John Henry Kercher

1859 - 1948  (88 years)

• Name	John Henry Kercher  [1]
  Birth	2 Nov 1859	Sebringville, Ontario, Canada   [1]
  Gender	Male
  Death	28 Mar 1948	Owasso County, Michigan   [1]
  Notes	Cass City Chronicle Friday, April 2, 1948 Volume 42, Number 49. Page One. John H. Kercher Died Sunday at Age of 88 Years John H. Kercher, 88, passed away in an Owosso hospital on Sunday night where he had been a patient for four days. he had been in failing health for several weeks. Funeral services were held int he Douglas Funeral Home on Thursday afternoon. Rev. Stanley P. Kirn, pastor of the Evangelical United Brethren Church of Cass City, of which Mr. Kercher was a member, was the officiating clergyman. Interment was made in the Colfax cemetery at Bad Axe. John Henry Kercher was born November 2, 1859, at Sebringville, Ontario, and married Miss Louisa MERKLINGRE at Milverton, Ontario, March 9, 1886. In 1887, they came to Elkton, Michigan, which at that time only had two houses, both roughly hewn. He built a residence there in the fall of '87, and engaged in carpenter work, erecting many houses and large barns in and around Elkton and Pigeon. After nine years, he returned to make Canada his home where he lived for five years and worked in a large furniture factory. In 1901, he again decided to make Michigan his home and came back to Elkton. He built seven different residences in and near Elkton which he sold. He constructed the first Evangelical Church in Elkton in 1888, and rebuilt it it 1898. In 1918, it was destroyed by fire and he again helped to rebuild it as it now stands. He served as usher in the church for many years. On August 25, 1929, Mrs. Kercher died after 4 1/2 years of illness from a stroke. Mr. Kercher came to Cass City that fall and has since made his home with his son Erwin W., here and with another son, C.G. Kercher, at Owosso. Mr. Kercher carried on this trade as carpenter and cabinet maker well past his 80th birthday and spent many hours each day in a shop at the rear of his son's residence in Cass City. Mr. Kercher is survived by two sons, Erwin W. Kercher of Cass City and Clarence G. Kercher of Owosso; six grandsons, Charles Kercher of Bay City, Capt. Ferris Kercher of Columbus, Ga., Lt. Gerald Kercher stationed at Munich, Germany, Harold and Richard Kercher of Owosso, and Robert Kercher of Flint; six great grandchildren; a sister, Mrs. Andrew Eckmeyer, and three, nephews, Wesley, George and Gordon Strasser, and a niece, Hilda Strasser, of Stratford, Ont. (Transcribed by Melinda McLemore Strong, February 15) (Research):Census Information: Name: John Karercher [John Karescher] Age in 1910: 48 [49] Estimated birth year: abt 1862 [abt 1861] Birthplace: Canada Relation to Head of House: Head Father's Birth Place: Canada Mother's Birth Place: Canada Spouse's name: Louise {birthplace Canada} Home in 1910: Oliver, Huron, Michigan {Village of Elkton} Marital Status: Married Race: White Gender: Male Year of Immigration: 1885 {Occupation: Carpenter} Household Members: Name Age John Karercher 48 Louise Karercher 43 Clarence Karercher 15 (Courtesy of Robert Carlson)
  Person ID	I30426	Strong Family Tree
  Last Modified	17 Aug 2014

  
  

  Family	Louisa Merklinger,   b. Abt 1867, Canada d. 25 Aug 1929 (Age ~ 62 years)
  Marriage	9 Mar 1886	Milverton, Ontario, Canada
  Children	1. Erwin W. Kercher,   b. 5 Sep 1888, Michigan d. 14 Nov 1955, Cass City, Tuscola County, Michigan (Age 67 years)   2. Clarence G. Kercher,   b. Abt 1895, Canada d. Yes, date unknown
  Family ID	F9806	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	14 Feb 2008

  
  

• Event Map

  Birth - 2 Nov 1859 - Sebringville, Ontario, Canada Marriage - 9 Mar 1886 - Milverton, Ontario, Canada Death - 28 Mar 1948 - Owasso County, Michigan  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Sources

  [S616] Carlson, Robert-Family Researcher (bobcarlson@comcast.net).