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Heisterkamp's Annotated Landis Ferree Tree (as of 30 April 2004) The following material provides important information on both Eve Sherman and her possible parents. The Sherman (Scherman) Family by: Alice L. Luckhardt - Website - (07-7 -2004) The Sherman family of SE Pennsylvania has sometimes been mistaken for the same "Sherman" family of Rhode Island and Connecticut. The New England Sherman families were English in origin whereas our family, the Sherman family of Pennsylvania, were from Germany. During the 20th century family legend stated that we were related to General William Tecumseh Sherman, the Civil War general but this was never the true ancestry. The first Scherman (Shireman) of our branch to America was George Jacob Scherman (later just known as Jacob Sherman) who was born September 21, 1724 in Niederhochstadt, Pfalz, Bayern in Germany. He is believed to have come to Philadelphia on the ship Lydia in October 8 or 19, 1749. He may have come with his wife, Maria Elisbetha of Niederhochstadt along with their two young sons, George Jacob Scherman, born February 3, 1747/48 and Johannes Scherman, born February 6, 1748/49. Maria may have died very shortly after arriving in America. He married Eva Kundigunda Crieschbaum around 1750 in Berks County. Eva was born January 12, 1725/26 in Berks County, Pennsylvania. George first lived in the Tulpedhocken area of Pennsylvania and then acquired in June 19, 1754 two 25-acre warrants of land in the present-day area of Brunswick Township in Schuylkill County. By September 24, 1762, he was naturalized as a British citizen of the American colonies in Berks County. By 1763, George, Eva and their family were in Manheim Township in York County, Pennsylvania. Their family now included Conrad Sherman, born December 11, 1752, Johann Jacob Sherman, born March 2, 1755, and Elisabetha Julianna Sherman, born September 11, 1759, all three in Berks County. Lastly was George Sherman, born March 1768 in York County. In York County, (George) Jacob Sherman was licensed to run a public house (a tavern) in the Manheim Township and started purchasing acreage around the area of St. David's Church. Between 1765 and 1809 more than 800 acres of land were owned either in (George) Jacob's or his son, Conrad's name. Due to their extensive land holdings in the region and their support of St. David's Church, the name Sherman's Church came into popular use. The Church stills functions into the 21st Century and is located in York County, on Highway 94, just over the Pennsylvania State line, near the village of Pleasant Hills. Additional land holdings in other areas after the American Revolution increased for the Sherman family. (George) Jacob Sherman purchased at auction 200 acres in Manheim Township on October 10, 1783 for 122 pounds and 10 shillings (about $196 - $200 in the year 2000 currency value). By August 10, 1797, he was living in Germany Township in York County and purchased a tenement house, lot of ground in the town of Petersburg, a twenty-foot alley and an additional 35 acres for 980 pounds in gold/silver (about $13,190 in the year 2000 value). In May 26, 1800 was the purchase of 220 acres containing a gristmill and many buildings for the sum of 450 pounds, 17 shillings and 10 pence (about $6,137 in the year 2000 value). By December 8, 1800, a tract of land called "Diggs Choice" (more than 8 acres) in Heidelberg Township sold to (George) Jacob for 15 pounds (about $200 in the year 2000 value) an acre. Then in June 27, 1801, more than four acres were sold for 102 pounds and 3 shillings (about $1,373 in the year 2000 value) to (George) Jacob Sherman. The Shermans and the American Revolution The major political uprising of the American colonies with the British crown was noticed by the Sherman family. They had been in Pennsylvania all during the 1750s and 1760s and had seen first hand the British treatment of the colonies. They had done well financially over the years and wanted to be a part of a new nation and its development. Not only did George Jacob Sherman join the militia but also so did his son, Conrad Sherman. George served as a private with the 4th Company of the York County militia while in his mid-50's. (a portion omitted here) George Jacob Sherman's Family Information on the rest of George Jacob Sherman's children is not as complete. As far as his oldest son, Georg Jacob, born in February 3, 1747-48, it is not known what happened to him or if he survived to adulthood. Johannes Sherman, born in February 6, 1748-49, remained in the area and did later live in Carroll County, Maryland. He married Catherine Sabel on March 29, 1775 and they had three sons, and one daughter. Note: T he daughter may be (not proven) Eve Sherman, written in the story following. Johannes died on June 5, 1808 