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The Harrer Family
In 1845 Wolfgang Harrer, his wife,
Margaretha, two sons, Meinhardt and Henry and one daughter, Maria, emigrated to
America from their birthplace in Kaltenbrunn, Bavaria Kaltenbrunn is located
about midway between Coberg on the north and Bamberg on the south, all somewhat
north of the city of Nurnberg, famous as the trial site of the Nazi war
criminals. We assume that Wolfgang had been a farmer in the old country as that
was the occupation in which he engaged on arrival in Niles Centre, now Skokie,
Illinois. We must assume also that he selected Niles Center as there was a good
concentration of German-speaking settlers there at that time, perhaps people he
knew in his hometown. On an early real estate map we find his neighbors with the
names of Harms, Langfeld, Kruger, Groh and Scharre.
Both Wolfgang and his wife were age 45
in 1845, son Meinhardt, or Michael, was 20, Henry 16, and Maria 13. In the 1850
Census we find this family listed owning $600 in real estate. On a land map of
1886 we find sons Michael and Henry owning several pieces of property in
Sections 26 and 27 of Niles Township. The 1860 Census shows each as having real
estate valued at $4000, the 1870 Census indicated their holdings had grown to
$7000 and $8000 respectively.
Maria, whom we know as Mary Walburga
Harrer, married Bernhardt Klopfer, the writer's great-grandfather, on the 14th
of June 1851, and went to live in the Grosse Pointe area of New Trier Township.
The couple had nine children, the first of whom was Dennis, my grandfather.
Wolfgang died between 1860 and 1866.
Both he and his wife, Margaretha are shown in the 1860 Census as living in the
household of their son, Henry, and we have a record of transfer of property by
Margaretha, widow, in 1866 to sons Henry and Michael. Margaretha passed away on
10 August 1887.Michael Harrer left Niles Center in 1852, going to
California by way of the Isthmus of Panama, and spent three years there, mining
and farming. In 1855 he returned to Niles Center where he farmed until 1874,
when he opened a meat market. In that year he married Margaret Scherer, by whom
he had seven sone and five daughters.
In 1874 Michael Harrer built Niles
Center's first commercial structure, now knows as "The Harrer Building". First
built as a meat market as well as Michael's residence, it has served as part of
a general store, a dress shop, a delicatessen and today is the residence of the
Haben family. John Haben restored the building, using old photographs as a
guide, to its original appearance, and it has now been designated as a National
Landmark by the United States Department of the Interior.
Michael was instrumental in
establishing the first local government and served as Trustee for the Village.
Henry Harrer farmed his land until
1878, at which time he started a store and saloon. In 1853 he married Katharina
Neep, also a Bavarian born immigrant. They had four sons and three daughters.
Henry was active in town politics, holding the office of School Director for 15
years, Overseer of Highways for seven years and Commissioner of Highways for 18,
Assessor for two years and Justice of the Peace for 19 years.
Henry's son, George Harrer, located in
Morton Grove and became its first Mayor, serving from 1895 to 1907, and from
1913 to 1917 as Trustee. He married Mary Yehl, sister of Mathias Yehl of the
Haupt-Yehl house, now an historical museum in Harrer Park, named for George.
They had eight children. This family were operators of green houses. Ray Harrer,
son of George, worked with his father in the greenhouse business until 1921,
went to Iowa, where his wife, Margaret was born, for two years, then returned to
Morton Grove in 1923, working for Continental Insurance Company until his
retirement in 1963. Ray has two sons and two daughters. As of this writing, Ray
is alive and still growing vegetables and vegetables at this home.
Another of Henry Harrer's sons, Adam,
became the first President of the Village of Niles Center after serving as chief
of the Volunteer Fire Company in 1881, and Postmaster of the Village.
Not dated - No Author noted
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