Leonard was 6th child (third son) of possibly ten children (eight known) born of Frederick John Bahr, and Margaret Kessler Bahr. Leonard was born in Back Creek (near Winchester) Frederick Co., VA. And it is very probable Leonard was named after his father's younger brother, Leonhard [see memorial].
In 1873 the family* moved to Cumberland, where his parents mortgaged a tract of land on Wills Mountain [see photo of cabin painting].
A depression hit Cumberland by 1877 and many people left to seek work elsewhere, while others remained in dire poverty. Leonard remembered his father as a cruel and tyrannical man. Indenturing of either himself and/or his siblings to work for neighbors in order to make money, was a common practice.
Frederick most likely died circa late 1885-87. Widowed Margaret was settled in Baltimore in 1888. In 1889, the Wills Mountain land, under default, was sold at public auction.
By 1893, Leonard probably moved to Baltimore. In 1894, Baltimore Business Directory lists Leonard as a shoemaker at 1180 Columbia Ave., in 1895 at 760 Ramsay, in 1896 at 623 S. Paca, and in 1897 in Lansdowne at the P.J. Monaghan Co.
Then, with the help of his mother who down paid for the land, Leonard built a house [see photo] on Elisabeth Ave. [was the street named after her?] in the Joshua Section of Lansdowne in 1897.
Leonard was the devoted husband of Elizabeth C. Fox [see memorial], marrying her in 1898 (in the original wooden church after which the Lutheran congregation first met in the home of her father, John A. Fox), in Lansdowne. He was confirmed into the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Our Saviour in Lansdowne on April 7, 1901.
Leonard was also the loving father of Maurice John Bahr and Leonard Marion Bahr, who painted his father's portrait [see photo] in 1927.
Leonard was a stocky, hard-working and honest man, and as his sons remembered, had a socialist leaning in politics. Apparently he was a pacifist in that he had an opportunity to do work in WWI and earn much money, but he called it "blood money" and turned it down.
Leonard was mostly a shoemaker, making a meager $10 a week. In 1921, he was still working as such at 307 W. Mulberry St. He also helped his son, Maurice, in his auto garage business.
Prophetically, Leonard passed this life at his home from a worn-out heart exactly to the day his doctor said he would not live beyond.
* Leonard's siblings are: Centennial Bahr, Harvey Lewis Bahr, Frederick John Bahr, Jr., Norma Virginia Davis, Anne Edith Bahr Stevens, Minnie Bahr Miller-Gayhardt, Elizabeth Katherine Ingels.
[see also DeadFred.com]
In 1873 the family* moved to Cumberland, where his parents mortgaged a tract of land on Wills Mountain [see photo of cabin painting].
A depression hit Cumberland by 1877 and many people left to seek work elsewhere, while others remained in dire poverty. Leonard remembered his father as a cruel and tyrannical man. Indenturing of either himself and/or his siblings to work for neighbors in order to make money, was a common practice.
Frederick most likely died circa late 1885-87. Widowed Margaret was settled in Baltimore in 1888. In 1889, the Wills Mountain land, under default, was sold at public auction.
By 1893, Leonard probably moved to Baltimore. In 1894, Baltimore Business Directory lists Leonard as a shoemaker at 1180 Columbia Ave., in 1895 at 760 Ramsay, in 1896 at 623 S. Paca, and in 1897 in Lansdowne at the P.J. Monaghan Co.
Then, with the help of his mother who down paid for the land, Leonard built a house [see photo] on Elisabeth Ave. [was the street named after her?] in the Joshua Section of Lansdowne in 1897.
Leonard was the devoted husband of Elizabeth C. Fox [see memorial], marrying her in 1898 (in the original wooden church after which the Lutheran congregation first met in the home of her father, John A. Fox), in Lansdowne. He was confirmed into the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Our Saviour in Lansdowne on April 7, 1901.
Leonard was also the loving father of Maurice John Bahr and Leonard Marion Bahr, who painted his father's portrait [see photo] in 1927.
Leonard was a stocky, hard-working and honest man, and as his sons remembered, had a socialist leaning in politics. Apparently he was a pacifist in that he had an opportunity to do work in WWI and earn much money, but he called it "blood money" and turned it down.
Leonard was mostly a shoemaker, making a meager $10 a week. In 1921, he was still working as such at 307 W. Mulberry St. He also helped his son, Maurice, in his auto garage business.
Prophetically, Leonard passed this life at his home from a worn-out heart exactly to the day his doctor said he would not live beyond.
* Leonard's siblings are: Centennial Bahr, Harvey Lewis Bahr, Frederick John Bahr, Jr., Norma Virginia Davis, Anne Edith Bahr Stevens, Minnie Bahr Miller-Gayhardt, Elizabeth Katherine Ingels.
