Born to Eleazer John Bierbower and Matilda MacElvey (Matilda McKelvey), John was their ninth and last known child. Eleazer was a buggy finisher, which was a highly skilled trade.
The "HISTORICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ILLINOIS AND HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY Volume II - Biographical Chicago: Munsell Publishing Company, Publishers 1912, p. 1039 " states, in a bio of John's brother, that "James M. Beerbower was brought up in poverty but was given a common school education." This was probably true for Eleazer John/John Eleazer as well.
John was living with his brother Samuel in the 19 Jun 1880 US Federal Census in Marion, Marion Co., Ohio and listed as a "Clerk in P M." His brother Samuel was listed as "P M" for his occupation. ("P M" stood for 'Postmaster.')
John was listed as an upholsterer in the 1880 City Directory for Indianapolis, Marion, Indiana, a skill he may have learned from his father. He is noted as Eleazer Jr. He was employed at 261 Massachusetts Ave., with his residence at 5 Vine. (His mother was living at this address in 1885, but is not listed in 1880 in the City Directory.)
On 1 May 1881, John married Jane Elizabeth Cockrell in Crawford Co., Ohio. Their son Percy was b. in Indianapolis, IN on 18 Jan 1885. John was listed as working as a clerk and residing at 145 Bellefontaine, Indianapolis, in the 1885 City Directory.
Daughter Elsie was b. 6 Mar 1889 in Columbus, Franklin, OH. John is noted in the Columbus City Directories for 1889, 1890, and 1891 as a clerk.
John has not been found in the 1910 census, but his wife and daughter were traveling for Elsie's stage career- she started very young, and her mother was her manager. They are listed in Columbus, OH in the 1910 census but John is not included, and his wife, now using the name "Josephine Janis," is listed as divorced. By 1912 he was listed as living in New York per his brother James M's bio. Elsie may have been performing in NY at that time.
The date of divorce for John and Jane's marriage is unknown, but he remarried, to Louise Butler probably sometime before 31 Jul 1919 when their son John Butler Bierbower was born in California. The three are listed in Los Angeles Assembly District 72, Los Angeles, CA in the 1901 census enumerated 10 Jan 1920. Son John B. was just 5 months old. He is noted in the 24 Apr 1920 passport application completed by his first wife, Jane/Jennie, as living in Los Angeles, CA.
Daughter Elsie Janis became one of the biggest stars in the world. She was known as "The Sweetheart of the A.E.F" for her work with the troops in Europe during WWI.
John died of arteriosclerosis and associated problems. He was cremated by Clover Lawn Crematory/Benbough Funeral Parlors but the location of the ashes is unknown.
Daughter Elsie Janis Bierbower, the stage actress, FAG Memorial #10334. Son is Percy John Bierbower, Find A Grave Memorial# 59292617.
The "HISTORICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ILLINOIS AND HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY Volume II - Biographical Chicago: Munsell Publishing Company, Publishers 1912, p. 1039 " states, in a bio of John's brother, that "James M. Beerbower was brought up in poverty but was given a common school education." This was probably true for Eleazer John/John Eleazer as well.
John was living with his brother Samuel in the 19 Jun 1880 US Federal Census in Marion, Marion Co., Ohio and listed as a "Clerk in P M." His brother Samuel was listed as "P M" for his occupation. ("P M" stood for 'Postmaster.')
John was listed as an upholsterer in the 1880 City Directory for Indianapolis, Marion, Indiana, a skill he may have learned from his father. He is noted as Eleazer Jr. He was employed at 261 Massachusetts Ave., with his residence at 5 Vine. (His mother was living at this address in 1885, but is not listed in 1880 in the City Directory.)
On 1 May 1881, John married Jane Elizabeth Cockrell in Crawford Co., Ohio. Their son Percy was b. in Indianapolis, IN on 18 Jan 1885. John was listed as working as a clerk and residing at 145 Bellefontaine, Indianapolis, in the 1885 City Directory.
Daughter Elsie was b. 6 Mar 1889 in Columbus, Franklin, OH. John is noted in the Columbus City Directories for 1889, 1890, and 1891 as a clerk.
John has not been found in the 1910 census, but his wife and daughter were traveling for Elsie's stage career- she started very young, and her mother was her manager. They are listed in Columbus, OH in the 1910 census but John is not included, and his wife, now using the name "Josephine Janis," is listed as divorced. By 1912 he was listed as living in New York per his brother James M's bio. Elsie may have been performing in NY at that time.
The date of divorce for John and Jane's marriage is unknown, but he remarried, to Louise Butler probably sometime before 31 Jul 1919 when their son John Butler Bierbower was born in California. The three are listed in Los Angeles Assembly District 72, Los Angeles, CA in the 1901 census enumerated 10 Jan 1920. Son John B. was just 5 months old. He is noted in the 24 Apr 1920 passport application completed by his first wife, Jane/Jennie, as living in Los Angeles, CA.
Daughter Elsie Janis became one of the biggest stars in the world. She was known as "The Sweetheart of the A.E.F" for her work with the troops in Europe during WWI.
John died of arteriosclerosis and associated problems. He was cremated by Clover Lawn Crematory/Benbough Funeral Parlors but the location of the ashes is unknown.
Daughter Elsie Janis Bierbower, the stage actress, FAG Memorial #10334. Son is Percy John Bierbower, Find A Grave Memorial# 59292617.
