Sherfesee Family History & Genealogy

The SHERFESEE family has proven to be quite exciting to research.

Starting with their lives in Prussia. I've discovered that the Scherfesee (origional spelling) were workers in a glass factory. When August Scherfesee left Minden Prussia, he brought his wife Sophia Prusky/Prosky, her mother, and their children, the youngest being my great grandfather, Heinrich Louis Scherfesee/Sherfesee. He was born July 4, 1842. Now, I've gotten two stories, one being he was born inroute to Charleston South Carolina and the other being he was a couple of months old when they left Minden Prussia. I think the latter is true. The family arrived in the fall of 1842 to the Charleston South Carolina Harbor where they settled. August Scherfesee was a carpenter/cabnet maker. Later opening a grocery store. After his early death in the 1850's his wife became a dressmaker. One of her elder sons, William Augustus Sherfesee left Charleston SC with his grandmother, and they moved to Platka Florida in the early 1850's, why, we don't know. I do know he was one of the founders of the Episcopal Church there. Between June and December of 1854, both Wm. and his grandmother died, Wm being the last. It is believed due to a Yellow Fever outbreak during this period, but this has not been confirmed.

The next point of interest in our family would be the Civil War history of my great-grandfather, Heinrich Louis Scherfesee (the one mentioned above). As well known, the civil war began in Charleston where my great-grandfather who turned 18 on July 4, 1860, was a volunteer fireman. He was going by the name LOUIS SHERFESEE. When he heard of impending susession of South Carolina, he volunteered and was sent Ft. Moultie. After war was declared, his company disbanned and joined the Harts/Halsey Battery where he was announced as the guidon (flag-bearer). He held this post throught out the entire war. He served every day but four (4) of the entire war. He rode a white horse, carried a flag and was never wounded or hurt. Now that is amazing! He is believed to have carried the great battle flag of his Battery through more campaigns than any ONE person in the history of WARS. After the war ended, he became a life insurance agent. Quite appropiate I would say.

Another star in our family would be my great-uncle, William "Forsythe" Sherfesee. Attending the public schools and colleges of South carolina, he went to Yale where he recieved his Maters in Forestry. He served the US Forestry service in the United States and the Philippines. Somewhere along the lines, he left the US Forestry Service and became the Financial Advisor to the Chinese Government before the revolution. During his time in China he met and fell in love with Mrs. A. L. Ryerson. Now, the interesting fact about this woman is she was a 1st class passenger of the TITANIC. She lost her husband but she and her children and maid did survive. In December 1927 after traveling 9,000 miles (by steamer, train, and airplane) from China to Chicago, Il, my great-uncle Forsythe married Mrs. Ryerson. They moved to Cape Ferret France where they bought Villa Bontoc. Their next door neighbor just happens to have been the great author, William Sommerset Maughaum. Its been mentioned that Sommerset Maughaum used Uncle Forsythe as a character in his stories. I believe they met during their travels to the orient and Philippines, since they both seemed to travel the same parts of the world. I also find it interesting, they both moved to the same part of France about the same time and lived out their lives there, both dying in the 1960's. Of course, Mrs. Ryerson/Sherfesee died in the 1930's on one of their vacations, due to a heart attack. Uncle Forsythe remained at Villa Bontoc as mentioned above. His entire estate was left to his "manservant" Joseph who has served him faithfully for many if not all their years there. Note: During WWII and the occupation of France, Sommerset Maughaum just happened to transfer to South Carolina, not far from where the Sherfesee family lived....how interesting. I'm not sure where Uncle Forsythe transferred to during the war, but I do know his Villa was used by the Germans. After the war he returned to Villa Bontoc.

Another brief interesting family member would be, Dr. William Augustus Boyd. His mother was the brother of Louis Sherfesee (of the Civil War). His mother was Johanna Sherfesee Boyd. She married Bernard Boyd who was part of Boyd Brothers Grocery/wholesale liquor distributors. Bernard arrived in Charleston after the civil war and married Johanna. Dr. Boyd was a twin. He too attended Charleston schools and colleges then went to Pa to begin denistry. Soon afterwards, changed to medicine and became an Orthopedic M.D. He was the 1st Orthopedic Surgeon in South Carolina. Married soon after graduation and moved back to South Carolina with his bride to Columbia SC where he settled.