GAHR, REV. EBERHARD

GAHR

Posted By: Volunteer (email)
Date: 5/19/2005 at 16:59:22

Biography reproduced from page 532 of the History of Kossuth and Humboldt Counties, Iowa published in 1884:

Rev. Eberhard Gahr, who is the present pastor of Benedict Church, in Prairie township, was born in Bavaria, Germany, Sept. 18, 1833. He was the son of George and Catharine Gahr, natives of Bavaria. Rev. Gahr commenced his studies for the ministry, in 1846, at the gymnasium in Regensburg, and in 1854, after he had completed his studies, he came to America, and went to the Vincent Monastery in Westmoreland Co., Penn., where he remained two years. He then went to Newark, N. J., where he remained almost three years, and in the fall of 1858 he removed to Shakopee, Scott Co., Minn., where he took charge of his first Church in that place, and also had charge of all the Churches of faith in Scott, LeSueur and Sibley counties, besides east Minneapolis and missions in Hennepin county, where he remained for five years. In 1864 he was sent to Castorville, Texas, to take charge of the Church there, and a number of missions in the country. In 1869 he was called to Augusta, Bracken Co., Ky., and remained there until 1872, when he was removed to Ottawa, Ill., on account of poor health in Kentucky. In the fall of 1877 he came to Prairie township to look at lands; his object being to locate a colony, which he did the following spring, 1878. He built the parsonage, and the year following, 1879, he built the church. The first service was held in the same, Aug. 15, 1879. His congregation numbers from fifty to sixty families.