Bahr, John 1870 - 1953

BAHR, MUELLER, SMITH, WERTLEY, WITTMAN, HAUSCHEN, SAUR

Posted By: Reid R. Johnson (email)
Date: 11/24/2024 at 12:44:24

Clayton County Register, 19 Feb. 1953.

John Bahr, 82, died at the home of his sister, Mrs. Sophia Smith, at Elkport early Wednesday morning, Feb. 18. He had been in failing health for some time.

Services will be held at the Witt funeral chapel at 2 o'clock Saturday afternoon.

The Rev. Paul Kitterer of the Peace Evangelical and Reformed church and the DeMolay Consistory of Clinton will be in charge of services.

Burial will be in the East Side cemetery.

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Clayton County Register, 26 Feb. 1953.

John Bahr, 82, son of Peter and Sophia Mueller Bahr, died Wednesday, Feb. 18, at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Sophia Smith, of Elkport, with whom he had been spending the winter months for the past seven years.

Mr. Bahr was born Dec. 14, 1870, at Elkport and was baptized and later confirmed at the Immanuel Lutheran church there. He attended the Elkport public school and at the age of 15 went to Elkader to become an apprentice of Hodges and Brown hardware and plumbing business.

At 18 he purchased the interest of Mr. Hodges and became a partner of the firm of Brown and Bahr. In 1917 the partnership was dissolved and John continued in the plumbing business until he retired six and a half years ago.

March 21, 1893, he married Katherine Wertley of Elkader. The Rev. Gottfried Fritschel performed the ceremony. The couple had two children, Katherine, who died in infancy, and Harry John, who is now employed by the Wilson Packing Co., at Cedar Rapids. His wife preceded him in death May 17, 1946.

He was an active member of 50 years of the Elkader lodge No. 72, A.F. & A.M., Charity Chapter of the Eastern Star, White Shrine of Jerusalem of McGregor, the Consistory of Clinton and the Modern Woodmen of America. He served on the Elkader town council for 40 years and on the fire department for many years.

Survivors are his son, Harry, and four sisters: Mrs. Sophia Smith, Mrs. Clara Wittman and Mrs. Elsa Hauschen of Elkport, and Mrs. Anna Saur of Elkader.

Funeral services were held at the Witt funeral chapel at 2 o'clock Saturday afternoon. The Rev. Paul Kitterer and the De Molay Consistory officiating. Interment was in the East Side cemetery.

Robert Allen sang "In the Garden" and "The Old Rugged Cross" and was accompanied by Miss Marjorie Sinning.

Relatives and friends from a distance were: Mrs. Sophia Smith, Mrs. Clara Wittman, Mrs. Elsa Hauschen and Julius, Mr. and Mrs. Julius Wittman, Mr. and Mrs. Williams, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Hafner, and Mrs. Carl Krieg all of Elkport; Miss Lucia and John Roggman and Mrs. Bernadine Fiete of Garnavillo; Mr. and Mrs. Leroy Wittman of Dubuque; Mr. and Mrs. Carroll Wittman, Faye and Phyllip of Cedar Rapids and Jim Brink.

Pallbearers were: Louie Kruse, Geo. Behn, Fred Heiden, Julius Hauschen, Julius Wittman and Wm. Refle