILLS Vol 5, pg. 480 (17 Oct 1899) thru Vol 10, pg. 334 (2 Mar 1918) SCHIRF, Jacob, father Village of Nicktown r 8 Mar 1915 / 8 Jan 1917 IX-626CAMBRIA COUNTY PROBATE WILLS Vol 5, pg. 480 (17 Oct 1899) thru Vol 10, pg. 334 (2 Mar 1918) (From schirf.net)
  		Peter Shirf Sr Probate Record
  		Jacob Schirf Will 2
  Person ID	I1036	Perchinske Strohmeyer Tree
  Last Modified	12 Aug 2025

  
  

  Family	Gertrude Heiler,   b. 16 Mar 1826, Germany d. 25 Apr 1905, Nicktown, Cambria, Pennsylvania (Age 79 years)
  Marriage	1854	Pittsburgh, Allegheny, Pennsylvania   [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.
  Children	1. Catherine Schirf,   b. 5 Jul 1855, Pittsburgh, Allegheny, Pennsylvania d. 1870 (Age 14 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural] + 2. Peter Schirf,   b. 16 Aug 1856, Sharpsburg, Allegheny, Pennsylvania d. 13 May 1934, Altoona, Blair County, Pennsylvania (Age 77 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural] + 3. Sabina A Schirf,   b. 7 Jul 1859, Sharpsburg, Allegheny, Pennsylvania, USA d. 3 Jul 1945, Sublimity, Marion, Oregon, USA (Age 85 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]   4. Conrad Schirf,   b. 8 Oct 1860, Butler, Pennsylvania d. 19 Sep 1916, Pennsylvania (Age 55 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]   5. Giles Schirf,   b. 1 Mar 1862, Sharpsburg, Allegheny, Pennsylvania d. 24 Sep 1944 (Age 82 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]   6. John Schirf,   b. 14 Aug 1863, Martinsburg, Blair, Pennsylvania d. 14 Jan 1949 (Age 85 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]   7. Jacob Schirf, Jr.,   b. 24 Mar 1865, Sharpsburg, Allegheny, Pennsylvania d. 14 Jun 1881, Pennsylvania (Age 16 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]   8. Nicholas Schirf,   b. 27 May 1869, Martinsburg, Blair, Pennsylvania d. 3 Jul 1881 (Age 12 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]
  Family ID	F321	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	5 Aug 2025

  
  

• Event Map

  Birth - 2 Jul 1831 - Baden-Württemberg, Germany Marriage - 1854 - Pittsburgh, Allegheny, Pennsylvania Census - 1 Jun 1860 - Oakland, Butler, Pennsylvania Residence - Residence Post Office: Munster - 1870 - Carrolltown, Cambria, Pennsylvania Census - 1880 - Barr Township, Cambria County, Pennsylvania Residence - 1880 - Barr, Cambria, Pennsylvania Residence - 1880 - Barr, Cambria, Pennsylvania Residence - 1900 - Barr, Cambria, Pennsylvania Burial - 1915 - Nicktown, Cambria County, Pennsylvania Death - 1 Feb 1915 - Nicktown, Cambria, Pennsylvania Probate - Peter Shirf Sr Probate Record - 15 Mar 1915 - Cambria, Pennsylvania  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Photos » Slide Show		Peter Shirf Sr Probate Record
  		German Immigration Ship The year of Our Lord 1882 , day 9 of May preceded by the readings of 3 proclamations no canonical impediments detected, I the undersigned priest between masses joined in solemn matrimony Friedericus Brug, parishioner, legitimate, single, son of Josephus Brug and Christiana Sarter, Married Catholic couple ,( both) deceased with his spouse Bride…
  		53326932_127585612061
  		Biography of Jacob Schirf
  		Jacob Schirf Will 1
  		Jacob Schirf Will 2
  		Maple syrup maker obituary
  		Jacob Schirf, Sr

  
  

  Documents

  Media Item(1).jpg

  
  

  Histories		Marriage Information
  		Newpaper story
  		Infomation from William Kirkpatrick (rootweb)
  		Probate Will Location

  
  

