Col. John (Johann) Christian Senf (ca. 1740-1806)
I am searching for the parents of Lewis Senf Tharin, who married Elizabeth Sophia Cunnington (name per her mother's will) or Eliza Louisa Cunnington (name per City Gazette marriage report) in Charleston, SC, on November 22, 1804.
He gets mistakenly referred to as a son of Daniel and Elizabeth (Long) Tharin, through confusion with their son Christian Lewis Tharin (baptized under full name at St. John's Lutheran Church, Charleston, April 4, 1784; but named as just Lewis in his father's will).
I deduce that his mother was likely a Senf, probably a daughter of Col. John (Johann) Christian Senf, General John Burgoyne's "Prussian" engineer who was captured at the Battle of Saratoga, switched allegiance and, after serving at Portsmouth, VA, and Camden, SC, directed the July 4, 1783, firework display in Charleston, SC; engineered the Santee-Cooper Canal that was built 1793-1800; worked on the fortifications at Fort Johnston; was a Justice of the Quorum and Peace at Fairfield, SC; and died at his seat Rocky Mount, SC, August 24, 1806 - where his father Lucas Senf had died June 29, 1799, aged 78 (reported in the City Gazette). His father is likely the Lucas Senf naturalized by Act of the New York legislature March 20, 1788.
Col. Senf returned to Europe 1784-1786, accompanied by his Native American servant, Onach Kampal Oneyda. On arrival back in America he went initially to Albany, NY, before heading down to SC. It is likely that he brought his family with him in 1786.
However, I have not managed to find any record of Col. Senf's wife & children, so am hoping that someone on this forum may be able to help.