Schürch Family Association of North America

Title: Schurch Family Association of North America fonds

Date(s) of creation: 1900-2007, 2016

Physical description: 1 cm of textual material, plus various media items

Administrative history: The Schürch Family Association of North America was founded in 1982 near Fredericksburg, Pennsylvania. It followed earlier Sherk/Shirk/Sherrick reunions in 1900, 1914, and 1928. A newsletter was established, and reunions began to be held every two years.

Scope and content: The fonds consists of records of the organization, particularly as related to the Region of Waterloo on Ontario.

Custodial history: The fonds was donated to the Mennonite Archives of Ontario by the Schürch Family Association in April 2007. Additional periodic donations have been made.

Notes: See also the Moses Sherk collection and the Abraham B. Sherk collections, the large photograph of the 2000 reunion, a VHS videotape of the worship service at Doon Pioneer Memorial Tower on 20 August 2000, a DVD with highlights of the 2000 reunion, two Kaspar Schürch genealogy CDs prepared by Stephen D. Shirk, a Sherk Family Code E Ulrich Schürch family history by Douglas Shirk and the Jacob Clemmer family tree. See also group photo(s) of 200th anniversary group -- all attendees, and direct descendents
Original description prepared by Sam Steiner, 2 May 2007.

File list:

1. Schürch Family Association of North America information
   "History of the Schürch Family Association," n.d. 7 pp.
   Organizational Charter and Bylaws of the Association, 2006 
   List of Ontario museums with Sherk genealogical data
   Brochure, letterhead
2. Sherk Reunion, 1900
   Photograph of participants in reunion held 29 August 1900 at Joseph Schoerg homestead
   Identification of persons in photograph
   Article on reunion from Berlin News-Record, 29 August 1900
   "Who was 102 Joseph Sherk?"
3. Sherk Reunion, 2000 
   Programs, List of registrants, text of presentations, summary of event, recipes, notes for bus tour, photocopies of newspaper clippings of reunion. A panoramic photograph is located on the oversize shelf (shelf 1).
4. Aerial photo of Doon Pioneer Memorial Tower, 2000
5. Colour copy of watercolour of Memorial Tower by Isabel Frey commissioned for 200th reunion [Isabel Frey's code is incorrect on the water colour; it should be H4611338] (includes photo of Isabel Frey and biographical sketch)
6. Photo identification lists for group photo at 200th anniversary; photo is at map case.
7. Miscellaneous heritage newsclippings and brochures(Blair Founders Festival, Preston/Wanner bicentennial;Auf den Spuren der Täufer von Sumiswald)
8. Tables of contents, and indexes to the Newsletter of the Schürch Family Association of North America 
9. Sherk Reunion, 2016
   Programs, itineraries, maps and photographs
10. Gingrich-Sherk family Bible, [1878?]
    Note: Jacob B. Gingrich was married first to Maria Sherk in 1863 and, after her death, her sister Elizabeth Sherk in 1866. Both were daughters of minister David Sherk. The family resided on the Sherk homestead on the banks of the Grand River. Transcription and translation notes of family entries are filed with the Bible. Donated to the Archives in 2020.