Matthias Beiriger was the third child of Peter & Margaretha (Wilbois) Beiriger. There are two dates given for Mathias' date of birth, the March 8, 1803 was provided by the Beiriger Family Bible in Marylynn O'Keefe possession, Leta Goedert, Marie Balaz and Linda Beiriger and February 5, 1800 was provided by the burial records at St. John Cemetery-where his last name was spelt as Beiricher on page 18 item 11. Mathias was born in Merchingen, Dept. Of Moselle, Germany: a hamlet near Merzig, located south of Trier, and east of the German/French border.
Mathias Beisriger married Anna Maria Kiefer according to the Germany Marriages, 1558-1929 on the 13th of March 1832 in Brotdorf, Rheinland, Prussia, Germany. While living in Germany their family would include Peter, Barbara, Elizabeth and John. Barbara would only live for a couple of months.
Matthias and Mary and their three children emigrated to America from Le Havre, France on the ship Bazaar and would arrive in New York, New York on July 8, 1840. Their destination was St. John Township in Northwest Indiana, near the southern shores of Lake Michigan, an area during that time was seeing the last vestiges of the Potawatomi Indians.
Matthias and Mary (Keifer) Beiriger had 13 children: Peter, Barbara, Elisabeth, John, Mary, Mathias, Nicholas, Jacob, Casper, Joseph, George, Anna and Susan [born October 12, 1859 and passed away the same year.)
During this time they would travel to Chicago over land that had no road or bridges to sell their produce. At the Lake County Recorders' office on page 332 in book 93 Matthias has a deed for property on March 9, 1852; a Certificate for another 40 Acres for $1,853.00 signed by Prsident Franklin Pierce on the 15th day of April in 1853; on Jan 17, 1945; he purchased a Patent for Swamp lands containg 40 acres for Fifty Dollars; 1, Aug, 1844 Matthias purchased 40 acres; 30th day of August 1854 for $300.00 bought 30 acres more or less; sold 30 arces on September 13, 1855 to Adolph Shutte; and for Mary, his wife he purchased from her father John Jacob Keifer on the 5th day of Mar in 1860- 40 acres; Matthias would make a purchase for another 40 acres on March 15, 1860 for five dollars. The August 10th, 1860 Census shows that Matthias and Mary along with their children were residing on a farm in St. John, Indiana. Shortly after this last purchase Matthias would pass away on September 15th in 1860 in Brunswick, Indiana and would be buried on the 17th of September at St. John Cemetery in St. John, Indiana.