Rohrer, Peter Landis (1884-1955)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1955 May 26 p. 1

Birth date: 1884 Jul 1

text of obituary:

FOUNDER OF LANCASTER COUNTY SEED BUSINESS CALLED BY DEATH

Smoketown, Penn. — Funeral services for Peter L. Rohrer, 70, founder of the seed company here which bears his name, were held at the Mellingers Mennonite church on Sunday, May 15.

Over 700 persons attended the services, including business associates from Maine and Buffalo, New York. Messages of condolance [sic] were received from a number of friends and associates of Mr. Rohrer, who was widely known and respected. The firm carries on a large business throughout the eastern states.

Mr. Rohrer had suffered a slight heart attack several weeks ago, but had resumed work and passed away after a brief illness on Thursday evening, May 12.

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1955 Jun 2 p. 8

text of obituary:

PETER L. ROHRER

Peter Landis Rohrer, son of Benjamin S. and Mary Landis Rohrer, was born July 1, 1884 in Lancaster county, Penn.

He accepted Christ in early manhood at the Science Ridge Mennonite church, Sterling, Ill., later changing his membership to Stumptown Mennonite church in Lancaster county, Penn.

On Dec. 26, 1911, he was to Bertha Mae Wenger, to which union were born seven sons and two daughters. Twin sons and a daughter died in infancy.

In 1914 he joined I. N. Glick in the seed and plant business in Smoketown, Pa. A few years later he and Mr. Glick separated and the P. L. Rohrer and Brother seed firm was established, selling garden seeds, field seeds and seed potatoes, both wholesale and retail. As years went on and the business was expanded to include all kinds of spray material, fertilizer and seed corn, the five sons joined in the enterprise, which changed from a partnership to a corporation in 1949.

On May 12 father worked in his office all day as he usually did. In the early evening he had a sudden heart attack and died at 10:45 p. m., age 70 years, 10 months and 11 days. Those who mourn his departure are his wife, five sons, Willis, Clarence, Peter, Lester, Luke and Earl, and one daughter, Mary; 11 grandchildren and two brothers, all living in Smoketown and vicinity.

He was a devoted husband and father and will be missed in the home; in the church, where he was a member for fifty years and a trustee for 12 years; in the community where he was a charter member of the Witmer Fire company and director at Leola National Bank for 21 years; and in business where his consistent daily Christian living won home many friends of all walks of life and from near and far. Evidence of this was the attendance of 400 people viewing the body Saturday evening.

The Mellinger Mennonite church where services were held Sunday afternoon, May 15, was full of relatives and friends who came from Maryland, Delaware, New York and Maine and surrounding counties in Pennsylvania. Services were in charge of Lloyd Eby, whose text was I Kings 12:24, “This thing is from me,” and Bishop Elmer Martin, whose theme was “He being dead yet speaketh.” Hebrews 11:4. Burial was made in Mellinger’s cemetery. — The Family.