Born to Eleazer John Bierbower and Matilda MacElvey (Matilda McKelvey), John was their ninth and last known child. Eleazer was a buggy finisher, which was a highly skilled trade.
The "HISTORICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ILLINOIS AND HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY Volume II - Biographical Chicago: Munsell Publishing Company, Publishers 1912, p. 1039 " states, in a bio of John's brother, that "James M. Beerbower was brought up in poverty but was given a common school education." This was probably true for Eleazer John/John Eleazer as well.
John was living with his brother Samuel in the 19 Jun 1880 US Federal Census in Marion, Marion Co., Ohio and listed as a "Clerk in P M." His brother Samuel was listed as "P M" for his occupation. ("P M" stood for 'Postmaster.')
John was listed as an upholsterer in the 1880 City Directory for Indianapolis, Marion, Indiana, a skill he may have learned from his father. He is noted as Eleazer Jr. He was employed at 261 Massachusetts Ave., with his residence at 5 Vine. (His mother was living at this address in 1885, but is not listed in 1880 in the City Directory.)
On 1 May 1881, John married Jane Elizabeth Cockrell in Crawford Co., Ohio. Their son Percy was b. in Indianapolis, IN on 18 Jan 1885. John was listed as working as a clerk and residing at 145 Bellefontaine, Indianapolis, in the 1885 City Directory.
Daughter Elsie was b. 6 Mar 1889 in Columbus, Franklin, OH. John is noted in the Columbus City Directories for 1889, 1890, and 1891 as a clerk.
John has not been found in the 1910 census, but his wife and daughter were traveling for Elsie's stage career- she started very young, and her mother was her manager. They are listed in Columbus, OH in the 1910 census but John is not included, and his wife, now using the name "Josephine Janis," is listed as divorced. By 1912 he was listed as living in New York per his brother James M's bio. Elsie may have been performing in NY at that time.
The date of divorce for John and Jane's marriage is unknown, but he remarried, to Louise Butler probably sometime before 31 Jul 1919 when their son John Butler Bierbower was born in California. The three are listed in Los Angeles Assembly District 72, Los Angeles, CA in the 1901 census enumerated 10 Jan 1920. Son John B. was just 5 months old. He is noted in the 24 Apr 1920 passport application completed by his first wife, Jane/Jennie, as living in Los Angeles, CA.
Daughter Elsie Janis became one of the biggest stars in the world. She was known as "The Sweetheart of the A.E.F" for her work with the troops in Europe during WWI.
John died of arteriosclerosis and associated problems. He was cremated by Clover Lawn Crematory/Benbough Funeral Parlors but the location of the ashes is unknown.
Daughter Elsie Janis Bierbower, the stage actress, FAG Memorial #10334. Son is Percy John Bierbower, Find A Grave Memorial# 59292617.
The "HISTORICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ILLINOIS AND HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY Volume II - Biographical Chicago: Munsell Publishing Company, Publishers 1912, p. 1039 " states, in a bio of John's brother, that "James M. Beerbower was brought up in poverty but was given a common school education." This was probably true for Eleazer John/John Eleazer as well.
John was living with his brother Samuel in the 19 Jun 1880 US Federal Census in Marion, Marion Co., Ohio and listed as a "Clerk in P M." His brother Samuel was listed as "P M" for his occupation. ("P M" stood for 'Postmaster.')
John was listed as an upholsterer in the 1880 City Directory for Indianapolis, Marion, Indiana, a skill he may have learned from his father. He is noted as Eleazer Jr. He was employed at 261 Massachusetts Ave., with his residence at 5 Vine. (His mother was living at this address in 1885, but is not listed in 1880 in the City Directory.)
On 1 May 1881, John married Jane Elizabeth Cockrell in Crawford Co., Ohio. Their son Percy was b. in Indianapolis, IN on 18 Jan 1885. John was listed as working as a clerk and residing at 145 Bellefontaine, Indianapolis, in the 1885 City Directory.
Daughter Elsie was b. 6 Mar 1889 in Columbus, Franklin, OH. John is noted in the Columbus City Directories for 1889, 1890, and 1891 as a clerk.
John has not been found in the 1910 census, but his wife and daughter were traveling for Elsie's stage career- she started very young, and her mother was her manager. They are listed in Columbus, OH in the 1910 census but John is not included, and his wife, now using the name "Josephine Janis," is listed as divorced. By 1912 he was listed as living in New York per his brother James M's bio. Elsie may have been performing in NY at that time.
The date of divorce for John and Jane's marriage is unknown, but he remarried, to Louise Butler probably sometime before 31 Jul 1919 when their son John Butler Bierbower was born in California. The three are listed in Los Angeles Assembly District 72, Los Angeles, CA in the 1901 census enumerated 10 Jan 1920. Son John B. was just 5 months old. He is noted in the 24 Apr 1920 passport application completed by his first wife, Jane/Jennie, as living in Los Angeles, CA.
Daughter Elsie Janis became one of the biggest stars in the world. She was known as "The Sweetheart of the A.E.F" for her work with the troops in Europe during WWI.
John died of arteriosclerosis and associated problems. He was cremated by Clover Lawn Crematory/Benbough Funeral Parlors but the location of the ashes is unknown.
Daughter Elsie Janis Bierbower, the stage actress, FAG Memorial #10334. Son is Percy John Bierbower, Find A Grave Memorial# 59292617.
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