John M. Deer
One of the many retired farmers now living in tlie county seat of Fayette county is John M. Deer, who was for manv years a prosperous farmer in Concord township. There is a certain degree of satisfaction in summing up the career ot a retired farmer because the very fact that he is retired is conclusive evidence that he has made a success of his life work. That such is the case with Mr. Deer is shown by his fine farm of two hundred and fifty-two acres in Concord and Union townships where he lived so many years. His whole life up until a few years ago has been spent in agricultural pursuits and such has been his good management that he has acquired a very comfortable competence for his declining years.
Mr. Deer, the son of Absalom and Elizabeth (Wilson) Deer, was born in Highland county, Ohio, November 22, 1837. His father was a native of Culpeper county. Virginia, and came to Highland county when he was a young man. Absalom Deer was one of four children, the others being Fielding, Nancy and Margaret. To Absalom Deer and wife were born five children: Mary (deceased), John M., Henry (deceased), Amy and Chadford (deceased).
John M. Deer attended the primitive schools of Highland county, Ohio, and was a pupil of the McVey and Cox schools in that county. As a lad he was earlv acquainted with hard manual labor and helped with all the work on his father's farm. He commenced working by the month when he was eighteen years old in Highland county and after he was married he located in Fayette county, Union township. He came to Favette county in 1855 and later bought land in Union township and as he prospered added to his land holdings until when he retired, in 1913, he had one of the finest farms in that township. He owned at one time five hundred and four acres, but gave each of his sons a farm.
Mr. Deer was married in 1858 to Anna Liza McClellan, the daughter of William and Margaret (Wright) McClellan. To this union there were born four children: James, who married Bertha L. Schenk and has two children, Eugene H. and John M.: Edwin, who married Carrie Kline and has two children, Ruth and Cline ; Rufus, who married Carrie Reed and has one daughter, Juanita; Carey, who married Alma McCoy and has one son, Heber. The first wife of Mr. Deer died some years ago and he later married Alma Mark, the daughter of Thomas and Sina Mark.
Politicallv. Mr. Deer is a Democrat and, although he has always been interested in good government, yet he has never been active in political affairs. He and his wife are consistent members of the .Methodist Episcopal church and take a very active part in church work. Mr. Deer is a man of strong convictions and is a firm believer in the Golden Rule. He is a friend to all worthy causes and has lived a life which has endeared him to a large circle of friends throughout the county.
From History of Fayette County Ohio - Her People, Industries and Institutions by Frank M. Allen (1914, R. F. Bowen & Company, Inc.)
John Martin Deer, farmer and stock raiser, is a son of Abraham and Elizabeth Deer, who were natives of Virginia. They came to Ohio about 1830, and settled on the waters of Rattlesnake Creek, in Highland County. Here the father died about 1865. The mother is still living, and is more than seventy years of age. They were the parents of seven children, four sons and three daughters: William died when quiite young; Mary married, and lives in Ross County, this state; Henry married, and resides in the State of Indiana; David S. died in his twenty-second year, and was unmarried; Anna A. married Mr. Patch, and lives near Washington; the mother is living with her; one child died in infancy.
John M., our subject, was born in Highland County, Ohio, November 22, 1837. He married Anna E. McCleland, December 23, 1858. They have had six children, four sons and two daughters. The daughters both died in infancy. James W., Edmund L., Rufus L., and Cary O., are at home with their parents, working on the farm. Mr. Deer and wife entered upon their married life with but little of this world's goods; but by real industry and frugality, rigidly adhering to his one legitimate business, and the blessing of a kind Providence, they are the possessors of some two hundred and fifty-two acres of most excellent land, located a short distance west of Sugar Creek, on the Snow Hill pike, where they reside in a magnificent brick house, built by John Cox, Esq., a few years since.
From R. S. Dills' History of Fayette County