Biographical Sketch of Philipp Gerber, Franklin County, Missouri >From "History of Franklin, Jefferson, Washington, Crawford and Gasconade Counties", Biographical Appendix, Goodspeed Publishing Company, 1888. ********************************************************************** Philipp Gerber was born April 15, 1834, at Sonnerberg, by Coberg, Saxony-Meingen, and is a son of Andreas Gerber, who was a baker and musician. Andreas Gerber was twice married, the first time to Miss Christina Liverman, by whom he had six children; and the second time to Miss Wilhelmina Roth, by whom he had three children. All the sons and some of the daughters were musicians, like their father. The subject of this sketch lived at Sonnerberg until 1851, attending the common schools up to his fourteenth year, receiving a rudimentary education, and then attended a technical school two years, with the view of becoming an artist. His father died in 1848, and his two elder half-brothers being implicated in the Revolution of 1848 were compelled to flee the country. One of them persuaded his mother to permit young Philipp to come with him to the United States, in which country the two landed in 1851 and reached Washington, Mo., on June 12 of the same year. They went to Newport in September, and remained there until February, 1852, when they settled on a farm on Section 32, Township 44, Range 2 West. On this farm Philipp remained until 1854 when he went to Washington, where he worked at the blacksmith and cooper trades until July 5, 1856 when he returned to the farm. April 19, 1857 Miss Lucinda Rachel Cooper, daughter of Garnett Cooper, who settled in Franklin County in 1832, became his wife. Mr. Gerber moved to Gasconade County, December 25, 1857 and opened a farm in the wilderness, on Red Oak Creek, three miles south of Douglas Prairie. In 1860 he returned to his brother's farm in Franklin County, remain- ing there until 1865. During this period he served in the United States Reserve Corps, known as the Home Guards, three months, in 1861, as a private soldier. He also served in the Fifty-fourth Enrolled Missouri Militia, as second lieutenant of Company C. In 1865 he pur- chased a farm on Section 33, Township 44, Range 2 West, on which farm he now resides. In 1868 he was elected constable of Lyon Township, a position he held six years, serving at the same time as deputy sheriff and holding this position until 1880. He was assessor of Lyon Town- ship during the years 1875 and 1876, under township organization; and he took the State census in 1875, and the United States census in 1880 of the same township. This latter year he was elected county assessor, a position he has since held. To Mr. and Mrs. Gerber have been born the following children: William J., born February 23, 1858 and died March 23, 1861; Charles H., born April 3, 1860; William S., born April 18, 1862; Maria F., born May 6, 1864; Chrisitina T., born January 17, 1867; Philipp E., born October 18, 1869; Lilly E., born July 3, 1872 and died July 18, 1873; Louis, born March 1, 1877; and Franklin, born February 7, 1880. Charles H. married Emily Lucinda Sullins, January 20, 1886; and Maria F., married A. B. Spradling November 7, 1882. ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Joe Miller Penny Harrell ====================================================================