• Notes

  From Ancestry.com: Jacob Schirf, Sr. 1 was born in Germany in March or July 1831 (died 1915) (1900 Census) and "orphaned at a tender age"supported himself in Germany by working for a shoemaker. ("Barnesboro Star", 29 June 1906). In 1854 he immigrated to America from Wurtenberg. (1880 and 1900 Census), settling initially in Allegheny County, Pa. In 1855 he married in Allegheny County Gertrude Heiler/Huber. (Ledoux,Vol.5, items 3052 and 8254). (She bornMarch 1826-D.25 April 1904).I suspect that they both may have immigrated in the same ship. In Allegheny County Jacob worked as a shoemaker making shoes for the soldiers of the Civil war under a government contract during the period 1861-1863. In late1863 he and his family moved to the Blacklick District of Susquehanna Township (i.e that part which in September 1872 became Barr Twp.). In June 1864 with the encouragement of the priests at the Benedictine Priory in Carrolltown, especially the Prior, Rev. Giles Christoph, O.S.B., the Catholic Congregation in the Blacklick District decided to build a parish church at Nicktown on a 14 acre heavily wooded tract donated by Nuichiolas Lambour. Aftetr the Bishop's approval, Prior Giles appointed Jacob Schirf as the foreman of the work of clearing the forest, excavating the foundation, and hauling the stone and lumber.He was assisted by, among others, Francis Peters, Jr. , whose sonFrancis Joseph Peters in 1911 married Jacob Schirf's granddaughter, Catherine (Katie) Schirf.(Cambria County Marriage Book41, page 615). The cornerstone for the new church was blessed on21 June 1866 and the frame building (70 x 50 ft.) completed in January 1867. Jacob Schirf owned extensive lands in the southeastern corner of Barr Township. In the 1890 Business Directory of Barr Twp. he was labeled as "Farmer and Dealer in Lumber on Schirf Creek" which flows into Blacklick Creek. Jacob's wife, Gertrude Heiler born March 1826 in Germany, immigrated 1854 to America from Wurtemberg, married Jacob in 1855, died 25 April 1904 and interred in St Nicholas Cemetery, Nicktown, Barr Twp, Cambria County, Pa. In the 1880 Census she was listed as "part blind". Jacob Schirf 1, her husband, born March or July 1831 in Germany immigrated to America in 1854 from Wurtemberg, possibly in the same ship, married Gertrude in 1855 and died January 1815. (Obituary published 2 February 1915 in Johnstown "Tribune", Will filed 8 March 1915/8 January 1917 in Cambria County Will Book 9, page 626 neither of which have I seen or reviewed). Jacob Schirf 1 and Gertrude Heiler/Huber had nine children , four of whom did not survive to maturity: 1. Peter Schirf 2 born about 1856 in Allegheny Co. married about 1878 Theresa Stoltz born 5 April 1857. 2. Sabrina Schirf 2 born March 1859 in Allegheny Co. married 23 May 1882 Adam Lulei/Lulay. Jr., son of Adam Lulay, Sr. and Sabrina Gudium. 3.&4. Two of Jacob's children gender, names, and dates of birth not evident were born probably between that of Peter & Sabrina & died in Allegheny Co. 5. Conrad Schirf 2 born8 October 1860 Allegheny Co. married twice 1) Margaret Brehm 1882, 2) Katharine Wassum 1913 ( Marriage Bk 47, pg 595). 6. Giles Schirf 2 born March 1862 Allegheny Co. married 1908 Mary Elizabeth Kirsch (Bk 35, page 637). 7. John Schirf 2 born August 1863 Allegheny Co. married 1897 Catherine Mary Nissell (Book 15 , page 61). 8. Jacob Schirf, Jr. 2 born 26 March 1865 Cambria County, (Ledoux Vol 5, Item 3052).Died 1881 St Nicholas Cemetery, Nicktown, Pa. 9. Nicholas Schirf 2 born 27 May 1869 Cambria County. (Ledoux, Vol 5, Item 8254). Died 1881 St Nicholas Cemetery, Nicktown. (Work in progress) On Friday, June 29, 1906 not long after his 75th birthday, the Barnesboro Star ran an article about Jacob. Because it was contemporary, I think it is a good place to start on discovering what we can about him. It read, "Jacob Schirf, of Nicktown, is hale and hardy at age 75. He is a native of Germany. He was orphaned at at "tender age" and worked for $.40 cents a week for a shoemaker. By age 21 he had accumulate $76. At 23 he came to the United States. He worked as a shoemaker at Pittsburgh, having government contracts for two years to make shoes for soldiers in the Civil War. Eventually he moved to Nicktown, where he has lived for 42 years. He is now retired. He reared a family of children." Schlier Jacob was born in Schlier Germany (see his first daughter, Catherine's, baptismal papers). Schlier is a small town in Baden, Germany, not far from Ravensburg. To the north is the Altdorfer Forest, the largest continous forest in Germany. To the south is Lake Constance, seperating Germany from it's neighbors. Weingarten Abbey, although at the time not in Catholic control, was not far away, and it's extensive irrigation canal is throughout the area. Schlier was primarily Catholic despite the changes in the region. Although beautiful and idyllic in appearance. it was a hard period of time for the region. The Napoleonic wars had caused a lot of death in the region. The destruction of land, and industrial infrastracture had made matters worse. Well into the mid 1800s the region struggled with bad crops, famine, and disease. Not long before Jacob's immigration there were early signs of revolution in the region. The idea of a new life, and a stable income, in a new place full of opportunity must have been very exciting. It is easy to understand why he was so determined to leave. Pittsburgh

  
  

• Sources

  [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 [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 [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 [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 [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 [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 [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 [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 [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 [S178] Ancestry.com, Pennsylvania, Death Certificates, 1906-1967, (Name: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2014;), Pennsylvania Historic and Museum Commission; Harrisburg, PA; Pennsylvania (State). Death Certificates, 1906-1968; Certificate Number Range: 045501-048500. [S191] Ancestry.com, 1870 United States Federal Census, (Name: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2009;), Year: 1870; Census Place: Carroll, Cambria, Pennsylvania; Roll: M593_1317; Page: 89A; Family History Library Film: 552816. 1870 United States Federal Census