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Balthasar "Baltes" Kehrer
was born December 19, 1788 in Großostheim, Unterfranken, Bayern, that is, "Bavaria", and died in Großostheim. He married MARGARETE BALLMANN January 13, 1817 in St Peter und Paul, Großostheim, daughter of JOCOK BALLMANN and ANNA CLEMENT. She was born October 10, 1794 in Großostheim, and died in Großostheim.

Johann "Adam" Kehrer
born August 13, 1823 in Großostheim, and died September 14, 1874 in Mascoutah, St Clair, Illinois
St Clair, IL Proof of Death Index p. 216; No. 862

Adam became a naturalized American citizen in 1844 in St. Clair Co., IL.

Because of the 5-year residency requirement for citizenship, Adam must have arrived in the U.S. no later than 1839. He turned 16 in 1839.

He married ANNA MARIA STAUB July 04, 1852 in St. Peter Catholic Church, Belleville, St. Clair Co., IL, daughter of JOSEPH STAAB and ELIZABETH EDELMANN.  She was born February 25, 1826 in Grünmorsbach, and died August 23, 1906 in Belleview, St. Clair Co., IL

Martin Kehrer
Martin Kehrer, April 27, 1861 - July 20, 1925
Born in Mascoutah, St. Clair Co., IL
Christening: Oct. 13, 1861 Mascoutah, St Clair, Illinois
1st marriage: Maria Celcia Dunnewald, May 2, 1887, Belleville, St. Clair Co., IL; she died about 1898.
2nd marriage: Mary Bruggen, May 14, 1901, St. Louis, MO

Martin was buried in Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Dahlgren, Hamilton Co., IL (lived 64 yrs.)

The Kehrer's spoke High German.

Martin Kehrer and Mary Bruggen
Click for larger copy.

St. Peter and Paul Church
Grossostheim, Germany


Lamentation by Tilman
This carving was in the parish since it was made in the year 1510
.

Martin Kehrer

Kehrer -  a German name meaning 1) someone living by a 'bend' in a road from the name, 'Kehr'.

It also could mean 2) a cleaner, from German,
keren, 'to sweep'.

Descendants of Balthasar Kehrer

Descendants of Johann Adam Kehrer Report

Kehrer Geneological Chart

1920 Hamilton Co. IL U.S. Census mentioning Martin Kehrer

regular size / large size Amelia and her children - photo

back row: Emma Kehrer (Lovin) / Ben Bruggen / Frank Bruggen / Bill Bruggen / Bill’s wife, Kate / Amelia Kehrer (Stoltz) front row: Henry Bruggen / Anna Bruggen / Mary Kehrer, holding baby, Otis Kehrer / Jane Kehrer (Lovin) / Martin Kehrer, holding, Frank Kehrer / Matthew Kehrer

Maria Cecilia Dunnewald, 1869-1898 (lived abt. 29 yrs.)
Cecilia was born in St. Louis, St. Louis Co., MO.
She married Martin Kehrer, May 2, 1887 in Belleville, St. Clair Co., IL

Martin Kehrer's 2nd marriage (Marriage: abt. 1900):
Mary Bruggen: May 17, 1882 - December 17, 1963 (lived 81 yrs.)

Martin and Mary Kehrer are buried in the
Pleasant  Hill Cemetery
Missionary Baptist
Dahlgren Township, Sec. 28
Hamilton County, IL

The child, Alvin Kehrer: April 18, 1923 - April 18, 1923 could be one of the still born boys of Mary Kehrer in Pleasant Hill Cemetery. There is no conflict in the dates of births. Grandma said that Martin Kehrer had 8 kids by Mary Bruggen & 2 still born boys.

Notes:
Mary Bruggen is the 2nd wife of Martin Kehrer and second group of children.
1 Emma 1903
2 Edwin Mike "Mike" 1905
3 Vernon "Verne" 1910 - farmer, Woodlawn, IL: 2 boys
4 Amelia "Millie" - (only one living), Married twice: Stolkes & Cochran, 4 children, 3 girls, a boy.
a son died. Youngest daughter died at 3 or 4 years old. Daisy Kehrer has a picture of her.
5 Matthew 2/20/1913 - retired from GM's Locomotive Division, La Grange, IL
6 Mary Jane "Jane" 1916 - Married twice: Lovin & Horton
7 Frank 1918
8 Otis 1920

The Kehrer's were Raised in Hamilton Co. // Grandma, Daisy Denham was raised in Jefferson Co. They did not know each other when growing up.

		Children of: Matthew Kehrer and Daisy Ellen Denham birth order First Name middle month year 1 Byford   5 1940 2 Gene L. 9 1941 3 Shirley A. 8 1942 4 Jennetta A. 1 1945 5 Kenneth W. 7 1946
Matt	Daisy
Click for larger copy.

Technology and the family

Daisy's dad, Fred Denham, hung a bucket of milk and butter in the well to keep it cold. It was a bad well with little water, but it as a good cool place. He hung the bucket in the dry cool air of the well. Daisy remembers this when she was a young girl (born 1921).

When she was a little older they got an ice box, that is,
a wooden box where you placed a block of ice. It had drains in it for the melted ice to run off.

When 1st married, Matt and Daisy had an ice box, too.

When the kids were still young they bought their first refrigerator. It had a coin slot on it, to pay for it. They bought the General Electric refrigerator from a store in Mount Vernon. It wasn't paid off so, it had a coin box until it was paid off. One had to put a quarter a day in it. They got the frig after buying the McPherson place (just down from Sugar Camp Church)- 70 acres and a house. The kids were young then. They took the GE frig up to Joliet with them in 1955.
ice box and frig source: Grandma, Daisy Kehrer, Sat., June 3, 2006 on the telephone.

Daisy Kehrer didn't have a radio until after she was married (June 14, 1939). The family received the 1st telephone southern IL. It was on a party line in southern IL. When they moved to Joliet, the telephone had a private line.

At Benton St. Joliet, IL, at Christmas in 1955 or 1956 they bought a big television for the living room downstairs.

Daisy Denham and Matt Kehrer were married in St. Louis, MO: June 14, 1939. Moved to up north, to Lockport, (a few months) then, Joliet, IL when Ken was 9 years old (birthday 9/46). i.e., 1955.

source: Grandma, Daisy Kehrer, Sunday, Feb. 26, 2006 on the telephone.