Marshall County independent. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1897-1902, 1901-01-25
Andrew Roberts Gerard


The subject of this sketch was born
In Switzerland county, Indiana, Nov.
IL, 1925, and died at bis home in Mar.
shall county, Indiana, Jan. Is, 1901
aged 10 years, months and days.
His parents removed with their fam
lily to this county in the fall of 1912,
and settled in Center township, where
the remainder of his life was spent
Thus Father Gerard was one of the
earliest settlers of Marshall county. At
that time Plymouth was a village of
but two or three houses ana the homes
of the few pioneers were separated by
miles of wilderness. in many parts un-
marked by roads and unhroken by the
settlers AK.
Andrew r. Gerard in. lS45 entered
from the government the farm where
he ever sfterwsrd lived He partially
cleared the farm, built and furnished q
house, and to this home he brought in
l848 his first wife, Sussnnah Hindel.
Nine children, four sons ard five
daughters, were born tc this union.
Eight are still living. His first wife
died in 1862, and in 1866 he was married
to Sybills Bright. Six children were
born to his second marriage, one SOD
and FIVE daughters One of the daugh-
ters died in infancy. Thus thirteen
children survive, and with the excep-
tion of daughter sick ia Marion, Ind,
and two sons, who reside IN Colorado,
| all were present when he died and were
at the funeral. Besides his children, q
widow, brother and three sisters are
left to mourn their loss.
During the civil war, Father Gerard
offered his sci vices to bis country ss a
volunteer to help put down the re-
| bellion. But he was unable to pass the
medical examination and was not &C.
cepted.
| He wae converted fifty or more years
ago, shortly after his FIRST marriage, and
united with the Methodist Episcopal
church, worshipping with class that
met at log schoolhouse called Salem,
mile and half south of Inwood
He was the class leader of this orgsni.
zatlOn for many years. A church after
wards built at THE place was destroyed
by fire. During the psstorste of Rev
Il. c. Neal, he united with the church
at Inwood. His religious ife was even
calm and consistent
Father Gerard possessed iD sn emf
Dent degree the pioneer virtues of in
dustry, economy, integrity and hospi
tality. He thus acquired comfortable
his lite he was not once involved in
litigation, either as plaintiff or defend
ent. He made no debts, had no enemies
and his word was always as good as bis
bond.
He was one of the last of generation
the last remnants of which are rapidly
passing away, the pioneer settlers who
contended with the wilderness, wild
beasts and ssvages, and in toll and
poverty, in hardships, privations and
disease. built for the later generation
who enjoy the fruits OF their lsbors.
Father Gerard was q kind. hearted
man. He was of an sffectionste dis
position and his home was the dwelling
place of love and peace. He was also
a good citizen, temperate. patriotic, g
good neighbor, obliging and genial il
bis nature, one who feared God and
was held in honor of all who knew him
lie had no mere scquaintaDces for al
who knew him were his friends. Peace
to his ashes. He rests from bis lsbort
and his works do follow him.
The funeral services were held at the
home at 10 q. m. Friday, Jan. Is, 1901
Rev. j. H. Walters and Rev. Longbraks
officiating. The interment was in
Maple Grove cemetery at Argos. *s*