George Phillip Karr was born October 21,1841 in Dackenheim, Germany and was baptized in the Evangelical Association at that place. At the age of four years, he came to America with his parents in 1845 and the family settled near Dayton, Ohio. In the year of 1862 they moved to Joliet, Illinois, he married Mary Catherine Arter at the home of her parents. Mary Arter was born near Johns town, Pennsylvania, May 4, 1847. They made their home in Illinois until the spring of 1888, when they moved to Nebraska and located on a farm three miles west and 3/4 mile north of Blue Hill, NE. They had three hundred and twenty acres of which the east half was a timberclaim. Nine children were born to them, six sons and three daughters. Two sons, Phillip A. and Lorenz L. passed away in infancy and were buried in Illinois. A daughter, Mary Ellen (Mrs. John Zimmerman) died on July 8, 1910 during childbirth, and she and her infant daughter, Ellen, are buried in the Blue Hill Cemetery.
The Karrs celebrated their Golden Anniversary, January 30, 1916, when relatives gathered at their home. He was presented with a gold headed cane and she was the recipient of a lovely gold cream and sugar set. The table was beautifully decorated. A large vase filled with pink and white carnations and fern leaves adorned the center of the table. A huge wedding cake bearing the words “Golden Wedding” and two hearts linked together was placed at one end and a molasses cake, the same kind that they had for their wedding day fifty years ago was placed at the other end. Their four sons and two daughters with their families were present, there being sixteen grandchildren and one great grandchild. The Karrs were among the older residents of Webster County and were held in highest esteem by many warm friends.
After the death of their daughter in law, Dora (Baker) Karr, they took the three children of William’s to raise. Blanche age seven, Willie age five and Hester, about three. Hester had made her home there for most of her life as her mother was an invalid at the time of her birth.
Mrs. Karr passed away on Monday, February 3, 1919, on the farm northwest of Blue Hill. She had been in ill health for some time due to her advancing years and her death was not altogether unexpected as she had been fighting a cancerous condition. Funeral services were held from the home with burial in the Blue Hill Cemetery.
On Sunday, December 17, 1922, George Phillip passed away at the home of his daughter, Mrs. J.K. (Addie) Martin. He was in his eighty first year and had enjoyed a good degree of health for a man of his years, but paralysis seized him and in the end succumbed. For his last four years he had made his home with his daughter in Blue Hill, he was a man of splendid traits of character and counted everybody his friend. For many years he lived on the homestead west of Blue Hill. Survived by four sons and two daughters, William and Frank of Blue Hill, John of Bladen, Edward of Atkinson, Nebraska, Addie (Mrs. J.K.Martin and Sadie (Mrs. John Zimmerman) of Blue Hill. Burial in Blue Hill Cemetery.
He was usually called “White Grandpa” because of his white beard.
Source:
Information courtesy of Delores (Karr) Krichau’s family history compilation
