Lynn Geer Pryor, Ginger August, Audrey Geer Masalehdan, Ken Geer       Larry Geer     Hersh-Geer

                              Ginger August                 Rosemary Rainbolt Vergin                 Richard and Dorothy Geer

We had a great time meeting new relatives, hearing the presentations, watching Geer silent movies, & visiting the many historical sites of interest in Johnstown: the Johnstown Flood Museum, the Inclined Plane, the Flood National Memorial, The Path of the Flood Trail, the Flight 93 Memorial, & the Heritage Discovery Center's America Through Immigrant Eyes.

The great grandson of #1 George Geer, Roger Geer [ID #88], Revolutionary War Patriot, led many Geer family members to the Johnstown area in the first years of the 1800s. They first settled in Blacklick, a small settlement around Indiana County, but are now spread across Western Pennsylvania from Johnstown to Pittsburgh to Erie to McKean. Roger Geer [#88] is buried in the Old Liberty Street Cemetery in Blairsville about 30 minutes from Johnstown.

Of special interest to the Reunion attendees was Johnstown's Grandview Cemetery, which has two Geer plots near each other dating back to our Civil War veteran ancestor, James Henderson Geer [ID #599-1], who was Roger Geer's great grandson. After surviving the Johnstown Flood, James H. Geer designed & constructed the Inclined Plane to facilitate evacuation from flooded low-lying areas. He also was a renowned smelting inventor, Superintendent of Construction for Cambria Iron Company, and later Bethlehem Steel. These photographs of headstones are from Grandview Cemetery.

       
        James Henderson Geer [ID #599-1]

James Henderson Geer's son, Dr. Frank Densmore Geer, Sr. [ID #599-1-5, 1876-1938, Johnstown] attended the University of Pittsburgh & graduated from the University of Pennsylvania Dental School in 1899. His son, Dr. Frank Densmore Geer, Jr. [ID #599-1-5-1 1902-1955 Johnstown] joined his father's Johnstown dental practice.

                 
      Dr. Frank Densmore Geer Sr. [#599-1-5]                           FDG Sr. Headstone                 Dr. Frank Densmore Geer Jr. [#599-1-5-1]

Frank Densmore Geer Jr. had three sons. The first, Dr. Frank Densmore Geer III, MD psychiatrist (ID #599-1-5-1-1 b. 1923 Johnstown, d. 1999 New Castle), was a member of the Geer Family Association since its rejuvenation in June 1976 & generously donated funds to cover GFA's operating costs. The second son, Roger Friesell Geer (ID #599-1-5-1-2, b. 1927 Johnstown, d. 2012 NM) is the Geer family member responsible for GFA's 1976 resurrection & served as GFA President for many years. The third son, James Henderson Geer (#599-1-5-1-3 b. 1932 Johnston, d. 2015 Lancaster), graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 1954, served as a pilot in the U.S. Air Force, rising to the rank of first lieutenant. After earning a Ph.D. in psychology, he held faculty positions at SUNY-Buffalo, Penn, SUNY-Stony Brook, LSU, & published 72 scholarly articles, 5 books & 15 book chapters. His ashes were scattered at Grandview Cemetery.

Dr. James Henderson Geer (#599-1-5-1-3)           Dr. Frank Densmore Geer III (#599-1-5-1-1)         Roger Friesell Geer (#599-1-5-1-2)

At the 2023 Johnstown Reunion, tables lining the walls displayed historical documents, creative genealogies, photographs & many other items of interest.

2023 Johnstown Reunion Presentations

• Ginger August: Ginger, who trained as a nurse, told us about her Geer ancestors who were medical doctors. Ginger served as the GFA Historian since its inception and retired last summer. She spoke about her work & thanked all those who helped her along the way. As the historian, Ginger answered genealogical questions & selected letters & photos to be published in the GFA newsletter. Ginger wrote many (maybe most!) of the newsletter articles. GFA as it exists today would not exist without Ginger.
  
