John Franklin Wier, who passed away in his home in this city Monday, November 27^th [1911], was born in Franklinville, N.Y., January 13, 1840. Two years later his parents removed to Rushford, New York, which was his home until 1862. In that year he entered his country's service as a private in Company D, 64th N.Y. Inf., and served until the close of the war, part of the time with this regiment and part of the time on detached service in various parts of the South.

He was married in Rushford on July 5, 1859, to Clarinda Swift, and they came to Lansing in 1872, where they have since made their home. After fifty years of wedded life, his widow remains to mourn his loss, as do his only daughter, Mrs. Theodore Kerndt, and his only sister, Mrs. J.W. Thomas, both of this place. A son, Charles, preceded him in death. During his residence here he was employed for a number of years ______ factory of Pockfinger & Boeckemeier and afterward engaged in contracting and building, having built many grain elevators through western Iowa, southern Minnesota and South Dakota, in which line of work he excelled.

He served for several terms as City Assessor and as Post Master for four years, from 1899 to 1903, in which position he made a most efficient and accommodating official.

Deeply interested in the G.A.R., he served for some time as Commander of the local Post and both in and out of office was always concerned for the welfare of his comrades, many of whom remember gratefully his assistance in securing their pensions. He missed attending but one Memorial Day service in many years, this being in 1910, when he was unable to go to the cemetery with the few survivors of the great conflict on account of illness. Although far from well at the time he attended the services in 1911.

His last illness was from dropsy and covered a period of about two years, during which relatives and friends many times despaired of his recovery. His indomitable will and courage each time made it possible for him to recover from what seemed a fatal attack until, each attack leaving him weaker, he finally succumbed.

Mr. Wier always kept an abiding interest in his old home town of Rushford and went back there in 1908 to a Home Coming, in celebration of the one hundredth anniversary of the founding of the village, in which event he took a prominent part.

Although a zealous republican of the old school, deeply interested and successful in promoting his party's welfare and aiding its candidates he was yet able to maintain most friendly and cordial relations with those of other political faith.

He was buried on Wednesday, the 29th, in Oak Hill cemetery after a short service at his late home conducted by Rev. Robert Bradley of the Presbyterian church. His familiar face and cherry [? sic] greeting will be missed by a multitude of friends.

John's obituary courtesy of Penny Kerndt , John's great-granddaughter.