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From: The Sherk Family by Thomas A. Sherk -
Andrew Sherk, grandfather of the author, was born in Rainham Township, Haldimand County, Ontario. He was raised on his father's farm where he learned all the aspects of running a large farm. The German language was often spoken at home by his parents. In his early years, he was able to understand German conversation, but lost this ability as an adult, as the language fell into disuse in the community.
He was a man of moderate physical stature, with reddish hair and a fair complexion. At first, as a young man, he engaged himself as a hired hand, working on the farms in the Rainham area. For this he was paid a wage of $13 per month plus board.
After his marriage to Elizabeth Hoover, he moved onto a 112 ½ acre farm bordering on Lake Erie, which his father Joseph C. Sherk had bought on November 17, 1897 from Ambrose Goodman for $3,505. The farm was located on the southwest portion of Lot 7 in the 1st Concession of Rainham Township, Haldimand County. Later on April 30, 1904, Andrew purchased this farm from his father for the sum of $800. In addition to the land, the farm consisted of a house, two large barns, and other miscellaneous farm buildings.
Andrew married Elizabeth Hoover, known as Lizzie, in Februaty 1898. Tragically, she died 10 months later on December 15, 1898, due to complications from the birth of their first child, Clara May. He married a second time to Minnie Baudella Cooper on September 5, 1900. She was known to everyone as Della. Andrew and Della had four children.
Andrew engaged in farming during the years he raised his children, most of the work being done by hand with horse teams. The children were expected to help with the work on the farm. In addition to grain and livestock, he had a large and excellent apple orchard which stretched out behind his house towards Lake Erie. Apples were a favourite food in the Sherk household.
Later in life, Andrew sold fence supply materials to farmers in the area, and when he decided to retire from farming, he engaged himself as an insurance agent for the State Farm Insurance Company in Canada. In this business, which he operated from his home, he travelled around the country selling insurance and handling claims for farmers and residents of the area. He was widely known, and greatly enjoyed meeting and talking with people.
Andrew enjoyed travel, and in his later years travelled by train once each year from Canada to his son's home in New Jersey. The extent to which he enjoyed these trips could be assessed from the vivid verbal descriptions he could give of the scenery and terrain he saw, as the train crossed New York State and Pennsylvania. He had quite an interest in gardening also. He lived to be 92+ years old, and he was active and vigorous to the end. Regarding his ancestors, he described them as not being wealthy in material possessions, but being rich in spirit.
Upon his death in 1967, he left a will in which his estate was divided among his children. In 1979 his children sold the farm to C. Kindy, a resident of Rainham Township. Andrew died in Rainham Township, and he is buried beside his second wife in the Waterford Cemetery, Norfolk County, Ontario, Canada. His first wife Elizabeth is buried in the Rainham Mennonite Cemetery in Rainham Township, on the shore fo Lake Erie near Andrew's farm. His children were all born in Rainham Township.
Haldimand Marriages - Sherk Andrew, Aged 23, Born Rainham, Resides Rainham, Bachelor, Farmer, Father Joseph C. Sherk, Mother Catharine Hexemer, Hoover Lizzie, Aged 22, Born Rainham, Resides Rainham, Spinster, Father Peter Hoover, Mother Maria Wardman, February 9, 1898
Haldimand Births, Rainham - Sherk Clara May, Female, November 26, 1898, Father Andrew Sherk, Mother Lizzie Hoover
Haldimand Deaths, Rainham - Lizzie Sherk, Female, December 15th 1898, Aged 23 Years, Lot 7, Concession 1, Farmer's Wife, Born Ontario, Cause of Death Peritinitis (Perpural?), Duration 16 Days, Physician Dr. Harrison, Menonite, Informant Thos. Harrison M. D., Registered December 16th 1898
Lizzie Hoover 1875-1898; wife of Andrew Sherk [Greenwood Cemetery stone]
Haldimand Births, Rainham - Sherk Lilly Lauretta, Female, Born July 5th 1901, Father Andrew Sherk, Mother Minnie B. Cooper
Haldimand Births, Rainham - Sherk Richard Ernest, Male, 11th December 1903, Father Andrew Sherk, Mother Minnie B. Cooper
Haldimand Births, Rainham - Sherk Albert Warren, Male, March 2nd 1906, Father Sherk Andrew, Mother Cooper Minnie, Residence of Father Rainham, Farmer, Accoucheur Dr. Harrison, Informant Dr. Harrison, Selkirk, Registered March 31st 1906
Haldimand Births, Rainham - Sherk Harley Jackson, Male, October 10th 1907, Father Andrew Sherk, Mother Minnie Bondella Cooper, Residence of Father Rainham, Occupation Farmer, Accoucheur Dr. Harrison, Informant Andrew Sherk, Selkirk, Registered November 30th 1907
Obituary:
Sherk, Andrew, son of Joseph and Catherine (Heximer) Sherk, was born in Rainham Twp., Ont., Nov. 10, 1874; died at his home at Selkirk, May 26, 1967; aged 92 y. 7 m. 16 d. In February 1897, he was married to Lizzie Hoover, who died in December 1898. On Sept. 5, 1900, he was married to Minnie Bandella Cooper, who died Nov. 7, 1952. Surviving are 4 children (Lilly--Mrs. Victor Otterman, Richard, Albert, and Harley), 11 grandchildren, and 13 great-grandchildren. One daughter (Clara) preceded him in death in 1940. He was a member of the Rainham church, where funeral services were held May 29, with Orrie Gingrich officiating; interment in Greenwood Cemetery, Waterford, Ont.
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Rainham Builders
1874 - 1967 (92 years)