Springfield-Greene
County LibraryM. SCHARFF & BRO. The subject of this sketch comes of a thrifty, industrious and fore-handed Hebrew family, well known in Bavaria where the father of the subject of this sketch, Simon Scharff, was a broker of prominence, but is now a retired citizen of the town in which his operations were conducted so successfully-Landan. He was married to Barbara Gall, and in time a family of six children gathered about their board: Bertha, Edward, Nathan, Max, Theodore, and Isadore, all of whom were born in the village of Essengen, three miles from Landan, to which latter place the family moved in 1861. The children were reared in that place, which consisted of 12,000 inhabitants, and there they were given excellent educational advantages and fitted in other ways for the practical duties of life. The father of these children is living at the age of 75 years, is in good circumstances and is highly regarded in the community in which he lives, for he is of a genial and kindly disposition, affable and cordial to all. He is proud of having reared a respectable, intelligent and well-to-do family of children, three of whom are residents of America: Max, Theodore and Isadore. The two first mentioned are successful business men of Springfield, but are also connected with interests in St. Louis, and are wide awake, pushing and intelligent men of affairs. Isadore is a professor of music, and is the principal and proprietor of a Conservatory of Music in the city of New York, and takes a high rank in his profession. Theodore Scharff, a member. of the firm of M. Scharff & Bro., remained in his native land until 1881, then came to America, and in company with his brother, Max, who had come to this country in 1872, he engaged in the general mercantile business at St. Joseph, La., but three months later they were unfortunately burned out, after which, with characteristic energy, they took charge of four stores belonging to the large cotton firm of V. and A. Meyer & Co., of New Orleans. One of these stores was located on Cora plantation, one on Anandale plantation, one on Doreville plantation, and the fourth and last on Araby plantation. For ten years the brothers managed those stores successfully, and during this time accumulated sufficient means to enable them to engage in a wholesale liquor business at Springfield, Mo., in 1891, but they soon discovered that there was not enough business to be done in Springfield to maintain a wholesale house, they converted their business into a retail trade, principally, although they still do a small wholesale trade also. They are connected with the large wholesale liquor firm of L. & A. Scharff, of St. Louis, cousins of the subjects of this sketch. M. Scharff, of St. Louis, is manager of the Cheltenham Mercantile Co., of which the brothers became proprietors six months since. Like the majority of their countrymen the brothers have prospered in business, and carry a large and select stock of imported and domestic wines and liquors of all kinds, for family and general use. These gentlemen belong to that class of citizens who manifest a decided aptitude for business enterprise, and who rise in a few years from a position of poverty and obscurity to one of prominence, and possession of considerable wealth. They have made many friends during their residence in Springfield, and are considered wide-awake and honorable men, anxious to serve their patrons in an acceptable manner, and keep a creditable and quiet house, which is patronized by the elite of the city. Theodore Scharff is a member of the A. F. & A. M., the I. O. O. F., and politically is a Democrat.
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