My Genealogy Hound

John Singer came to Miller County, Mo., in the fall of 1881, and purchased the saw-mill at St. Elizabeth, erecting two years later the flouring-mill of which he is proprietor. He was born in Germany, in 1827, being the youngest of two children born to Sumner and Barbara (Gephardt) Singer, who were also natives of Germany. The father was a farmer, and died in his native land when our subject was quite small. The latter, in 1851, embarked at Bremen on a sailing vessel for America, and, after a voyage of eight weeks, landed at New Orleans, thence up the Mississippi River to St. Louis, where he was married in December of that year to Miss Margaret Schurt, who came to the United States on the same vessel as himself. After residing for a short time in that city, they moved to Jefferson City, and in 1852 purchased a farm of 180 acres near that place, and in time succeeded in putting 177 acres under good cultivation. Later he traded one-half of his farm for a mill on Moreau Creek, and was engaged in milling there until he came to Miller County. He has built up a good trade in his present mill, and is now putting in the roller process. He has done his share in developing Cole and Miller Counties, and is in every respect a self-made man, having come to this county without money or influence. He is in good circumstances financially, and is enjoying the fruits of a well-spent life. He supports the principles of the Republican party, and he and wife are members of the Lutheran Church, and are the parents of the following children: Henry, Thomas, Elizabeth (Mrs. Schneider, of Cole County), and Andrew, who is married, and resides in Osage Township.