"The Biographical Record and Portrait Album of Tippecanoe County, Indiana"
1888 Pages 481-482
ALVIN BAER is a native of Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, born in North White
Hall Township, August 27, 1840, a son of PETER and ANNIE (GOOD) BAER. The
BAER family is of Swiss origin, though for several generations in
Pennsylvania. HENRY BAER, the grandfather of our subject, was born in
Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, and died there about 1860 at the advanced age
of ninety years. His son PETER was born and reared in the same county, and
was there married to ANNIE GOOD, who was also a member of an old
Pennsylvania family. She died about 1873, and a few years later PETER BAER
came to Indiana and made his home in Tippecanoe County, with his son ALVIN
until his death, which occurred about 1880 at the age of seventy-three
years. ALVIN BAER, the subject of this sketch, grew to manhood in his
native county, and received his education in the common schools. His father
being a blacksmith he was naturally reared to the same occupation, which he
followed in Lehigh County until 1858. In that year, he immigrated to
Clinton County, Indiana, where his brother resided, and soon after obtained
employment at his trade at Mulberry, that county. After remaining there
about nine months he caught the Pike's Peak craze, and went out to seek his
fortune in Colorado, but in about a year he returned to Clinton County this
state, finding that there was no foundation for the boom. He remained in
Clinton County until 1862, when he came to Tippecanoe County, and
established a blacksmith's shop on section 13, Sheffield Township, about two
miles east of his present home. Here he followed blacksmithing for six
years, when he removed to the old BARTMESS place which he had purchased,
which contains nearly 114 acres of land, and erected a shop across the road
from where he now resides, and about a year later he commenced the erection
of his present handsome residence. Mr. BAER commenced the manufacture of
sorghum shortly after coming to Indiana, which he has followed more or less
ever since, making the first year about 8,000 gallons, and has manufactured
in this State not less than 60,000 gallons of sorghum syrup. He is not only
the pioneer in this line here, but it is safe to say that he has
manufactured considerably more than any man in Tippecanoe or adjoining
counties. Mr. BAER lays no claim to being a farmer, but in the spring of
1887 he gave up blacksmithing, and has since devoted his attention to his
farm. Mr. BAER was first married in Clinton County, May 17, 1866, to Miss
MARY STECKEL, who was born in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, a daughter of
JOSEPH and MARY (LUDWIG) STECKEL, who have been residents of Clinton County,
Indiana since 1852. To this union three children were born named -- JENNIE
ANN, NEVIN PETER and WILCON JOSEPH. Mrs. MARY BAER died in January 1881,
and Mr. BAER was a second time married March 18, 1882 to Miss LAURA MUSE,
who was also born in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, her parents ELIAS and
AMANDA (FARRINGER) MUSE, being natives of the same county, where they still
reside, her father being a millwright by trade. The improvements on Mr.
BAER'S place are of the best order, and even the old house in which he first
lived can not be surpassed for solidity and his entire surroundings indicate
much care and thrift. In his political views Mr. BAER is a republican. He
is an active member of the Dayton Methodist congregation, being a trustee
and class-leader in the church, and superintendent of the Sabbath -school,
and is also superintendent of the Sabbath-school which meets at Graft
school-house. He is president of the Dayton Gospel Temperance Society,
organized several years ago. He is a pleasant, affable gentleman, and has
made many friends since becoming a resident of this county.