Joseph Shirk ⁸

  General Notes:

The 1840 Federal Census Lancaster City, PA, page 12 records Joseph Shirk (40-50) with males: 1 (<5) [Rueban], 1 (5-10) [ Joseph], 1 (10-15) [ Jacob], and females: 2 (<5) [ Anna & Fianna], 1 (5-10) [ Elizabeth], 1 (10-15) [ Susanna], 2 (15-20) [ Salome & Christina], and 1 (40-50) [ wife Susanna]. Daughters Leah and Maria have married and are living elsewhere in the city.

The 1850 Federal Census Lancaster City, Pa. (NW Ward, page 271) records Joseph Sen. (54) and Susana (53) Sherk [Shirk] with children Christianna (29), Joseph (18), Fianna (16), Anna (14), and Reuban (12). Also listed in the household is Sarah Shirk (26), Margaret Shirk (8), Mary Shirk (7), and John Shirk (22). The Sarah, Margaret, and Mary Shirk are actually Salome, Margaret, and Mary Pearson. Salome Shirk Pearson had recently become a widow with the death of her husband William Jacob Pearson. Salome (here listed as Sarah) would be 26 and her daughters, Margaret and Mary, 8 and 7 so these conclusions are very reasonable. John is probably a cousin. Next door is Joseph Shirk's son-in-law, Benjamin Reinhold, with his wife, Maria (Shirk) Reinhold, and their family.


Observation regarding the text below: The birth dates as written by Henry Y. Shirk in his Shirk Family History for brothers Peter and Joseph Shirk are Sept. 26, 1799 and Oct. 2, 1799 with Peter being younger. The 1850 Census records indicate Joseph as 54 and Peter as 50 while in 1860 Joseph has died and Peter is 60. Joseph was most likely born before 1799 and this researcher will use the date of Oct 2, 1798 as his date of birth.

From The Shirk Family History and Genealogy: From 1665 to 1914 by Henry Yocom Shirk (Mennonite Publishing Co., 1914) regarding Joseph and Susanna (Keller) Shirk:

Joseph Shirk, sixth son and tenth child of Ulrich (III) and Mariah (Eberly) Shirk, was born in West Cocalico Twp., Lancaster Co., PA, Oct. 2, 1799. Married Miss Susanna Keller, of Ephrata Twp., Lancaster Co., Pa. She was born Oct. 11, 1797. This union was blessed with eleven children: Leah, the first born, Nov 7, 1819 ; Christianne, born Mar. 3, 1821; Maria, born Oct. 28, 1822; Salome, born 1825; Susanna, born Sept. 14, 1826; Jacob K. born Aug. 19, 1828; Elizabeth, born June 7, 1830; Joseph born July 17, 1832; Fianna F., born July 1, 1834; Anna Mahala, born Feb. 16, 1836; Reuben born May 2, 1838.

Joseph Shirk, the father of this family, after his marriage engaged in farming on one of the best farms of Meadow Valley, Lancaster Co., PA, were also his children were born, and some reared to maturity. When he sold this farm about 1841 and moved to Lancaster, PA, engaging in the Commission and Transportation business with David Royer, being the senior member of the firm name of "Shirk and Royer," where they continued a number of years, until the death of the subject of this sketch occurred July 7, 1856.

Susanna (Keller) Shirk, Joseph's wife, remained a widow in Lancaster, the remaining years of her life, dying Sept. 6, 1886, at the great age of 88 years, 10 months and 25 days. She was a member of the Brethren Church. They are both buried at the Keller Cemetery, Springville, PA.


See general notes on Joseph's wife, Susanna, for later family facts in the census records.

Joseph married Susanna Keller, daughter of Jacob Keller and Christina Huber. (Susanna Keller was born on 11 Oct 1797 in Ephrata, Lancaster Co., PA, died on 6 Sep 1886 in Lancaster City, Lancaster Co., PA and was buried on 9 Sep 1886 in Keller Cemetery, Springville, Lancaster Co., PA.)