Valentine Scheurer was born in Berks County, Pennsylvania on Dec 9, 1760. His father is not known but is probably one of the sons of Ulrich Scheurer of Richmond township, Berks County, PA. His family came to Berks Co from Alsace, France in the area around Weyer and Burg und Thal near Drülingen in the Bas Rhin region. The family was originally Swiss but had been among the many Lutheran families that fled Switzerland during the Thirty Year War. The Scheurers were a large family there and can be found in large numbers there still today.

Valentine grew up in Richmond and Maxatawny townships of Berks Co. Around 1787 he married an English woman named Elizabeth Kirby. Her parents are also questionable but are most likely connected to Thomas Kirby, born in London England, a Quaker living in MaidenCreek Township. Valentine and Elizabeth had three sons born there and baptized in Maxatawny. He shows up in tax records there as well, the last being in 1789 where he is identified as a soujourner as he was about to move to Bedford County and probably did not have a permanent residence.

By late 1789, Valentine and family were living in Londonderry Township, Bedford County, PA. near Kennels Mills. It was here he met the Gaumers, Shroyers, Leydigs, Troutmans, Stoners and other families that also would be early pioneers of Muskingum County, Ohio. All of Valentine and Elizabeth's children were born either in Berks or Bedford County, PA. By 1795 that area would become part of the newly formed Somerset County and the township was renamed Southampton. Valentine appears in the tax records there until 1807 and in the last entry, his tax was paid by a neighbor as Valentine was already living in Ohio. Whether he travelled to Ohio with Jacob Gaumer in 1803 to find land or not is not known but an entry in the "History of Muskingum Co., Ohio" states "Valentine Shriver, a Swiss, located two years later (1804) on the northeast quarter of section 23." This was located in Madison township and by other records it is known that Valentine first settled on land owned by Littleton Adams about three miles south of Dresden which was located in section 23. It would appear he came to Muskingum around 1804 and his family remained in Pennsylvania. He more than likely returned for them and his family was living in Madison township by 1807.

The first tax record in Muskingum County for Valentine is dated 1810. This would coincide with the purchase of land on the upper Symmes creek in what would become Adams township. Valentine was given the chance to purchase bottom land along the Muskingum River below Dresden but he passed on the deal preferring the hilly land where he eventually settled which was more like the land he left behind in PA. The land he passed on would become some of the richest farm land in Muskingum county and owned by the Stump and Copeland families. Valentine would purchase quite a bit of land mostly in sections 16 and 25 of Adams township. He also owned land in section 20 of Madison township. Much of this land would be divided among his sons, Peter, Jacob, David and Valentine. The family built an earthen dam on Symmes creek in Madison township and there built a sawmill which operated for many years. Traces of the family farm can still be found at CR 208 and Bethesda Church road.

The Scheurers were Lutheran and were early members of New Hope Lutheran Church. Early church records record the name as Scheurer but most legal and public records used a phonetic spelling which varied depending on the person recording it. This caused the family some confusion as they were known as Shirey, Shyrick, Sheney, Sorer and many others. The family first adopted the phonetic spelling of Shirrar as evidenced by some of the early gravestones for the family including Valentine and Elizabeth's. That was shortened to Shirar and eventually became Shirer. Only one son would retain the Shirar spelling and that was David who moved his family to Jasper County, Indiana around 1845. That branch of the family has retained that spelling to this day.

Valentine and Elizabeth were farmers for the most part but almost all the German and Swiss families had more than one profession. Valentine was trained as a weaver and there is still a coverlet woven by Valentine that exists to this day. Elizabeth died Sep 9, 1835 and was laid to rest in New Hope Lutheran cemetery. Valentine followed her on Sep 28, 1840 and is buried beside her. Their sons inherited the land and prospered in the county for many years. Some descendants moved west to Kansas and Iowa and many remained and are part of many genealogies in Muskingum. Many Shirers can be found in Zanesville and many still remain near Adamsville. Probably the most noteworthy descendant would be James Grant Shirer, a well known and respected Doctor in Newark, Ohio. He was a student of Dr. William Waters, his father in-law who in turn had been a student of James' uncle, Dr. Henry Decker of Adamsville.

The Shirers were not well known statesmen, politicians, or war heros, but they served their country in many wars, some dying in the process and they served their community by being outstandng citizens and devout church members. Valentine left his legacy through the blood of his descendants that have spread across the country and touched many families in Muskingum County and beyond.