• Audrey Geer Masalehdan: Audrey read a letter written by her GGGGrandfather James Geer (ID #246) written in 1843 to his daughter Myraetta, telling her about the death of her brother, James Geer Jr. The details in the letter give personal insight into this large and loving family and clear up some genealogical questions that have lingered over the years.
  
• Bob & Robb Geer-Hersh: Bob & Robb brought us GOOPY GEER, a singing, dancing, piano-playing animated cartoon dog created in 1932 for the Merrie Melodies series of cartoons from Warner Brothers. You can find Goopy on YouTube. Bob & Robb also brought Geer family films from the 1930s through the early 1950's for our viewing pleasure.
  
• George Geer: George told is about Corporal Thomas Geer of the 111th NY Volunteer Infantry Regiment in the Civil War, which was heavily involved in the Battle of Gettysburg in July 1863.
  
• Larry Geer: Larry told us about John Geer (332) who in 1803 purchased a farm in what is now Griswold CT. This farm stayed in the family until 1946. Larry provided photographs of The Geer Homestead on Geer Road.
  
• Richard Geer: Richard sang his original ballad, Brothers about his Geer family and accompanied himself on the guitar.
  
• Lynn Geer Pryor: Lynn told us about Minnesota Hunters and Trappers in the Geer Family, featuring George Franklyn Geer (9th gen from George, GFA ID 668-5-1-3-7) and Michael Paul Geer (10th gen from George, GFA ID 668-5-1-3-3-2), her uncle and brother.
  
• Beth Snyder Parley Geer's children and grandchildren: They told us about Mary Filer Geer and Geer men and women of Kansas, Oklahoma, and Colorado.
  
• Rosemary Rainbolt Vergin: Rosemary told us about her 2nd Great Grandfather Noah Webster Geer (New York born teenage Civil War veteran, son of Erastus M. Geer, husband to Eunice Barton, father of Lena & Grace Geer) who died at age 31 on September 4, 1877, as the result of a lumber planing mill accident in Grand Valley, Warren County, Pennsylvania.

                      Oregon Governor Theodore Thurston Geer                                     T.T. Geer Plaque

Theodore Thurston Geer born March 12, 1851 in Waldo Hills east of Salem, Oregon, was the son of Heman Johnson Geer and Cynthia Ann Eoff. He served in the Oregon House of Representatives, including time as its Speaker, and was the tenth Governor of Oregon, the first native-born Oregonian to hold that position. He served from January 9, 1899, to January 14, 1903, and died February 21, 1924. Geer was known for being an enthusiastic participant in the 1890s bicycle craze and signed the 1899 Cycle Path legislation passed by the State Legislature to create a statewide network of bicycle paths. As governor T.T. Geer regularly bicycled from his home in Macleay to the Capitol. T.T. Geer married Nancy Batte Duncan. They had three children.
                                                Photographs of the 2016 Oregon Reunion can be viewed here.

The 2013 Triennial GFA Reunion Ledyard, Connecticut July 21-23

The 2013 GFA general meeting, held in Ledyard, Connecticut on the weekend of June 21, 22 and 23, 2013 was hosted by Ken Geer, the GFA Registered Agent. The business meeting was held at the Congregational Church in Ledyard, as it has been in the past. President Gene Geer presided. Officers for the next three years were elected, presentations included talks on local history and the stonecutting profession in Connecticut. The always popular Show and Tell displays by Geer/Gere/Gear participants were appreciated by all. As was this special Geer cake!

Left photo: Gary Byrd, George Kellas, Sue Ellen Byrd Moore, Janie Batty, Judi Geer Kellas, Jon "Tiger" Geer, Laura Byrd Cooley, and L.J. (Jon) Geer.
Right photo: Len Byrd Murray, Janie Batty, Renee Gautier Hague, Laura Byrd Cooley, and Sue Ellen Byrd Moore.