Reverend Michael Zehr, I

]Michael Zehr was born on or about September 29, 1789, in Lorraine, France. The date may not be exact because our source of information which was the best available was not certain that the date was correct, but stated that it was very near the date given if not on that date. We know little or nothing of his childhood there being no written records nor any persons from whom the information might be gleaned. He married Miss Anna Jantzi in Lorraine and again we have no record of the date on which it occurred, however, their first child, Michael, was born to them in France, December 25, 1812. Eight other children were born to them in France, and these in order of their birth were Christian, Anna, John, Joseph, Barbara, Katherine, and two others whose birthdates we do not know. Of these two, one was a boy named Henry the other was a girl whose name is unknown. Henry was drowned during his boyhood, while playing hide and seek. He was running over a plank which had been thrown across a small pond as a bridge when he slipped and fell in. The girl died, it is said, of severe ear ache which was probably a case of mastoid.

From the records available, it is estimated that it was in the very early spring of 1833 or the preceding winter that John Keiffer, a former resident of Alsace or Lorraine, but who had since migrated to what is now Croghan and who had become the agent of Comte LeRay de Chaumont, made a visit to France in the quest of colonists to settle the many acres of land then in the possession of the Comte de Chaumont. There were several reasons why Michael Zehr showed considerable interest in the stories and proposal of John Keiffer, which were principally that he was poor and he saw no chance of ever becoming well to do in France, and further that the military law there provided for compulsory military service which was against his, religious belief. Other religious scruples and oppression by his landholders were also determining factors in his migration finally with his entire family to America. It is thought that they arrived at New York in the month of June, 1833. They probably came from New York to Utica by boat, coming up the Hudson River to Albany and then to Utica by canal. At the time, Michael, oldest child was 20 years old and Christian, second oldest was 18 years old. On arriving at Utica, they were out of money and food so the two sons just mentioned remained behind in search of work to procure money and food while their father and mother pushed on with the rest of the family. The story goes that they saw a man in a field hoeing potatoes so they stopped and asked in the German language for work. The man apparently understood the language because he gave them work, promising to pay them what was fair and right. He gave them each a hoe and they went to work. That evening he paid each of them with 50 cents and a meal. Not knowing the value of American money they asked their employer and he explained it to them. They remained there a week working for him at that wage and then worked for another man one more week at the same wages. They had then accumulated the sum of $12.00 between them. With this each of them bought an axe with a helve which cost a dollar. Then their employer's wife gave them each a lunch and they started out afoot for Croghan, which was then known as French Settlement. The first night they spent in an old barn near Boonville and the next day they completed their journey.

Michael Zehr, Sr., began the work of building a new home in America on what is now known as the William J. Zehr farm in the northern part of the Village of Croghan. Their first years were fraught with the hardships similar to those endured by all pioneers, except that there was no danger from Indians. Their first house was made of logs as well as the rest of the farm buildings which were later constructed. They used flint and steel to produce fire as the other pioneers did. The first cabin stood near where a cherry tree now stands in a field. Their first products were rye, wheat, and potatoes and a few other vegetables on which their subsistence depended along with the meat of wild animals. It was here not quite a year after their arrival in America that their second last child, a son, named Andrew was born, the exact date being May 8, 1834. It was four years later that their last child, another son and named Jacob was born, the exact date being February 24, 1838. It was in this way that the patriarch of a large and prominent family began life anew in a strange country, and made that life a successful one through dint of great energy, thrift, and a superhuman will...

Mr. Zehr became prominent in all the affairs of the colony. He was a man of great force of character and became the counsellor of his friends. In religion he was an Amish Mennonite minister and Bishop. In addition he had the distinction of having owned the first pair of horses in the settlement. He died at the age of 90 years according to a clipping taken from the [March 19, 1925] "Journal and Republican" newspaper, and was already the patriarch of a large family numbering over 200 and trundled many grandchildren and great grandchildren upon his knee before yielding to the last claim of nature.

Taken from Farney Virkler Zehr Genealogy; Genealogies of Three Large Families of Lewis County, New York: The Farney Family 1795-1988; The Rev. Rudolph Virkler Family 1792-1988; The Zehr Family 1789-1988; published in Castorland, New York 1989 by Julia Karcher.

Michael Zehr and family came on the Ship Barque Statira. Arriving in New York on June 19th, 1833 with 112 people. Their were many of the Anabaptist families that came on this ship, coming to Lewis Co., New York, and Ontario, Canada.

Both Michael and his wife Anna are buried on the old Amish Cemetery on the North end of Croghan, Lewis Co., New York. His wife was the last burial there.

Herald of Truth, April 1880 Feb. 27th, 1880 at Croghan, Lewis Co., N. Y., of the Amish Men. church, Bishop Michael Zehr, at the advanced age of 89 years, 4 months and 27 days. He had 9 children, 170 grand and great-grand-children. His wife was called away many years since. He was a good man, whose hand was ever open for the poor. In his office he was a good counselor, and was beloved by all who had the pleasure of his acquaintance. On the funeral occasion words of comfort were delivered by Peter Lemon and Jacob Vogt. The labors of our brother are ended on this earth, and he has gone to the reward of the righteous.

• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Apr 6 2019, 15:12:53 UTC