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Below is a family biography included in The History of Franklin County, Missouri published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1888.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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Phillipp 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 hi* brother’s farm, in Franklin County, remaining 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 purchased 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 Township 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; Christina T., born January 17, 1867; Philipp E., born October 18,1869; Lilly E., born July 3, 1872, 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., November 7, 1882, married A. B. Spradling.

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This family biography is one of 305 biographies included in The History of Franklin County, Missouri published in 1888.  For the complete description, click here: Franklin County, Missouri History, Genealogy, and Maps

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