The early history of the family of Gorr began in the United States in Pennsylvania prior to the Revolutionary War, where they settled on coming from Germany. The grandfather of our subject, George Gorr, was born, reared, married and died in Lehigh County. He married Miss Weaver, of German descent, also a native of Lehigh County, who died there. Both she and her husband attained the age of over threescore years.

The father of our subject is Henry Gorr, still living in Allentown, Lehigh County, eighty-one years old. He was the second son of George Gorr, was born in Macungie, Lehigh County, was reared on the old Gorr homestead, and was married there to Miss Lydia Buck, also a native of Lehigh County, and of similar ancestry, having come of an old Pennsylvania-Dutch family. She died in 1877 in Lehigh County, aged sixty-eight. The father was a Lutheran, and the mother a member of the German Reformed Church. They were worthy people, living active lives.

Our subject was the third of nine children. His birth occurred on the old homestead in Lehigh County, Sept. 25, 1834, and he was educated in the common schools. He lived at home until his marriage in Emaus, Lehigh County, April 2, 1855, to Miss Lena Christ, daughter of Samuel and Christina (Fehr) Christ, natives also of Lehigh County, where they were farmers. They lived and died in the county of their nativity. The father was born Nov. 20, 1808, and died Feb. 27, 1865. The mother was born Sept. 20, 1809, and died Jan. 14, 1887. The father of Samuel was the son of Henry Christ, who was born May 1, 1778, and died Feb. 17, 1865. He was married to Maria Knauss, who was born April 7, 1782, and died Jan. 21, 1838. Henry Christ was the son of George Christ, who was born Feb. 12, 1753, in Lehigh County, and married Catharine Andress, who was born June 27, 1775, and died March 19, 1828. George Christ was the son of Christian Christ, a native of Palatinate, Germany, and was born there Sept. 9, 1714, married Miss Catharine Bergdatt, and came to America in 1749, making his home in Upper Milford Township. The farm upon which he settled, proved to be valuable for its deposits of iron ore, and was sold to a company who utilized the deposits years ago. The place was hilly, and yet was put in a high state of cultivation by those hardy Germans. The family had always been farmers by occupation, and were identified with the Moravian religion after they left the Fatherland.

Mrs. Gorr ws born Aug. 20, 1837, in Lehigh County, and is the second child of the three children born to her parents. Maria is the wife of G. H. Gorr, and resides in Emaus, Lehigh County; George S. is a physician living in Jewell City, Kan. He married for his last wife, Nora Hanston.

After Mr. and Mrs. Gorr married, they lived on a farm in Lehigh County, and thirteen years later came to Illinois, landing in Dakota Township in the fall of 1865, where they purchased eighty acres of land. This Mr. G. has improved, and added to it eighty acres, the whole forming a very fine piece of property, upon which he has erected a handsome residence and an immense barn of modern style. His place is well stocked with good cattle and other domestic animals. Mr. Gorr and wife are the parents of thirteen children. Of these, Mary A. is the wife of I. G. Wise, book-keeper for Burgman & Dorman, of Freeport; Carrie E. is the wife of Harry Seiger, a carpenter, and lives at Afolkey, Dakota Township; Samuel H. took to wife Lydia Morris; he is a farmer, and lives near Davenport, Neb. William A. married Susan Bemear; he is a carpenter, and also lives near Davenport, Neb. Martha S. is the wife of Hezekiah Lambert, residing in Chatron, Neb.; Harry G. is single and lives with his sister; Emma C. is the wife of Daniel Klopp, and resides in this county on a farm; James O. and Lovene A. (twins), Ada L., Ella L. and Mabel L., all live at home.

Mr. and Mrs. Gorr have reared their children to be upright and intelligent boys and girls. Their health has been so extraordinary that their father has never had to incur any medical expense on account of sickness on their part. Mr. Gorr has held the minor offices of the township, and is a Republican in politics.

Cotnributed by Carol Parrish Portrait and Biographical Album of Stephenson County, Ill. (1888), p. 538.