[see also DeadFred.com]
Leonard was 6th child (third son) of possibly ten children (eight known) born of Frederick John Bahr, and Margaret Kessler Bahr. Leonard was born in Back Creek (near Winchester) Frederick Co., VA. And it is very probable Leonard was named after his father's younger brother, Leonhard [see memorial].
In 1873 the family* moved to Cumberland, where his parents mortgaged a tract of land on Wills Mountain [see photo of cabin painting].
A depression hit Cumberland by 1877 and many people left to seek work elsewhere, while others remained in dire poverty. Leonard remembered his father as a cruel and tyrannical man. Indenturing of either himself and/or his siblings to work for neighbors in order to make money, was a common practice.
Frederick most likely died circa late 1885-87. Widowed Margaret was settled in Baltimore in 1888. In 1889, the Wills Mountain land, under default, was sold at public auction.
By 1893, Leonard probably moved to Baltimore. In 1894, Baltimore Business Directory lists Leonard as a shoemaker at 1180 Columbia Ave., in 1895 at 760 Ramsay, in 1896 at 623 S. Paca, and in 1897 in Lansdowne at the P.J. Monaghan Co.
Then, with the help of his mother who down paid for the land, Leonard built a house [see photo] on Elisabeth Ave. [was the street named after her?] in the Joshua Section of Lansdowne in 1897.
Leonard was the devoted husband of Elizabeth C. Fox [see memorial], marrying her in 1898 (in the original wooden church after which the Lutheran congregation first met in the home of her father, John A. Fox), in Lansdowne. He was confirmed into the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Our Saviour in Lansdowne on April 7, 1901.
Leonard was also the loving father of Maurice John Bahr and Leonard Marion Bahr, who painted his father's portrait [see photo] in 1927.
Leonard was a stocky, hard-working and honest man, and as his sons remembered, had a socialist leaning in politics. Apparently he was a pacifist in that he had an opportunity to do work in WWI and earn much money, but he called it "blood money" and turned it down.
Leonard was mostly a shoemaker, making a meager $10 a week. In 1921, he was still working as such at 307 W. Mulberry St. He also helped his son, Maurice, in his auto garage business.
Prophetically, Leonard passed this life at his home from a worn-out heart exactly to the day his doctor said he would not live beyond.
* Leonard's siblings are: Centennial Bahr, Harvey Lewis Bahr, Frederick John Bahr, Jr., Norma Virginia Davis, Anne Edith Bahr Stevens, Minnie Bahr Miller-Gayhardt, Elizabeth Katherine Ingels.
[see also DeadFred.com]
In 1873 the family* moved to Cumberland, where his parents mortgaged a tract of land on Wills Mountain [see photo of cabin painting].
A depression hit Cumberland by 1877 and many people left to seek work elsewhere, while others remained in dire poverty. Leonard remembered his father as a cruel and tyrannical man. Indenturing of either himself and/or his siblings to work for neighbors in order to make money, was a common practice.
Frederick most likely died circa late 1885-87. Widowed Margaret was settled in Baltimore in 1888. In 1889, the Wills Mountain land, under default, was sold at public auction.
By 1893, Leonard probably moved to Baltimore. In 1894, Baltimore Business Directory lists Leonard as a shoemaker at 1180 Columbia Ave., in 1895 at 760 Ramsay, in 1896 at 623 S. Paca, and in 1897 in Lansdowne at the P.J. Monaghan Co.
Then, with the help of his mother who down paid for the land, Leonard built a house [see photo] on Elisabeth Ave. [was the street named after her?] in the Joshua Section of Lansdowne in 1897.
Leonard was the devoted husband of Elizabeth C. Fox [see memorial], marrying her in 1898 (in the original wooden church after which the Lutheran congregation first met in the home of her father, John A. Fox), in Lansdowne. He was confirmed into the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Our Saviour in Lansdowne on April 7, 1901.
Leonard was also the loving father of Maurice John Bahr and Leonard Marion Bahr, who painted his father's portrait [see photo] in 1927.
Leonard was a stocky, hard-working and honest man, and as his sons remembered, had a socialist leaning in politics. Apparently he was a pacifist in that he had an opportunity to do work in WWI and earn much money, but he called it "blood money" and turned it down.
Leonard was mostly a shoemaker, making a meager $10 a week. In 1921, he was still working as such at 307 W. Mulberry St. He also helped his son, Maurice, in his auto garage business.
Prophetically, Leonard passed this life at his home from a worn-out heart exactly to the day his doctor said he would not live beyond.
* Leonard's siblings are: Centennial Bahr, Harvey Lewis Bahr, Frederick John Bahr, Jr., Norma Virginia Davis, Anne Edith Bahr Stevens, Minnie Bahr Miller-Gayhardt, Elizabeth Katherine Ingels.
[see also DeadFred.com]
