Taps sounded Friday, December 13, at 9:30 p.m. for Casper Leker and the veteran passed
to the bivouac of the Silent Army at the age of 80 years, 2 months and 2 days. Mr. Leker
was born October 11, 1832, at Melle, Hanover, Germany, and as a 18-year-old youth
emigrated to the United States, settling in St. Louis, where he worked in a brickyard
during the summer and found a job on a boat in winter. For a time he was employed in
Mancester, Mo., and Columbia, Ill. Being a patriotic citizen he came to the defense of his
country during the Civil War, enlisting October 28, 1862, in Coo. E, 16th Ill. Cavalry, and
serving till May 20, 1865, when he was mustered out. He was a brave soldier and was
wounded in one of the battles in which his company was engaged.

Two years after his return from the war Mr. Leker left St. Louis for Johannisburg where
with his brother, the late Henry Leker of Stuttgardt, Arkansas, he ran a brickyard. In
1875 he removed to Nashville and in 1881, in company with Henry Krueger and Wm.
Wessel, started a brickyard on the Krumsiek property, East Main street. In 1883 Krueger
and Wessel sold their interest in the plant to Wm. Wiese and Henry Klocke and later the
business was conducted by Wiese and Leker until 1891 when the latter sold out to Wm.
Wiese. Mr. Leker started a new brickyard across the road on the site of the old saw mill,
which he conducted for a time in partnership with his son August, to whom he turned
over the business when old age forced him to retire.

While living in St. Louis Mr. Leker contracted a marriage, but his wife and child died a
year later at Johannisburg. On April 28, 1869, he was married in St. Louis to Miss
Catherine M. Osterloh of Warren county, Mo., by Rev. Johann Buenger. Seven children
were born to this union, one son dying at the age of two years and Mrs. Emilie Tenfelder
passed away Feb. ?5, 1908. The surviving children are City Marshal August Leker and
Herman Leker of Nashville, Mrs. Lizzie Bolan of Milwaukee, Wis., Mrs. Emma Rohman
and Miss Tillie Leker of St. Louis.

Mr. Leker was a quiet, industrious citizen, honest and upright in all his dealings, a
faithful husband and father and good neighbor.