Border Watch (Mount Gambier, SA : 1861 - 1954) Tuesday 10 June 191910013

OBITUARY.

MR. C. O. SPEHR.

Deep regret was expressed over O.B.
Flat on Saturday evening when it be-
came known that Mr. Christian Otto
Spehr, farmer there, had died suddenly
that afternoon. The deceased had been
out on a duck-shooting expedition with
his brother-in-law, Mr. H. Ploenges,
and he died in his buggy when return-
ing. When coming through the Mount
Schank estate, near the windmill, Mr.
Spehr casually, asked Mr. Ploenges,
"What about dividing the ducks
amongst us?" Then, without warning,
he collapsed. Mr. Ploenges conveyed
Mr. Spehr to the nearest residence,  
that of Mr. Frost, at the O.B. Flat
cheese factory, from where Dr. King
was summoned. Dr. King deemed it
unnecessary to go there, as he had, for
some time, been treating Mr. Spehr for
heart trouble.
Mr. Spehr was the youngest son of
the late Mr. Heinrich Spehr, of Milli-
cent, and was born at Blumberg, S.A.,
in 1856. He was thus in his 63rd year.
He married Miss Augusta Ploenges in
1882. He leaves her a widow with nine
children; The sons are Messrs. H. and
E. Spehr, Casterton; B. O. Spehr, Al-  
landale;-and O. H. and Arthur Spehr,
O.B. Flat. The daughters are Mes-
dames O. J. Berkefeld, E. W. Frost, and
W. Welgus, and Miss Louise Spehr.
The surviving brothers of the deceased
are Messrs. G. Spehr, Millicent; Louis
Spehr, Furner; and A. C. Spehr, Mount
Gambier, and there is one sister, Mrs.
Otto Ey, of Moorak. Mr. C. O. Spehr
carried on farming on a large scale
for many years in the district. He
came to Millicent with his parents and
some other members of the family
about 1864. For a number of years he,
with his brothers, assisted his father
on his farm there, and then came to
Mount Gambler. On the death of Mr.
Ploenges, his father-in-law, some 40
years ago, he assumed the management
of the farm, which he afterwards pur-
chased, and carried on till the end. For
several years he was connected with
the chaff and timber business in the
premises, now occupied by -Mr. W.
Bartlett. Mr. Spehr was a worthy re-
sident of the district, and will be much
missed. He always took an active in-
terest in the welfare of the district,
and for 15 years' represented the O.B.
Flat Ward as a member of the Mount
Gambler East Council. He was fond of
sport, and was a good shot. He was of
an obliging and kindly disposition, and
his generosity and that of Mrs. Spehr
in throwing open again and again their
premises for patriotic and other pur-
poses is well known and will long be
remembered by the people of the
neighborhood.    
The funeral was held yesterday,
and was numerously attended, for Mr.
Spehr was well known and highly re-
spected wherever and by whomsoever
he was known. The Rev. F, W. Mat-
schoss conducted the last services of
religion at the graveside. Mr. G. Lewis
was funeral conductor.