in Maryland and was buried in the Manchester Cemetery of Carroll County, Maryland. Johann Jacob Sherman and Family - (Sherman vs. Shriver) Note: The following information on the possible two children (Jacob Sherman, Jr. and Eve Sherman) of Johann Jacob and Elizabeth Sherman is not 100% proven. There are some conflicting sources of whether these two children are really Johann's children. Source information/facts on the Westminster house are from the Historical Society of Carroll County web site. The fourth son, Johann Jacob, born in 1755, moved as an adult to live in Carroll County, Maryland and became quite successful as an innkeeper (tavern). He married Elizabeth (maiden name unknown, possibly of Wagoner) about 1778 in Pennsylvania and their first son, Jacob Sherman was born January 19, 1779 in Pennsylvania. This Jacob, Jr. later married Elizabeth Baer on February 21, 1806 and they had four children born in Carroll County. These eight great grandchildren of George Jacob Sherman were Conrad Sherman, born August 8, 1813, Daniel Sherman, born about 1814, Elizabeth Sherman, born about 1815, Jesse Sherman, born March 31,1819, Susanna Sherman born November 28, 1821, Mary Elizabeth Sherman, born August 23, 1824, Sara Ann Louisa Sherman born August 23, 1827 and finally Mary Sherman born December 24, 1829, all in Carroll County. Jacob, Jr. lived until April 8, 1861. Jesse Sherman was a farmer in Carroll County and married Lydia A. Black. They had a son, Jacob Sherman, born about 1860, Augustus, born about 1870 and a daughter, Irena M. born about 1877. Jesse died on June 6, 1885. His sister, Sara Ann Louisa married William Hoffman on May 27, 1847 by Reverend Geiger. Note: An older brother of Johann Jacob was Johannes Sherman, born February 6, 1748/49 in Germany. His mother was George Jacob Sherman's first wife, Maria Elisabetha Schirmann, who died in Pennsylvania about 1749. This son also went to Carroll County (when it was part of Baltimore County, Maryland). He married Catherine Sabel on March 29, 1775. He and Catherine had three sons (names unknown) and one daughter. The daughter may have been Eve Sherman, born between 1781-1785. So it is unclear if the conflict of Eve with her father was with Johannes or Jacob Sherman. Eve Sherman was born about 1781-1783. It was when Eve married on February 26, 1803 to David H. Shriver, Jr. in Westminster, Carroll County, Maryland, that an unusual family bond began. The following write-up on the Shermans and Shrivers of Westminster comes from the Historical Society of Carroll County, Maryland. Eve's father, Jacob Sherman, (or Johannes Sherman) purchased a small addition to his lot opposite his tavern (built in 1770's and given to him in 1787 by his father, George Jacob) on Main Street in Westminster in May 1806 from William Winchester, Jr., (1750-1812), a son of the founder of the town of Westminster. Jacob's plans were to build a large residence on the property. Construction of his new brick residence probably began almost immediately and was substantially completed a year later (1807) when Sherman then sold the property for a token fee of five shillings to his son-in-law David Shriver, Jr. It is far more likely that Sherman, who was at the typical retirement age of fifty, was building a new residence in order to retire from inn keeping. In this time period it was not uncommon for a successful man of his age to share a large residence with a child's family. In most cases, the property passed to the child's family at the death of the parents. The house was the most impressive structure along Westminster's Main Street. It featured refined and innovative architectural details such as a stone wastewater drain in the kitchen. However, basic elements of an L-shaped house were deeply rooted in the regional style and cultural traditions of the Pennsylvania Germans. A first floor, unheated bed chamber located behind the dining room served as the Shermans' sleeping quarters. Sherman used a design and plan that were closely related to the traditional farmhouse style that was popular in Carroll County throughout the nineteenth century. David Shriver, Jr., probably had a significant role in designing the house. The lead sash weights, which are embossed with his name and the date 1807, suggest that he was responsible for the selection of counter-balanced windows. A built-in clothes cupboard was installed in the front west bedchamber where the Shrivers are believed to have slept. Both features were unusual for this region in 1807 and point towards the well traveled Shriver who was familiar with trends in architecture. The Shrivers were already living in the house in May 1807 when Jacob Sherman deeded the property to David. David was born April 24, 1769 at Little Pipe Creek, near Westminster, the second son of David Shriver, Sr., (17 35-1826) and his wife