John Rohr, senior partner of Rohr & Geiger, proprietors of one of
Carlinville’s leading meat markets, was born in this city on the 5th of
February, 1869. He is a son of Michael Rohr, a native of Germany, who
emigrated to the United States when a child with his father, John Rohr,
the mother having died in the old country. They were among the early
settlers of Macoupin county, and here the son Michael was apprenticed to
the cooper’s trade, which he followed until age compelled him to
withdraw from active work. He is now living retired but he and his wife
continue to make their home in Carlinville, where the entire period of
their domestic life has been spent. Mr. Rohr is a veteran of the Civil
war, having served for three months in Campany K, Seventh Illinois
Volunteer Infantry, under Colonel Cook. He married Miss Dina Miehe, who
was born in Germany but reared in Macoupin county, a daughter of Henry
and Sophia (Burgdorff) Miehe, who emigrated from the fatherland during
the pioneer period of this country, where both passed away, the mother
at the age of sixty-nine and the father at eighty. Mr. and Mrs. Michael
Rohr were the parents of nine children: Hattie, the wife of Henry Loges,
of Carlinville; Matilda, who married Carl Schupmann, also of
Carlinville; John, our subject; Frank, who is living in Carlinville;
Lydia, the wife of David Cunningham, of Edwardsville; Frieda, who
married Otto Kahlbreier, of Chicago; Flora, the wife of Edward
Featherstone, of Barker, New York; and Edward and Samuel, both of whom
are living in Carlinville.
Reared in his native county, in the
pursuit of an education John Rohr was sent to the German parochial and
public schools of Carlinville. During his vacations he applied himself
to farming and learning the cooper’s trade, which latter he followed
until about fourteen years ago, when he decided to become a butcher. For
eleven years he applied himself to this occupation in the service of
others, but at the expiration of that period considering that he was
fully qualified to begin for himself he established a market. He
operated this alone until the 1st of January, 1911, when he took Mr. P.
J. Geiger into partnership and the business has ever since been
conducted under the firm name of Rohr & Geiger.
On the 6th of
May, 1906, Mr. Rohr was married to Miss Anna Meyer, who was also born
and reared in Carlinville but is of German parentage. Her father, Frank
Meyer, was born in Wahle, Brunswick, Germany, December 29, 1838, and
came to America in 1850. He was married in Carlinville, Illinois, on the
25th of September, 1868, to Miss Caroline Burgdorff, also a native of
Germany, who was born July 24, 1849, in Gr. Lafferde, Hanover. She came
to America October 28, 1867, with her sister Miss Anna Burgdorff and on
landing in New York proceeded to Carlinville, where she has resided ever
since. Her parents were Mr. and Mrs. Ferdinand Burgdorff, both of whom
died in 1890, the father at the age of seventy-two years and the mother
at the age of sixty-two. To Mr. and Mrs. Meyer were born twelve
children, eight of whom are still living, namely: Lena, Dora, Anna,
Fritz, Ferdinand, John, Walter and Clara. Mr. and Mrs. Rohr have three
children, two sons and a daughter: Elmer, George and Anita.
They
affiliate with the German Evangelical church, in the faith of which
denomination they were both reared, their parents holding membership in
the same organization. His political allegiance has always been accorded
the republican party. Mr. Rohr has led an active life, and is now
faithfully applying himself to the development of a business that gives
every assurance of rewarding his efforts in a most substantial manner.
Extracted 17 Nov 2018 by Norma Hass from History of Macoupin County, Illinois: Biographical and Pictorial, by Charles A. Walker, published in 1911, Volume 2, pages 550-551.
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