OBIT: Christian H. LEFEVRE, 1890, Lancaster, Lancaster County, PA

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SUDDEN DEATH OF THE VENERABLE CHRISTINA H. LEFEVRE.
His End Hastened by the Prevailing Epidemic - A Man of Many but 
Unostentatious Charities.

  Our community was startled and pained, on Sunday, on hearing that Mr. 
Christian H. Lefevre, one of our most venerable, most worthy and most 
beloved citizens, had died suddenly at his residence, North Duke 
street, between 9 and 10 o'clock, Sunday morning.  His death was caused 
by pneumonia, which had been brought on by an attack of the prevailing 
epidemic.  His health had been declining for month past, but he was in 
his office on East King street last Wednesday.
  Mr. Lefevre belonged to one of the oldest, most numerous and most 
influential families of Lancaster county.  He was born on the old 
Lefevre homestead in Strasburg township, nearly 80 years ago.  He read 
law in early manhood, but, while he loved the study, the practice was 
distasteful to him, and he abandoned the idea of adopting the law as a 
profession.  He was married in early life to Martha Eshleman, a member 
of another well-known and influential Lancaster county family, and one 
daughter resulted from this union.  She was given a thorough education, 
and grew to be a most accomplished young lady.  She made the tour of 
Europe, many years ago, and soon after her return, died, regretted by 
all who knew her.  Mrs. Lefevre, the mother, soon followed her only 
child, and for years past the subject of this notice has lived a lonely 
life, content with managing the affairs of the Home Mutual Fire 
Insurance Company, which he organized, and with works of charity.  An 
inheritor of considerable wealth, he added largely to it, and his 
possessions were large.  Economical in his tastes and habits, he was 
yet an exceedingly generous man when recipients of his generosity 
appeared to him to be worthy.  Was it an appeal for relief from 
sufferers by flood, or fire or disease?  He was among the first to 
respond, giving liberally of his means, but cautioning those to whom he 
gave to make no mention of it, if it could be avoided.  He donated the 
ground upon which the Mennonite meeting house on East Chestnut street 
stands, and contributed to the erection of that building.  He was a 
Mennonite by birth and faith, and became a member of the Chestnut 
Street Mennonite church on the day after last Christmas.

He Improved the City.

  He was a public spirited man, and improved the city in a material 
sense by building a row of brick dwelling houses on East Chestnut 
street, and others on Ann and Sherman streets.  He was a father to his 
tenants, regarding them as his community; and if sickness came upon the 
head of the family or lack of work, it was his habit to relieve the 
distressed party from the payment of the rent for a time.  This was a 
part of his charity - an organized system of relief to those who stood 
close to him.

As an Organizer.

  Mr. Lefevre exhibited rare qualities as an organizer in his 
organization of the Lancaster County Home Mutual Fire Insurance 
Company, the charter for which was granted on May 1, 1861.  The 
deceased was secretary of the company, one of the most prosperous of 
this section, from its inception; and after the removal of D. G. 
Swartz, Esq., to Chicago, some years ago, he also became the treasurer 
of it, and so remained - secretary and treasurer - until about a month 
ago, when he positively declined a re-election to these offices, but 
consented to remain a director.  Mr. H. L. Frailey succeeded him as 
secretary and Mr. Martin Kreider as treasurer.

As a Student at Law.

  Mr. Lefevre read law with Hon. William Jenkins, father of Mrs. Wm. B. 
Fordney; and, with so distinguished a preceptor, and backed by a large 
and influential family connection, his future in his chosen profession 
was one of great promise.  But the faith that was in him would not 
conform to his ideas of the practice of law and he abandoned it.  His 
knowledge of the law, however, stood him in good service in the matter 
of legal forms in the conduct of his extensive business affairs.

Surviving Relatives.

  A sister of the deceased, Mrs. Sarah Witmer, widow of the late Jacob 
H. Witmer, survives at the age of ninety years, and lives with her 
daughter, the wife of Rev. Amos Herr, near Refton.  Geo. N. Lefevre, 
(who is a member of the Lancaster Bar and publisher and editor of The 
Home, a temperance paper published in this city(, and Mr. Frank 
Lefevre, of this city, are his nephews.  Miss Salome Lefevre, prominent 
in all good works in this city, and who was at one time a missionary to 
India, is a niece of the venerable man.
  Christian H. Lefevre was a Christian in the broadest, deepest, best 
sense of the term.  His life was unassuming and filled with deeds of 
goodness.  He died, as he had lived, at peace with his fellow men and 
with his God, and "his good works shall live after him."

The Lancaster Daily Examiner, Monday, January 27, 1890

DIED.

  LEFEVRE.  January 26, 1890, in this city, Christian H. Lefevre, aged 
77 years.
  The relatives and friends of the family are respectfully invited to 
attend the funeral, from his late residence, No. 235 North Duke street, 
on Thursday afternoon at 2 o'clock.  Interment at Lancaster cemetery.

The Lancaster Daily Examiner, Tuesday, January 28, 1890