Sarah Baer Levy

 
     Sarah Baer was born in Miami County, Indiana in 1857.  She was one of five children. Sarah’s father emigrated to the United States from Germany in 1846 and immediately settled in Peru.  He was a merchant who traveled across Miami County buying furs and selling goods.  By 1870 Sarah and her parents and siblings were living in the small city of Peru, Indiana.  Sarah’s father was a pillar of the Jewish religious community in Peru and was a leader in the synagogue.  He served as a reader and was the synagogue president for much of the congregation's history.  In 1886 Sarah married Felix Levy. He was a French immigrant who had in the early 1880’s opened what was for many years one of the finest dry good and millinery stores in the Peru area.  It was located at 58 South Broadway.  The couple moved into the Baer home at 11 Court Street in Peru.   Sarah and Felix had a son whom they named Irving in 1889 and a daughter whom they named Florence in 1892.  Tragedy engulfed Sarah and the Peru Jewish community in 1901 when her father passed away.  Felix closed his store in 1909 and went into the business of manufacturing underwear with Fox Brothers Manufacturing Company.  Sarah was busy in the community life of Peru and organized the Peru Art Club.  She was a prominent female representative of the Jewish Community in the club, social and philanthropic life of Peru.  On the 30th of January 1917, Sarah Baer Levy was elected Vice Chairman of the newly formed Miami County Chapter of the American Red Cross.  Her role was that of Acting Chairman much of the time. Sarah’s son Irving joined the Navy in 1918 and after the war moved to New York to live near his sister who was a Broadway actress who went by the stage name “Florence Irving”.  She was actually in a Broadway hit called “The Last Warning” in 1924.  Sarah’s heart was once again broken in 1920 when her mother died.  The Levy family continued to live in Peru and Felix worked in a cotton mill.  In 1928 Felix and Sarah move to New York to be near their children.   But in the early 1930’s their daughter Florence married and moved to London.  Felix died in 1935 leaving Sarah and their son Irving in New York.   At age 80, after a life of giving to her family and her community, Sarah also passed on in 1938.  Her remains were brought home to Peru, Indiana to be placed at Mount Hope Cemetery. 

 Researched, written and submitted by Mary Rohrer Dexter

Works Cited

“Felix Levy Dead In New York - Burial Here.” Peru Republican, 13 Dec. 1935.

“ ‘Find A Grave Index," Database, FamilySearch (Https://Familysearch.org/Ark:/61903/1:1:QVVV-T16Y : 11 July 2016), Sarah Baer Levy, 1938; Burial, Peru, Miami, Indiana, United States of America, Mount Hope Cemetery; Citing Record ID 22289284, Find a Grave, Http://Www.findagrave.com.”

“ ‘Indiana Marriages, 1811-2007," Database with Images, FamilySearch (Https://Familysearch.org/Ark:/61903/1:1:QV99-JTWV : 10 December 2017), Hirsch Baer and Adelaide Blumenthal, 06 Sep 1853; Citing Miami, Indiana, United States, Various County Clerk Offices, Indiana; FHL Microfilm 2,431,845.”

“ ‘Indiana Marriages, 1811-2007," Database with Images, FamilySearch (Https://Familysearch.org/Ark:/61903/1:1:QV99-KF91 : 10 December 2017), Felix Levy and Sarah M Baer, 14 Apr 1886; Citing Miami, Indiana, United States, Various County Clerk Offices, Indiana; FHL Microfilm 2,431,846.”

“ ‘Indiana Marriages, 1811-2007," Database with Images, FamilySearch (Https://Familysearch.org/Ark:/61903/1:1:QV99-KF9C : 10 December 2017), Felix Levy and Sarah M Baer, 14 Apr 1886; Citing Miami, Indiana, United States, Various County Clerk Offices, Indiana; FHL Microfilm 2,431,846.”

“ ‘Indiana Marriages, 1811-2007," Database with Images, FamilySearch (Https://Familysearch.org/Ark:/61903/1:1:QV99-KNM3 : 10 December 2017), Hirsch Baer and Adelaide Blumenthal, 06 Nov 1853; Citing Miami, Indiana, United States, Various County Clerk Offices, Indiana; FHL Microfilm 2,431,847.”

“ ‘Indiana Marriages, 1811-2007," Database with Images, FamilySearch (Https://Familysearch.org/Ark:/61903/1:1:QV99-P2DY : 10 December 2017), Felix Levy and Sarah M Bair, 14 Apr 1886; Citing Miami, Indiana, United States, Various County Clerk Offices, Indiana; FHL Microfilm 2,431,964.”

“Levy Rites Conducted.” Unknown Newspaper. Sarah Levy obituary.  Newspaper and date  of clipping unknown.

“Miami County Indiana Jewish Population.” doi:https://www.in.gov/dnr/historic/files/hp-Miami_County.pdf. Indiana gov historical file pdf

“‘New York, New York City Municipal Deaths, 1795-1949," Database, FamilySearch (Https://Familysearch.org/Ark:/61903/1:1:2W2S-528 : 10 February 2018), Sarah Baer Levy, 10 Apr 1938; Citing Death, Manhattan, New York, New York, United States, New York Municipal Archives, New York; FHL Microfilm 2,107,786.”

“‘New York, New York City Municipal Deaths, 1795-1949," Database, FamilySearch (Https://Familysearch.org/Ark:/61903/1:1:2WK5-H66 : 11 February 2018), Felix Levy, 09 Dec 1935; Citing Death, Manhattan, New York, New York, United States, New York Municipal Archives, New York; FHL Microfilm 2,079,084.”

Peru City Directory. 1901. Page 21

“ Record Collection: Wiki LinkUnited States Census, 1870  Document Information: Household ID          115 Line Number   30 Affiliate Name       The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) Affiliate Publication Number          M593 GS Film Number          000545842 Digital Folder Number           004263017 Image Number     00405 Citing This Record ‘United States Census, 1870," Database with Images, FamilySearch (Https://Familysearch.org/Ark:/61903/1:1:MX63-Z41 : 12 April 2016), Sarah Baer in Household of Hirsch Baer, Indiana, United States; Citing p. 15, Family 115, NARA Microfilm Publication M593 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, N.d.); FHL Microfilm 545,842.”

“ ‘United States Census, 1880," Database with Images, FamilySearch (Https://Familysearch.org/Ark:/61903/1:1:MH9T-NR1 : 14 August 2017), Sarah Baer in Household of Hirsh Baer, Peru, Miami, Indiana, United States; Citing Enumeration District ED 119, Sheet 513A, NARA Microfilm Publication T9 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, N.d.), Roll 0298; FHL Microfilm 1,254,298.”

“ ‘United States Census, 1910," Database with Images, FamilySearch (Https://Familysearch.org/Ark:/61903/1:1:MK53-XJP : Accessed 24 April 2018), Sarah Levy in Household of Adelaide Baer, Peru Ward 4, Miami, Indiana, United States; Citing Enumeration District (ED) ED 131, Sheet 2A, Family 37, NARA Microfilm Publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), Roll 371; FHL Microfilm 1,374,384.”

“‘United States Census, 1920," Database with Images, FamilySearch (Https://Familysearch.org/Ark:/61903/1:1:MF7T-B6M : Accessed 24 April 2018), Sarah B Levy in Household of Felix Levy, Peru Ward 4, Miami, Indiana, United States; Citing ED 160, Sheet 1A, Line 2, Family 1, NARA Microfilm Publication T625 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1992), Roll 441; FHL Microfilm 1,820,441.”