Shirer Family Genealogy Project
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Valentine Scheurer Sr.^1,2

Male
b. 9 December 1760, d. 28 September 1840

Note*		Valentine Scheurer married Elizabeth Kirby in Berks Co., PA. There they had their first three sons Solomon, John Jacob and John Peter. Evidence of this appears in the Delong's Reformed Church birth and baptism records. No other record shows them there after 1789. Tax lists place him in Rockland and Ruscombmanor townships from 1786-1789. He is listed as Valentine Sheiver in 1786 and Valentine Sheirer from then on. 1786-1788 he is listed as being married. The 1789 record lists him as a "soujourner" which equates to one travelling with out a home. If he had sold his possesions there in preparation for the move to Bedford Co., this would certainly be true. There is a listing for a Valentine Scherrer in LondonDerry Twp, Bedford Co. in the list of men over the age of 16 eligible for service in the militia. This comes from the PA archives Sixth Series. LondonDerry and Bedford Co. were broken up into many townships and also gave birth to Somerset Co. The area where he was living is now known as Southhampton Twp., Somerset Co. which also gave birth to NorthHampton Twp and others. He shows up there again in the list of Heads of Households in 1790 as Valentine Sharer. He is listed in the Southhampton Twp, Tax Lists from 1800 to 1807. He is believed to have lived close to Adam Scheurer near Kennel Mills near the border of Bedford and Somerset counties. The 1800 census lists him as Valentine Sheirer in Southamption twp. Also list there is John Sheirer who's age is listed in the 45+ column. His wife is included also in the same age group along with a female in the 10-15 year age group. This is possibly the father of Valentine and maybe also Adam. Adam is not listed in this census in Southampton and would not be included in either Valentine or John's household. If this was Valentine's father yuou woud expect him to be in his household in the 1790 census since Valentine is not listed in the Londonderry Twp, Bedford Co., listing but John Shirer is listed as himself and his wife. In 1805 tax lists Valentine shows up as Valentin Shyrik and also as Valentine Shiery along with Adam Shiery which comes from a list of taxable inhabitants of Southampton Twp. It is also worth mentioning other names found on that list: Christian and Adam Starts (Sturtz), Ph. Shryer, Barnard Stoner, Jacob, Richard and Daniel Gaumer and Jost Leidig, many names that also appear in Muskingum Co., OH. when Valentine shows up there. Valentine was a Farmer but he also was a blacksmith and was listed in the tax records of Somerset Co., PA as a weaver. Many of the early settlers had to have many skills but it would apear that Valentine had been trained originally as a weaver. Evidence of this has been passed down from Valentine Sr to Wayne Arthur Shirer whose widow, Mary L. Shirer, is in possesion of a coverlet said to be woven by Valentine. A picture of this coverlet can be found in the Shirer Photo Album. The book, "History of Bedford, Somerset, and Fulton Counties, Pennsylvania", page 578 on Southampton Twp., lists Val. Shyry in the taxable inhabitants of the township in 1805. In describung the pioneers of the township, it inldes a mention of Valentine Shiery, a blacksmith as an early pioneer. This agrees with what the tax records of the township show. Valentine was listed as Valentine Scheurer in the early New Hope Church records and is buried there as Valentine Shirrar. One source has him marrying Lished Scheivn. This is probably a bad interpertation of Elisabeth Scheurer as handwritten in some record. It is my opinion that he was born in Berks Co., probably to a son of Ulrich Scheurer. Two of the possibilities are John Peter Scheurer and Jacob Scheurer. John Peter was Valentine's son Peter's baptism sponsor. There are no records that can be found for John Peter's brother John Jacob but it is suggested he was the elder of the brothers, Michel being the youngest. Michel is too young to be Valentine's father so it is between Jacob and Peter for that honor. Another possibility is Johannes Scheurer but he is even older than Jacob and his children would be close in age to Michel making them too young to be Valentine's parent. Also his family is fairly well documented and if all his children are accounted for, then Valentine is not counted among them. For this reason and that there are no other Scheurers capable of being Valentine's father, emphasis will be placed on proving the relationship between Peter and Valentine. His oldest son Solomon is also a mystery. It is listed in the records of Delongs Reformed Church in Maxatawny township, Berks, Co., PA., that he is the son of Valentine and Elizabeth Scheurer, the same as Jacob and Peter. He is listed however in the Early PA Birth book as being