Son of Christen and Katharina Uhlmann Beer. Born Huttwil, Canton Bern, Switzerland. There is some confusion as to his birth date, both 28 Jan. and 18 Feb. 1849 have been referenced. Came to America with 2 of his brothers (Ulrich and Johannes) on the ship "Germania", Hamburg to New York, arrived 6 Aug. 1866. These 3 joined their brother Peter Beer on his farm near Upper Sandusky, Ohio, then later moved to Richland County.

Married (1) Ursula Meyer, 1871, Mansfield, Ohio (1860-1891), they were the parents of 6 children: Anna (1872-1892); Joel (1874-1963); Simon, Jr. (1876-1968); Charles (1879-1965); Louise (1882-1890); and Matilda (1885-1953; mar. John Gage).

Married (2) Kathryn Meister, 17 April 1892, Mansfield, Ohio (1864-1944), and were the parents of 7 children: Otto B. Beer (1893-1968, mar. Edna Ritchie and Barbara Groff; bur. Milford Cemetery, Milford, Indiana); Hulda J. Beer (1894-1988, mar. Oscar Graf; bur. Milford Cemetery); Ezra Beer (1896-1980, mar. Luella Haab; bur. Milford Cemetery); Theophilus Beer (1898-1997, mar. Naoma Marguerite Speheger); Henry Beer (1899-1983, mar. Alice May Getz); Saloma Beer (1902-1994, mar. Benoni Kipfer, lived Bluffton, Indiana); and Peter Jacob Beer (1904-11 Nov. 2002, mar. 1-Mabel Hammers, d. 28 Jan. 1992, mar. 2-Dorothy Myers on 6 Mar. 1993; bur. Milford Cemetery).

After coming to American, Simon was a farmer in Springfield Township, Richland County, Ohio; the site of this farm was later occupied by a General Motors assembly plant, east side of Beer Road in what is now the City of Ontario, Ohio.

In the spring of 1912, relocated with his second wife and all the children by that marriage to near Milford, Kosciusko Co., Indiana, and was a farmer there; in 2007, the barn on this farm with "Simon Beer 1912" painted on the gable was still in use.

The living children from his first marriage remained in Richland Co., Ohio. Two of Simon's brothers, Hans Beer and Ulrich Beer are also at Milford Cemetery.

Obituary:
"Seventy-seven grandchildren are included among the 89 survivors of Simon Beer, 89, a former resident of Mansfield, Ohio, who died at his home in Milford, Ind., Sunday.
"In addition to the 61 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren, the survivors include his wife, eight sons, Simon Jr., Joel and Charley of Mansfield, and Ezra, Theo, Otto, Peter, and Henry of Milford, and three daughters, Mrs. Tillie Gage of Mansfield, Mrs. Saloma Keipfer of Bluffton, Ind., Mrs. Hulda Graff of Milford.
"A native of Switzerland, Mr. Beer resided in Mansfield until 25 year ago, when he moved to Indiana. Funeral services will be held at the home in Milford at 10:00 A.M. Wednesday. Burial will be made in Milford."