Peter Henry Leighr (abt. 1758 - 1822)

Born about 1758 in Waldoboro, Lincoln, Province of Maine

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 3 Nov 1822 at about age 64 in Washington, Lincoln, Maine, United States

Biography

Private Peter Leighr served with 1st Massachusetts Regiment (1777), Continental Army during the American Revolution.

Peter Leighr is a DAR Patriot Ancestor, A204679.

Born

Peter was born to Johann Henri Lehr and Elizabeth Seitz about 1758 in Broad Bay, Maine.^[1]

Marriage

Lived at House Place Pond in Broad Bay and married about Feb. 1779, Elizabeth Brodtman, daughter of Michael Brodtman. During the Revolutionary war, Peter took a furlough to return home and get married and returned to complete his service. ^[1]

Children

Peter and Catherine had 12 children.^[1]

Military Service

Peter enlisted on May 17, 1777 for 3 years. Peter was a private in Captain Hunt's Co., Col. Joseph Vose Vose-229 Bn. General Glover's Division Glover-553 in the Revolutionary war. He was at the battle of Saratoga and endured the terrible winter with Washington at Valley Forge. Peter and Catherine were pensioners in 1818 & 1822.^[1]

pay vouchers and letters from fold 3

• May 77 pay voucher
• June 77 pay voucher
• Jan 78 both company record and pay voucher
• Feb 78 both company record and pay stub
• Mar 78 both company record and pay stub
• Apr 78 both company record and pay stub
• May 78 both company pay record and pay stub
• June 78 both company pay record and pay stub

• 10 Apr 1818 Rev War Pension Record[2]
• 1790 Census at Waldoboro, Maine
• 1820 Census[3]

Special Recognition

Grave marker kindly placed by the Koussinoc Chapter, of the Maine society, NSDAR on AUGUST 27, 2011 with color guard assistance from the SAR.^[2]

Peter LEHR, Sons of the American Revolution- Ancestor # P-235163

Daughters of the American Revolution, DAR Genealogical Research Databases, database online, (http://www.dar.org/ : accessed Nov 11, 2018), "Record of LEAR, PETER", Ancestor # A204679.

Special note on spelling of name

Peter Leighr had his name spelled different ways during his life and military service as did his son Martin and grandson Horace. His German father spelled the name Lehr.

His military records show his name spelled Leaher, Leher, Lehr, and Leighr. The Valley Forge Muster rolls list him as Leher. Mass Soldiers and Sailors lists him as Peter Leher. Peter's application for pension is signed Peter Lehr. Another doc signed by Ebenezer Thatcher states Peter Lehr found on muster rolls under name Peter Leaher for 3 yrs, dated 7 Feb 1820. A Calhoun, Sec of War refers to Peter Lehr or Leaher on 9 June 1820. By 1836 a pension letter for Catherine is found with the spelling Leighr.

Death

Peter was enrolled as a pensioner in 1818 and died 1822

In 1820 his estate consisted of 2 cows, 2 hogs, and a little old furniture.^[1]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4} Whitaker, Wilford W. & Horlacher, Gary T. Broad Bay Pioneers, 18th century German-Speaking Settlers of Present Day Waldoboro, Maine. 1998. Picton Press. Pages: 130, 591-94.
2. ↑ Magazine, winter 2012, Page 29.[1]

• Whitaker, Wilford W. & Horlacher, Gary T. Broad Bay Pioneers, 18th century German-Speaking Settlers of Present Day Waldoboro, Maine. 1998. Picton Press. Pages: 130, 591-94.
• SAR Magazine, winter 2012, Page 29.[4]
• Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors of the Revolutionary War. 1902. Boston. page 662 mentions Providence in 1778 and 1779, Valley forge, pay records from May 17, 1777 to Dec 31, 1779.[5]
• find a grave. [6]
• Down East Ancestry Periodical Feb 1990

Further Reading

Battle of Saratoga Muster Roll for Peter Leher: [7]

Valley Forge Roll for Peter Leher, Abraham Hunt's Co. 1st Mass. Glover's Division[8]