the son of John and Elizabeth Scheurer. This might mean that Valentine was Johann Valentine Scheurer or that Solomon is not his son. Delong's records have been fairly accurate so until other proof surfaces, Solomon will remain the son of Valentine and Elizabeth. He does not however come with the family to Bedford Co. and also does not show on any other record in berks Co. It is assumed he died in childhood and never reached the age to marry of move with the family west. Valentine moved to Washington Twp in Muskingum County OH. around 1804 from Somerset County, PA. It would appear he retained his land in Southampton as evidenced by the tax records. They first settled near the Muskingum River about three miles SE of Dresden. This land was purchased in 1813 from Andrew Anderson of Jefferson township and was sold in 1815 to John Stoner who would deed the land to his son in law Hugh King. The Shirers moved to a section of land about five miles up the Symms Creek Valley in Adams Twp. on Sections 25 and 16. The Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Muskingum County, Ohio states that Madison township "was taken from Jefferson township by an order of the county commissioners dated July 2, 1819. It was originally bounded on the north by the county line, on the east by Monroe and Salem townships, on the south by Washington township and on the west by the Muskingum river." The sale of the land in question being in 1813 and 1815, according to the deeds, and Madison township not yet being formed means the deed showing the sale of land to Valentine Shirey in 1813 in Washington township would become Madison township after the latter was formed in 1819. Also in the History mentioned above was the following: "The southwest quarter of section 19 on Symmes creek was entered by Wyllis Silliman, who sold it to James Sprague, a Nova Scotian, who settled on it in 1802. Valentine Shriver, a Swiss, located two years later on the northeast quarter of section 23." This was Valentine Shirer. It would put him in NE quarter of section 23. Since section 23 wasn't really a full section, it would have contained at least 320 acres. A quarter of that would be about 80 acres so I am not sure exactly what the size of that section was but it certainly would seem the placement next to land owned by J. Sharp looks like the deed does identify that particular piece of land. A title search would probably show the transfer from John Stoner into the eventual hands of Hugh King, son-in-law of John Stoner who Valentine sold the tract to in 1815. While living in on that tract of land in Washington Twp, Muskingum Co., Valentine had an opportunity to buy a large tract of land near the Muskingum River below Dresden which was very rich soil for the sum of one dollar per acre. This land extended all the way to the State Dam. Instead Valentine, who much preferred hilly land which was what he was used to in PA, bought the land his family settled on for between $1.50 and $2.00 per acre. he also turned down the chance to buy the John B. Slack farm for $.75 an acre but turned it down as not being hilly enough. It would later turn out that the land below Dresden would be purchased by men named Stump and Copeland and would be the most fertile and best producing farm land in Muskingum Co. Valentine remained satisfied with his purchase and never mentioned the missed opportunity. The Shirer's acquired much land in Adams, Madison, Washington, Salem, and Highland Townships. Valentine's land in Adams township where he lived was located on Section 16 and 25. The land in Madison Twp was in Section 20 which bordered section 16 in Adams Twp. Today the center of section 16 can be found on the corner of Bethesda Church Road and County Road 208. There are the ruins of many buildings there today, some which probably date back to the mid 1800s as they have a stone foundation. The ruins of the mill built by David and Valentine Jr. on Symms Creek has yet to be found but would have been in the center of section 20 in Madison Twp. where is located an earthen dam on the north branch of the creek. By 1916, the land in section 25 had come into the possesion of M.J. Steele. The land in section 16 of the northeast-quarter of Adams Township had come into the possession of W.R. Doughty by 1916, while their land in the south-east quarter of that section had come into the possession of Harry Studer by 1916. Their land in section 20 of Madison Township was later owned by Allen Doughty. Of the 250 acres of Shirer land in Washington Township, 95 acres was transferred to John Stoner, while Valentine Jr. retained 155 acres which he later deeded to his son Daniel. This was later sold to Martin Echleberry in 1881. The Shirer family owned land and many lots in and around Adamsville, Ohio.2
Image*		Valentine Shirrar's Coverlet, Woven by him and now in the possession of Mary L. Shirer.
