Joseph Duerr, dealer in fresh and salt meat, Perryville, Mo., is a native of Germany, and was born in the Grand Duchy of Baden, March 5, 1849. He is a son of Michael and Rosa Duerr, both of whom are also natives of the Grand Duchy of Baden, born in 1806 and 1816 respectively. Michael Duerr was a weaver by trade, and lived and died in the Fatherland. He died in 1886, and his wife in 1868.

Joseph was reared in his native country, and worked in a factory. In 1873 he immigrated to America. He stopped for a few months in Cairo, Ill., from whence he went to Cape Girardeau, Mo., and commenced working in a butcher shop.

He remained there four years as an apprentice, and in 1878 he was united in marriage with Mary Brocker, also a native of Germany, who was born in 1859, and came to the United States when three years of age. This marriage has been blessed by the birth of three children: William, Hulda and Apalona.

In politics Mr. Duerr supports the principles of the Democratic party. He and wife are members of the Catholic Church.

The Goodspeed Publishing Company compiled a series of histories of various counties in the U.S. in the late 19th century. The information in the History of Southeast Missouri, published in 1888, was provided by the contemporary residents of Perry County and her neighboring counties. The biographies are a valuable source of genealogical information, despite a few minor inaccuracies. We are glad to present the transcribed biographies here for anyone researching Perry County's history.