This photo of Elisha Baer was provided by Joyce Ann Meese, wife of David Meese.
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Introduction
Page 29 of the 1963 book "Genealogy of the Relatives of William J. Miller" (3,890 KB pdf) indicates that Harvey Miller, eldest son of Jacob P. and Catherine (Bare) Miller, married Belinda Baer, a daughter of Elisha and Polly (Beal) Baer, on January 6, 1898. Elisha and Polly Baer are buried at the Greenville Union Cemetery in Greenville Township, Somerset County, Pennsylvania. Their tombstone markings read, "ELISHA BAER DIED MAR. 21, 1896 AGED 61y, 7M, 17D, 171 PA. CO. K." and "POLLY BAER DIED OCT. 23, 1927 AGED 89Y, 4M, 4D."
The following excerpt from page 186 the 1912 book "Descendants of Jacob Hochstetler" (46.2 MB pdf) indicates that Elisha Baer was a son of John and Elizabeth (Hutzel) Baer. The reference to the 142nd Regiment is incorrect. Elisha was actually in the 171st Regiment during 1862-1863.
The 1912 Hochstetler book traces the ancestry of Elisha's wife Mary "Polly" back several generations, beginning with her parents Owen Beal and Elizabeth (Klingaman) Beal.
Which John Baer was Elisha's father?
I've seen where some people say that Elisha Baer is one of the sons of John L. and Susan (Hutzel) Baer. I doubt that is true, because Elisha does not appear in the listing of the family of John L. and Susan Bear in the 1850 census records of Greenville Township, and does not appear in the transcript of the Bible records of John L. and Susan Bare. John L. Bare was a son of Ludwig Baer and a brother of William Baer, and died on August 23, 1853.
The following excerpt from the 1850 census records of Greenville Township, Somerset County, Pennsylvania shows Elisha Bare living in the household of 42-year-old Elizabeth Bare, which is harmonious with the statement in the 1912 Hochstetler book. The Elizabeth Bare household is enumerated next to the household of William and Sarah Bare. Click here to see the entire page from the 1850 census. Since Elizabeth was 42 years old in 1850, she was born circa 1808. The year of her birth provides a crude basis for estimating when Elisha's father was born.
I suspect that the following synopsis of the 1842 Somerset County estate records of an individual named John Bare pertains to the father of Elisha Baer because it mentions a widow named Elizabeth. The estate records need to be examined to see if they incorporate a list of children that includes Elisha, and to see if John's middle initial really is "I". (The synopsis is from the November, 1985 issue of the "Laurel Messenger" newsletter.)
Based on the 1842 estate referenced above, there is a reasonable expectation that John I. Bare might be listed as the head of a household in the 1840 census records of Greenville Township. Only four Bare households are listed: Absolom Bare, John Bare (of L), William Bare, and John Bare (of J). In view of the information provided above, the 1840 census records suggest, but do not prove, that John Bare (of J) may be the father of Elisha Baer.
In the 1820 and 1830 census records of Greenville Township, there are no Bare-surname heads of households with a first name that begins with a "J". In the 1810 census records of Brothersvalley Township, the only Bear heads of households I could find were Ludwick and Absolom.
In the 1800 census records of Brothersvalley Township, the only Bare heads of households I could find were Ludwig and John. In view of the information provided above, the 1800 census records suggest, but do not prove, that John Bare may be the grandfather of Elisha Baer. A John Baer also appears in the July 6, 1798 militia list of the Second Regiment of Somerset County, Pennsylvania.
The following synopsis of the 1805 Somerset County estate records of an individual named John Baer is from the November, 1975 issue of the "Laurel Messenger" newsletter. It indicates that this John had a son named John. Based on the information provided above, that son may be the father of Elisha Baer.
Who was Elisha Baer's mother?
As noted above, the 1912 book "Descendants of Jacob Hochstetler" identifes Elisha Baer's mother as Elizabeth (Hutzel) Baer.
On April 9, 2024 Gloria Snyder wrote to me that page 216 of Somerset County deed book volume 31 records that "Elizabeth Baer, widow of John Baer deceased of Greenville Twp." had rights to 336 acres that were left to her by Michael Hutzel, "decedent having six heirs of which this said Elizabeth is one." This suggests that Elisha's mother Elizabeth (Hutzel) Baer may be a daughter of Michael Hutzel.
Supplemental information
Here are links to more information about Elisha and Mary "Polly" (Beal) Baer:
Go the Miller family index page