News/Obit*		From the book Zanesville and Muskingum Co., Ohio by Thomas W. Lewis, 1927. Chapter XIII (selected text) Pg 126 - Madison Township      In 1800 Jacob Swigert settled on the Muskingum, built a cabin and cleared field. The place changed hands twice within a year. J. S. Copland was the first buyer and John Bainter the second. Judge Wyllys Silliman entered a quarter section of land on Symmes Creek and sold it to James Sprague, a Canadian, in 1802. In 1804 John Stoner and Valentine Shirer became settlers and in 1808 George Adams, a Virginian, built the township's first hewed-log house.      In 1817 the first brick house was built by Charles Copland, who had settled near the mouth of Symmes Creek. George Stoner and Elizabeth Shriver (Shirer) led off as the first couple to be mearried. Godfrey Bainter was the first resident to die (in 1805). His body was laid away in the woods, a part of which became the township's oldest cemetery. Pg 127 - Off His High Horse      The first distillery went into operation at a point below the mouth of Wakatomica Creek in 182. Alexander Struthers provided the settlers with the first grist mill, on the south branch of Symmes Creek, above the forks, in 1813. In 1818 he added a saw mill. A second saw mill was built by Valentine Shirer and his brother Davis, in the forks of the Creek in 1833. Pg 131 - Adams Township      By 1810 David Brelsford, Jacob Hashmer and Hugh Ballentine were located and by 1818 Benjamin Whitebury, John and William Campbell. Abraham Wisecarver, Caleb Bidwell, Samuel Monroe, Robert Osborn, William Barton, Valentine Shirer and Anthony Slater were in the Neighborhood.      David Brelsford was the first Blacksmith: David Sigert (Swigert) operated the first sawmill: the first marriage was that of David Shirer and Lydia Gaumer.3
Marriage*		Principal=Elizabeth Kirby
Birth*	9 December 1760	Berks Co., PA
Census*	1779	SHERRER, VALENTINE, Proprietory Tax Return, Maxatawny township, Berks County, PA, 1779, taken from the PA Archives Third Series, Vol XVIII, Page 248: Acres-100, Horses-1, Cattle-2, Tax-496
Land*	4 January 1825	Adams Twp., Muskingum Co., OH, This is a transcription of the recorded certificate granted to Valentine Shirer by the United States but recorded after his death by sons David Shirer and Valentine Shirer Jr. It is for the 341 acres that were divided equally between David and Valentine. Vol 9 Pg 442 United States to V. Shirer Executed Oct 16th 1846 Recorded Oct 16th 1846 John Quincy Adams President of the United States of America To all to whom these presents shall come greeting: Know ye that David Shirer and Valentine Shirer Junior assigns of Valentine Shirer having deposited in the General land office the certificate of the register of the land office at Zanesville whereby it appears that full payment has been made for the West half of section sixteen in Township Three of Range Six of the unap propriated lands in the Military District containing Three Hundred and Forty one acres and four hundredths of an acre of the lands subject to be sold at Zanesville Ohio by the act of congress entitled "An act providing for the sale of the land of the United States in the Territory North West of the Ohio and above the mouth of the Kentucky River" and of the note amendatory of the same there is granted by the United States unto the said David Shirer and Valentine Shirer Jr and to their heirs the half lot on section of land afore described and to have and to hold said half lot on section of land with the appertenances unto the said David Shirer and Valentine Shirer Junior and to their heirs and assigns forever as tenants in common and not as Joint Tennants. In Testimony where I have caused these letters to be made patent and the seal of the General land office to be hereunto affixed Given under my hand at the City of Washington the fourth day of January the year of our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred and Twenty five And the Independance of the United States of America the Forty Ninth.           By the President J. Q. Adams Grantee Vol 51 page 409 Examined Geo. H. Graham commissioner of the General Land Office
Death*	28 September 1840	Muskingum Co., OH
Burial*	after 28 September 1840	New Hope Lutheran Church Cemetery, Salem Twp., Muskingum Co., OH, Inscription: Valentine Shirrar died Sep. 28, 1840 Aged 79 years 9 mon. & 19 ds. This mortal body here is laid No more to mourn & die. The immortal soul on earth is gone To live with God on high.4

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Compiled by: Denny Shirer, Canton, Ohio

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