Obit: Behr, Peter Johann (1858 – 1943)

Contact: Stan

Surnames: Behr, Malueg, Whonder, Therrmat, Kleinow, Erickson, Dietsche, Wussow, Fritze, Daeke, Guhl, Loeffler, Burek, Kragenbrink, Rheinold, Wibben, Hackel, Weise, Haman

----Source: Abbotsford Tribune (Abbotsford, Clark County, Wis.) Thursday, 14 Jan. 1943

Behr, Peter (15 Nov. 1858 – 9 Jan. 1943)

Funeral services for Peter Behr, age 84, pioneer resident of the Town of Johnson for about 50 years, were held Tuesday afternoon at 2 o’clock at the Gilles Funeral home at Athens and internment was made at the Lutheran cemetery at Milan, beside his wife who died 17 years ago. The Rev. E. E. Malueg, Town of Frankfort, officiated.

The deceased was born Nov. 15, at Hamburg Sarrine Germany. He came to America Nov. 15, 1881 at the age of 23 years, with his parents, Joseph and Marie (Kleinow) Behr. He was united in marriage to Carolina M. Wunder in 1883. Born to this union was one son who died at Chippewa Falls several years ago. His first wife died Feb. 25, .

On March 19, 1887, he was united in marriage to Johanna Therrmat, at Dorchester, Clark Co., Wis.  Born to this union were 12 children, one died in infancy. Survivors are four daughters and seven sons: Mrs. John Erickson and Mrs. Edwin Dietsche, Town of Johnson; Mrs. Rheinard Wussow, Wausau; Mrs. William Fritze, Plymouth; William, Dorchester; George and Bernard of Athens; Otto and Peter Jr., Plymouth; Edward, Bremen, Minn.; and Ira Behr, Greenbush. Two sisters, Mrs. Dora Daeke, Athens; Mrs. Sophie Guhl, Abbotsford; 46 grand children and four great grand children.

Mr. Behr, a retired farmer, was staying at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Edwin Dietsche, and was in ill health. During the night, when Mrs. Dietsche arose to replenish the fire, she noticed that her father was not in bed nor in the house. She called her older children, and they searched around the home until about 6:30. Then Mr. Behr was found by his grand son, Peter, about a quarter of a mile from the home. The body was hanging over a fence and blood stains in the snow near by indicated that he died while seeking to hold himself upright after wandering away from home. He was partially clad. Members of the family expressed the opinion that Mr. Behr awoke during the night, and, after partially dressing himself, went outside and became lost. He was in ill health and had been assisted in retiring at night.

Death was due to exposure, according to Dr. A. W. Burek, Marathon county coroner, who with District Attorney Frank G. Loeffler and Undersheriff E. R. Kragenbrink, were called to the scene shortly after the body was found.

Those from a distance who attended the funeral were his sons, William Behr, Dorchester; Edward Behr, of Bremen, Minn.; George and Bernard Behr, Athens; Otto and Peter Behr and Mrs. William Fritze, Plymouth; Mr. and Mrs. Rheinold and family, of Wausau; Ira Behr, Greenbush; Miss Helena Dietsche, Plymouth, and Edwin Dietsche, who is a patient at the Veterans’ hospital, at Wood.

The pallbearers were his sons: Bernard, George, Edward, Ira, and William.

Also attending the funeral from away were Nicklas Wibben and William Hackel, Abbotsford; E. M. Haman and Carl Weise, Athens.

***Corrections were made to this text.

*************************

Surnames: Behr, Burek, Loeffler, Kragenbrink, Dietsche, Wussow, Fritz, Erickson

----Source: Colby Phonograph (Colby, Clark County, Wis.) 01/14/1943

Behr, Pete (15 Nov. 1858 – 9 Jan. 1943)

Peter Bahr, 84, a pioneer resident of the town of Johnson, was found dead of exposure about a quarter of a mile from his home near Milan Saturday morning at 6:30 o’clock by members of the family several hours after his absence from home was discovered at about 1 o’clock in the morning.

Death was due to exposure, according to Dr. A. W. Burek, Marathon county coroner, who with District Attorney Frank G. Loeffler and Undersheriff E. R. Kragenbrink were called to the scene shortly after the body was found.

Discovery of the body was made by Peter Dietsche, a son in law of Behr. The body was hanging over a fence and bloodstains in the nearby snow indicated that Behr had died while seeking to hold himself upright after meandering away from home. He was only partially clad.

