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In Memory of:

DR. TILDEN SCHERER

By Wallace T. Scherer (grandson)

Tilden was born to Michael Simeon Scherer and Molly Morgan Scherer in Arkansas on December 24, 1876. His parents died while he was still young, so he was raised by his half sister, Cynthia Jane Brown.

Cynthia and her husband had two daughters, Anita and Edna, and a son, Alan Brazier Jones.

Edna married Charles (?). They had no children. Edna played the piano. Tilden's son Wallace recalled that she had a metronome. (A discussion of my metronome brought on this conversation and these memories on April 17, 2000.)
Edna also taught Wallace kindergarten in her house, which was across from the old King College on 5th Street in Bristol, Tennessee.

Anita married a Presbyterian preacher named Thompson. Their son Arlington died of alcoholism. their daughter Jean married William M. Kennedy, an Air Force Colonel. They retired to Colorado Springs where Jean died around 1994. William and Jean had three children.

Tilden had a brother named David who was a typesetter for a newspaper in Lynchburg, Virginia.

Tilden Scherer at age 11.

Tilden married Eugenia (Jean) Hicks Brogdon. Her parents were William Thomas Brogdon and Julia Fleetwood Hicks. The Brogdons had seven children, Jimmy, Hattie, Fanny, Etta, Meta, Julia, and Jean. Jimmy, Hattie, and Etta never married nor had children. Fanny married James Fisher and had one child, Julia Fisher who married late in life and had no children. Meta married and had two children, Billy and Francis Taylor. They each had children. Julia married Eugene Roy and they had one child, Eugene Jr. Tilden and Jean had four sons.
Tilden studied at Union Theological Seminary in Richmond, Virginia. He became a Presbyterian Minister.

Tilden's class at seminary.

He went on to become president of King College, a Presbyterian College in Bristol, Tennessee. He served as president from 1912 until 1932, the longest any man ever served as president of that institution.
One of Dr. Scherer's duties as president was fund raising. He seemed to have done a good job of it as the college prospered under his leadership.
It was during the King College years that his four sons were born. Morgan, Wallace, Britton, and Michael.

Tilden and Jean with sons Morgan (standing) and Wallace.

Tilden at about age 40.

Morgan served in the US Navy, reaching the rank of Commander. He retired and worked in advertising in Indianapolis, Indiana. He was married but had no children.

Wallace (my dad) has his own web page. See WBS main page.

Britton married Ruby and had one son, Roy. Britton died young and is buried in Richmond. Ruby later remarried and had two other children.

Michael entered into the Air Force at age 18 and retired at age 38. He married Betty and had one child, Joyce. Later they adopted a son, John. Michael lives in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Left to right: Mike, Britton, Wallace, Morgan.

After leaving King, Dr. Scherer moved to South Carolina where he was instrumental in starting several churches around York County. In fact, he was working on a sermon to preach at his Bullock Creek Presbyterian Church when he suffered a stroke that lead to his death at age 82. Several years later, one of the churches he helped found was named after him. Scherer Memorial PCA

Tilden at about age 75.

Tilden on right with Jean, along with 2 sons, 3 daughters-in-law, 3 grandchildren, and one sister-in-law.

From left:Britton, Addebelle (Morgan's wife), Tilden, Wallace, Morgan (behind Wallace), Jean, Etta (in front of Jean).

Tilden and Jean celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary.

Tilden was buried in Riverview Cemetery, 1401 S. Randolph St., Richmond, Virginia, 23220, on February 27, 1958. Jean was buried beside him on September 9, 1960. Jean's parents were also buried there as well as their son who predeceased them, Iverson Britton Scherer. It is Plot M, Division 2, Section 74.
I remember my grandfather Tilden as a nice man who was loved by all those who knew him. I remember shooting his 22 rifle behind the barn behind the manse. I remember him preaching at the Bullock Creek Church. I remember him playing Parchesi in the living room; of him praying before the meals when we visited, usually at least once a year. I remember the old mimeograph machine where he cranked out the Sunday bulletins. I was sad when I heard he had suffered a stroke that lead to his death. I remember my father say that, even though he could not speak while in the hospital bed, he could communicate some by squeezing my dad's hand once or twice to answer yes or no questions.

I celebrated my birthday with my grandfather on Dec.24th. Here shown in 1946 and 1956.

After grandpop died, grandmother Jean came to live with us in Richmond. We had to get a bigger house, but that was OK.

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