John Scherer was born January 23, 1836, in Hesse Darmstadt, Germany, of which province his parents, John and Catherine (Yager) Scherer, were also natives. His father devoted the greater part of his life to various kinds of public work and was a man of industry and thrift. These parents died a number of years ago in the land of their birth, leaving six children whose names are as follows: John, of this review, Lizzie, Andrew, Mary, Kate and Carl, of whom the subject and Andrew came to America, the others remaining in their native country.
John Scherer attended school in Hesse Darmstadt during his youth and remained at home until eighteen years of age. He then decided to go to America, being fully convinced that he could do better in the great country beyond the sea than in his own land, where privileges were few and the opportunities for rising in the world limited. In due time he landed at New York and from that city proceeded as far west as Henry county, Iowa, where he spent the ensuing year and a half as a farm laborer, after which he went to the southern part of the state, where he remained one year. At the expiration of that time he went to Scott county, Iowa, and engaged in farming for himself until 1866, when he came to Dakota territory, locating east of Yankton, where he entered a quarter section of land which he improved and on which he lived during the three years following. In 1869 he disposed of his real estate in Yankton county and moved to the county of Bon Homme, where he has since resided, purchasing the meanwhile a valuable tract of land in Tabor township, which under his efficient labors has been brought to a high state of cultivation and otherwise improved, teeing 'one of the most productive farms and desirable homes of the locality in which it is
situated.
Mr. Scherer is a progressive farmer and his influence has done much to promote the agricultural interests in the township of his residence. He has also achieved considerable reputation in the matter of live stock,
which he now makes his chief business, paying special attention to horses, cattle and hogs, in the breeding and raising of which his success has been encouraging and his income liberal. He came west in an early day, has kept pace with the growth and development of the country,
and contributed of his labor and influence to introduce civilization into Bon Homme county and to bring about results that are now obtained in this highly favored part of South Dakota. In politics he votes for the best qualified candidates regardless of the party to which they
belong, and while manifesting a lively interest in public affairs and always standing for good government, he has never departed from his business to seek office or aspire to leadership.
Mr. Scherer, in 1862, married Miss Agnes Congleton, of Butler County, Pennsylvania, who bore him nine children, namely: William, a lumberman living in Dunwoody County, Virginia; Adelia, wife of George Biittler, a farmer of Bon Homme County; Fred (Carl Frederick), who is engaged in farming and stock raising in Charles Mix County, this state; Mary, now Mrs. Wade Glynn, of Springfield, South Dakota; John a resident of Petersburg, Virginia, and a cabinetmaker by trade; George, a farmer and stock dealer, living in Charles Mix County, South Dakota; Maggie, a member of the home circle; Leo, who died in the year 1902, and Charles, who assists his father in running the farm. The mother of these children departed this life in 1885, since which time Mr. Scherer has kept up his home with the aid of his children, the meanwhile providing well for those leaving the parental roof to start in life for themselves.
John Scherer was born January 23, 1836, in Hesse Darmstadt, Germany, of which province his parents, John and Catherine (Yager) Scherer, were also natives. His father devoted the greater part of his life to various kinds of public work and was a man of industry and thrift. These parents died a number of years ago in the land of their birth, leaving six children whose names are as follows: John, of this review, Lizzie, Andrew, Mary, Kate and Carl, of whom the subject and Andrew came to America, the others remaining in their native country.
John Scherer attended school in Hesse Darmstadt during his youth and remained at home until eighteen years of age. He then decided to go to America, being fully convinced that he could do better in the great country beyond the sea than in his own land, where privileges were few and the opportunities for rising in the world limited. In due time he landed at New York and from that city proceeded as far west as Henry county, Iowa, where he spent the ensuing year and a half as a farm laborer, after which he went to the southern part of the state, where he remained one year. At the expiration of that time he went to Scott county, Iowa, and engaged in farming for himself until 1866, when he came to Dakota territory, locating east of Yankton, where he entered a quarter section of land which he improved and on which he lived during the three years following. In 1869 he disposed of his real estate in Yankton county and moved to the county of Bon Homme, where he has since resided, purchasing the meanwhile a valuable tract of land in Tabor township, which under his efficient labors has been brought to a high state of cultivation and otherwise improved, teeing 'one of the most productive farms and desirable homes of the locality in which it is
situated.
Mr. Scherer is a progressive farmer and his influence has done much to promote the agricultural interests in the township of his residence. He has also achieved considerable reputation in the matter of live stock,
which he now makes his chief business, paying special attention to horses, cattle and hogs, in the breeding and raising of which his success has been encouraging and his income liberal. He came west in an early day, has kept pace with the growth and development of the country,
and contributed of his labor and influence to introduce civilization into Bon Homme county and to bring about results that are now obtained in this highly favored part of South Dakota. In politics he votes for the best qualified candidates regardless of the party to which they
belong, and while manifesting a lively interest in public affairs and always standing for good government, he has never departed from his business to seek office or aspire to leadership.
Mr. Scherer, in 1862, married Miss Agnes Congleton, of Butler County, Pennsylvania, who bore him nine children, namely: William, a lumberman living in Dunwoody County, Virginia; Adelia, wife of George Biittler, a farmer of Bon Homme County; Fred (Carl Frederick), who is engaged in farming and stock raising in Charles Mix County, this state; Mary, now Mrs. Wade Glynn, of Springfield, South Dakota; John a resident of Petersburg, Virginia, and a cabinetmaker by trade; George, a farmer and stock dealer, living in Charles Mix County, South Dakota; Maggie, a member of the home circle; Leo, who died in the year 1902, and Charles, who assists his father in running the farm. The mother of these children departed this life in 1885, since which time Mr. Scherer has kept up his home with the aid of his children, the meanwhile providing well for those leaving the parental roof to start in life for themselves.
Family Members
-
William Andrew Scherer Sr
1862–1948
-
Delia Scherer Biittler
1864–1941
-
Carl Frederick Scherer
1866–1937
-
Mary Edith Scherer Glynn
1871–1910
-
John Wellington Scherer
1873–1937
-
George Emerick Scherer
1876–1951
-
Margret Catherine "Maggie" Scherer Anderson
1878–1945
-
Leonidas Congleton Scherer
1881–1902
-
Charles Franklin Scherer
1884–1964
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Records on Ancestry
Advertisement