Behr’s absence was discovered by Mrs. Dietsche when she arose about 1 o’clock to replenish the fire. She notified her husband of her father’s absence and he started out in search of the missing man. Efforts to arouse neighbors to assist in the hunt were fruitless and only members of the family made the search.

Members of the family expressed the opinion that Behr awoke during the night, and, after partially dressing himself, decided to go outside and became lost. He was practically helpless owning to an illness the past year and had been assisted in retiring Friday night.

Behr, who was born in Hamburg, Germany, Nov. 15, 1858, came to the United States and the Milan vicinity when 19 years of age. He operated a farm in the town of Johnson many years before retiring 10 years ago. He married Miss Johanna Terrmath about 55 years ago. She died about 20 years ago.

Survivors are four daughters, Mrs. Dietsche, with whom he had lived, Mrs. and Reinhard Wussow, Wausau; Mrs. Wm. Fritz, Plymouth, and Mrs. John Erickson, town of Johnson; seven sons, William Behr, town of Johnson, Otto, Isaac, and Peter Behr, Plymouth, Edward Behr, Glenn, Sheboygan county, and Benjamin Behr of Athens; 46 grand children and four great grand children.
 

Biographical Information

Marriage Record #1

Groom's Name: Peter Behr
Groom's Birth Date:
Groom's Birthplace: Mecklenburg, Germany
Groom's Age:
Bride's Name: Carolina M Wunder
Bride's Birth Date:
Bride's Birthplace: Germany
Bride's Age:
Marriage Date: 19 Dec 1883
Marriage Place: Sheb Falls, Wisconsin
Groom's Father's Name: Joachim Behr
Groom's Mother's Name: Mary Kleine
Bride's Father's Name: John Wunder
Bride's Mother's Name: Christine Doering
Groom's Race: White
Groom's Marital Status:
Groom's Previous Wife's Name:
Bride's Race: White

Marriage Record #2

Groom's Name: Peter Johann Behr
Groom's Birth Date:
Groom's Birthplace: Grossen Stowe, Mecklenburg, Schwerin
Groom's Age:
Bride's Name: Hanna Termaat
Bride's Birth Date:
Bride's Birthplace: Cedar Grove, Sheboygan Co.
Bride's Age:
Marriage Date: 21 Mar 1887
Marriage Place: Mayville, Clark, Wisconsin
Groom's Father's Name: Joachim Behr
Groom's Mother's Name: Marie Kleinow
Bride's Father's Name: Wm. Termaat
Bride's Mother's Name: Margaretha Inack
Groom's Race: White
Groom's Marital Status:
Groom's Previous Wife's Name:
Bride's Race: White
 

1905 Federal Census, Greenbush, Sheboygan, Wisconsin

Name: Peter Behr
Age: 45y
Estimated Birth Year: Abt 1860
Birthplace: Germany
Head of Household
Race: White
Gender: Male
Marital Status: Married
Place of Birth: Parent 1: Germany
Place of Birth: Parent 2: Germany
Family Number: 136
Page Number: 33
Line Number: 40
Film Number: 1020985
Image Number: 00381
Household Members
Peter Behr M 45y
Spouse Johanna Behr F 33y
Child William Behr M 17y
Child Henry Behr M 20y
Child Edward Behr M 15y
Child Otto Behr M 13y
Child George Behr M 11y
Child Bernard Behr M 9y
Child Ira Behr M 7y
Child Peter Behr M 4y
Child Ella Behr F 2y
Child Alma Behr F 1y
Child Meta Behr F 1y
 

1920 Federal Census, Marathon, Wisconsin

Name: Peter Behr
Age: 62
Birthplace: Germany
Relationship to Head of Household: Self
Gender: Male
Race: White
Marital Status: Married
Father's Birthplace: Germany
Mother's Birthplace: Germany
Film Number: 1821995 
Image Number: 00544
Sheet Number: 11
Household Members
Peter Behr M 62y
Spouse Johanna Behr F 49y
Child Wm Behr M 31y
Child Edward Behr M 29y
Child Ben Behr M 23y
Child Ira Behr M 21y
Child Peter Behr M 18y
Child Ella Behr F 16y
Child Mabel Behr F 15y
Child Alma Behr F 15y
Child Millie Behr F 12y