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† Source #1: History of
Pike County, Illinois. - 1880
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Transcription
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JOHN LEAHR, son of
Joseph and Anna M. Leahr, was born in Germany in
1840. He came to New York when but 15 years old,
thence to Pike county, where he commenced farming, and
in 1867 he married Miss Emma Smith, who was born
in 1847, in Ohio. They had 7 children, of whom 5
are living. Mr. L. has been School
Director and is a member of the Christian Church. |
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DAVID E. LOER, farmer,
sec. 5; P. O., Chambersburg; son of Henry and Matilda
Loer; was born in Hamilton county, Ohio, in 1832.
His father died in 1847 and his mother in 1879. He
moved to Indiana with his parents when quite young; in
1852 he married Miss Sarah Leisur, who was born
in Rush county, Ind., in 1833, and died in 1867, in
Grant county, Ind. They had 3 children, 2 of whom
are living. In 1868 he married Mrs. Maria
Glassgow, a widow having 3 children, and who was
born in Ohio in 1836. Mr. and Mrs. L. have
3 living children and are members of the Christian
Church. |
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JOHN LOER was born Aug.
22, 1814, in Colrain tp., Hamilton Co., Ohio. His
father, Thomas Loer, was a native of Virginia,
and son of Henry Loer, a native of Germany, who
emigrated to America with his parents before the
Revolutionary war, being then 8 years of age. He
served under Washington during the war, for which he
received a pension until his death. After the war
he married Sarah Barkus and settled in Virginia;
thence they removed to Ohio about 1795; he died in
Hamilton in 1841. Thomas Loer, the father
of our subject, died in Henry county, Ind., in 1873,
aged 86. John's mother, Sarah (nee
Petterson) was the daughter of George
Patterson, a native of Scotland, who came to America
before the Revolution, settling in Grant county, Ky.,
where he resided until his death. John Loer
married Martha Hickman in 1835, in Ohio, and
moved to this county in 1839, locating in this township.
He was a cooper by trade and brought 5 coopers with him,
intending to conduct that business here; he built a
frame cooper shop 20 x 40, bought timber and opened up
business, which he followed 2 years with success; then
went into the pork speculation, buying pork at $1.50 per
cwt., or $5.00 per barrel, shipping to New Orleans some
of which brought only 75 cents per barrel. Mr. L.
lost heavily by his venture, and returned to coopering,
which he followed with varying success until 1849.
At one time during the wild-cat-money period he took a
cargo of barrels to Alton and was obliged to sell them
for 50 cents, when they had cost him 62½
cents to have them made, besides the freight, which was
25 cents each. He took Shawneetown money for pay
and was advised to hurry home and dispose of it, as it
was liable to become worthless any day. Mrs.
Loer died in 1847, leaving 5 children. In 1849
Mr. L. married Mary, daughter of John
and Hannah Hall Reese, of Ky., and they had 6
children, 2 living. In 1849 he invested in a
saw-mill on McGee's creek, which he carried on
until 1862, then traded for a farm on sec. 16 and
carried on farming until 1877; sold the farm in 1879 and
bought a flouring will in Chambersburg which he now
operates. Mr. L. has served as Supervisor
for several years; also as Road Commissioner, Collector
and School Director. The present fine school
building was built under the administration of Mr.
Loer while he was Director. Mr. and Mrs. L.
are members of the Christian Church, and Mr. L.
belongs to the Masonic fraternity. |
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