Rohrer, Fred (1867-1936)

Christlicher Bundesbote obituary: 1936 Dec 8 p. 11
Christlicher Bundesbote obituary: 1936 Dec 15 p. 12

Birth date: 1867 Dec 9

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1936 Dec 9 p. 1

Well Known Indiana Publisher is Called Away by Death.

Fred Rohrer, founder and manager of the Berne Witness company of Berne, Ind., died early Tuesday morning, Dec. 1, after a serious illness of more than one week.

The Berne Witness, the paper he founded, gives the following report of his many and varied activities:

He was born near the city of Bern, Switzerland, December 9, 1867, the second in a large family of fourteen children. All his brothers and sisters preceded except Lizzie of Fort Wayne, oldest of the sisters. His brother Robert died in Tennessee May 2 of this year at the age of 61. Fred Rohrer's parents, John Christian and Rosina Danz Roherer, were people of great industry but had to live in the utmost economy and frugality. They moved to America with their family in 1883 and after two years in Wayne County, Ohio, they joined many of their fellow country men here and his father was a well known merchant tailor.

"Fred Rohrer was nearly sixteen years old when he came to America. He had attended the elementary and secondary schools of Bern, Switzerland, and through the aid of a friend had his tuition paid through a high school course, during which he gained a knowledge of German and French.

"On returning to Berne on July 31, 1896, he secured financial assistance from his brother John and on August 4th, bought the job printing plant of Joel Welty.

"On September 3, 1896 the first copy of the Berne Witness was issued."

Funeral services were held at the Berne Mennonite church on Thursday Dec. 3.