When John E Gehrig Lost A Bet & Had To Carry 25lbs of flour from Milton To Northumberland

The Lewisburg Journal, November 1868

A Queer Bet—Dr. C. H. Dougal and John E Gehrig, entered into an agreement previous to the election to this effect: If Grant's majority in this State was 15,000 or over, Mr. Gehrig was to walk from here to Northumberland with a twenty- five pound sack of flour on his back, which was to he given to the poorest woman in that place, the . recipient to be designated by three of the prominent citizens of the borough. If Grant did not receive 15,000 majority in the State, Dr. Dougal was to carry the flour. The “provisions*’ of the bet are |to be “carried” out on Saturday, November 14, 1868| —and the winner of. the bet is to ride in a buggy behind the loser, to see that the latter carries out the contract.. We opine the road to Northumberland will be well traveled on that day! And we have no doubt Mr. Gichrig has discovered by this | time that he is to carry the flour.

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In the Historical Notes published in the early 1920's the Miltonian records that on November 13 1868. "John E. Gehrig lost an election bet to Dr C.D. Dougal and carried a sack of flour on his shoulder from Milton to Northumberland, where a multitude awaited him, and he distributed the flour among the poor.".  Articles in the Sunbury and Lewisburg papers, copied from the Miltonian, list the date as November 14th 1868, a Saturday.  

In the 1850 census, John E. Gehrig is listed with his mother Angelica Gehrig.  His occupation is given as "Miller".  By 1870 he was married, and listed as a grocer.  His son Henry would later be a bottler, and liquor dealer, in Milton Pa.

In the 1870 census Gehrig was listed as a grocery, and in 1872, his store was robbed.

John E. Gehrig, born about 1822, was listed in the 1850 census as a miller

He died in Milton May 28th, aged 52 years 3 months and 21 days.