Rebecca Ferree Shriver (1742-1812). The younger David constructed the gristmill (Union Mills Homestead) and tannery complex at Union Mills, Maryland, in 1797 in partnership with his older brother Andrew (1762-1847). David relinquished his interest in the mill in 1803 to accept an appointment to superintend the construction of the Baltimore-Reisterstown Turnpike. In the same year he married Eve Sherman. Their marriage united two of the most prominent local Pennsylvania German families. David H. Shriver, Jr., became active in public service during his residency. He was elected in 1807 to represent Frederick County in the Maryland Assembly and was also commissioned in 1808 as Paymaster of the 20th Regiment, Maryland Militia. Shriver had previously served as captain of the Rifle Company and a major in this regiment from 1794 -1799. The Federal Census of 1810 provides evidence that the Shermans lived with the Shriver household. Jacob Sherman does not appear as a head of a household, which suggests that he was living with another family. The Shriver household included David and Eve, their two sons Jacob Sherman Shriver (1805 -1876) and William Wagoner Shriver (1808 -1880), their daughter Elizabeth Sherman Shriver (born 1806), two adults over forty-five who were undoubtedly the Shermans. The servants, a white man and a woman, both aged sixteen to twenty-six, and six Negro slaves were included in the census. David Shriver, Jr., completed his work on the Reisterstown turnpike in 1810 and soon became a somewhat reluctant candidate to superintendent the proposed extension of the National Road from Cumberland, Allegany County, Maryland to Wheeling, Ohio County, West Virginia (now West Virginia). Shriver felt that he was being poorly treated and, therefore, hesitated to seek the position. In a February 16, 1811 letter to his brother Andrew, who was in Washington, District of Columbia, pushing David's candidacy, David stated that he would "be d---d if he would beg for" the position. In the same letter, David Shriver reported a family tragedy, "while at Frederick, Eve was taken sick while alone, fell against the stove and lay in that way until she came to, with her face immediately against the plate. She has burned herself in a shocking manner. The roasted part is not yet separated from the sound. It is impossible to say how bad the wound will be as yet, but at best is shocking in the extreme. She will in a day or two be taken with her disorder again with the wound I fear will be attended with bad consequences." Eve Sherman, who may have suffered from epilepsy, was permanently scarred. Despite his reservations, David Shriver accepted the appointment to superintend construction of the National Road from Cumberland. His decision required the family's removal to Cumberland (Wheeling, West Virginia). Shriver sold the house back to his father-in-law, Jacob Sherman, for $3,250 (between $32,382 - $41,829 in the year 2000 currency values) on August 4, 1812. The Shriver's departure appears to have caused or widened a rift with the Shermans. Unfortunately, the rift between the two families never healed. When Jacob Sherman died on July 7, 1822, he left the bulk of his sizable estate to the Shriver's children only. David and Eve Shriver contested the Will by questioning Sherman's sanity since the Will was executed shortly before his death. The Orphan's Court of Frederick County rejected their motion and directed the Shrivers to pay court costs of over $550 (between $6,861 - $8,032 in the year 2000 currency value). A Maryland Court of Appeals decree required the estate of the late Jacob Sherman to pay slightly less than one-half of the court costs. These divisive cases between family members were the culmination of differences between Jacob Sherman and the Shrivers. David Shriver lived until 1852 in Cumberland, Allegany County, West Virginia, and Eve Sherman Shriver lived until August 21,1854. The fine house remained with the Sherman family until June 28, 1842, when Elizabeth Sherman (Jacob Sherman's widow) died and it was sold to John Fisher, an attorney, who occupied the house with his family from 1842-1863. The next owners were Catherine Jones Shellman and her daughter Mary Bostwick Shellman who remained in the house from 1864 to 1932. After Mary's death, the house was purchased by the newly formed Historical Society of Carroll County in 1939. The original Sherman house has served as the headquarters for the Historical Society of Carroll County ever since and has been restored to its original 1807 magnificent. (Note: The above information of the Sherman and Shriver families and the 1807 house in Westminster was gathered from the web site (and story by Jay Graysbil) by the Historical Society of Carroll County.) (remainder omitted) References
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