Leaver, Peter 1818-1896

LEAVER

Posted By: Linda Mohning (email)
Date: 12/12/2016 at 05:31:53

Death of Pioneer. Peter Lever, one of the pioneers of northwestern Iowa, died in Le Mars on Saturday evening and the funeral was held on Monday at the German Evangelical church, the servicers being conducted by Rev. Geo. Kreth, of Remsen, in the absence of the regular pastor, Rev. B. Schori, who is away at conference.
Deceased had been a sufferer from rupture for a long time and as a last resort submitted to a surgical operation, from which owing to his advanced age, he did not rally.
Deceased was born in Switzerland in 1818, and came to America in 1848, locating near Dubuque, and he located in western Iowa in what is now the southwest o part of this county in 1850. During his early residence in the west he made trips to the south along the Mississippi and Missouri River and across the plains to the Rocky mountains by wagon train, but he finally located permanently near the spot where he took up his first residence in the western part of the state.
He was one of the founders of the German Evangelical church in Le Mars and one of its most earnest and willing supporters. He was a man who was highly esteemed by his neighbors throughout his life and the large attendance at his funeral attested that he was not forgotten in death. – Le Mars Globe-Post, Wednesday, September 16, 1896, page 1, column 4

Also --

Iowa Deaths and Burials. Peter Liver [Leaver]. Male. Birth: 1818 in Switzerland. Death: 10 Sep 1896 in Le Mars. Burial: 12 Sep 1896 in Le Mars. Age: 78. Occupation: Laborer. Race: White. Marital Status: single.

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The following is a short biography written by a member of the Leaver family. It was found on my ancestry.com
“The following is an edited version of a handwritten family history about Peter Lever (1818-1896). It was given by Adam Lever to his son John H. Leaver on Jan. 19, 1946. John is a great-great nephew of Peter Leaver.
Our great-great uncle Peter Leaver died at his home in Le Mars, Iowa, Sept. 12, 1896. He was a character whose history, if written and printed, would make a very interesting book.
He was born in Switzerland in 1818 and his early life was spent as a hunter and a shepherd in the mountains of that country. In 1848 he came to America and located at Dubuque, Iowa, when that place was little more than a trading post on the Mississippi River. He stayed there but a short time. With others, he went down the river intending to settle in Tennessee. But at St. Louis they changed their minds and started up the Missouri River. In the spring on 1850 they landed at what is now called Sioux City, Iowa, region that at that time was inhabited by nothing but Indians and wild animals.
They settled above Sioux City along the Big Sioux River in Hancock Township and were about the only white people in that region. Later they came over to the Floyd River and settled on what is now Supervisor Brehm’s farm.
Mr. Leaver had a roaming disposition and did not like to settle down. He joined a wagon train to cross the Plains to the Rocky Mountains. They had many narrow escapes from the Indians and endured extreme privations.
In 1856 he returned and has since made his home with friends in the South part of the country [county?] and in Le Mars, Iowa.
Late last week it was found necessary to perform a critical surgery operation from which he did not recover. The funeral was held at St. John’s Evangelical Church on Monday. Rev. George Kreth of Remsen, Iowa, officiated. Many members of the Swiss Helvetia Club attended the service. “