Wedding of Albert Zehler and Ida Crerar - 1899
Albert Francis Zehler was born November 21, 18762, in Bennington, New York, the sixth child of Charles Zehler and Mary Backe. His earliest years were spent on the family farms in Bennington. At a young age, however, his family moved to Warsaw, New York, when his father retired from farming. On April 24, 1899, Albert married Ida Mae Crerar at St. Michael's Roman Catholic Church in Warsaw160. Ida was born August 26, 187918, in Michigan, the daughter of Peter Crerar and Elizabeth O'Neill. Peter and Elizabeth were both born in Canada of Scottish parents and immigrated to America. How Ida came to be in Western New York is unknown.
As a young man, Albert began working in a Button Factory, a career he pursued throughout his life. In 1905161, Albert and Ida, along with their three young children, were living in Akron, New York. By 1910144, however, they had moved back to Warsaw, where they lived on Brooklyn Street, their residence for many years162. In addition to his work in the Button Factory, Albert and Ida supplemented their income by maintaining rental property.
After retirement, Albert and Ida frequently visited their children, Ralph, who lived in Pennsylvania, Mary who lived in Dallas and Charles who lived in Buffalo. It was on a visit to Dallas that Albert fell ill and died on January 21, 1947163. Following Albert's death, Ida sold their home in Warsaw and lived with her son Charles or her daughter Mary, alternating between Buffalo in the summer and Dallas in the winter. In the fall of 1972, Ida uncharacteristically delayed packing for the trip south. Then in January 1973, Ida died of stomach cancer, an illness she had keep from her family for some time40.
The children of Albert and Ida are:
Fourth Generation
| i. | Ralph Peter Zehler | Ralph was born January 18, 190018, and he died August 14, 199518. Ralph married Mildred L. Pierce. |
| ii. | Mary Eleanor Zehler | Mary was born July 4, 190218, and she died October 9, 199618. Mary married William Leander McClusky. |
| iii. | Charles C. Zehler | Charles was born February 27, 190418, and he died in October 27, 198918. Charles married Harriett R. Shook on March 1, 1947, at Corry, Pennsylvania257. Harriett was born April 6, 190318, and died February 25, 198518. |
Four Generations of the Charles Zehler Family
left to right: Ralph Peter Zehler, Ralph Pierce Zehler, Charles Zehler and Albert Zehler
Ralph Zehler
Ralph Peter Zehler was born January 18, 1900160, the first child of Albert Zehler and Ida Crerar. He grew up with his family in Akron and Warsaw. As a youth, he began working as a turner in a button factory145, presumable the same factory that employed his father. Ralph's father had plans for him to become a lawyer, a profession Ralph was not interested in. So, Ralph and his high school sweetheart, Mildred L. Pierce, eloped in 191840. We have been told that, Ralph had no contact with his father until the birth of his first child in 192340. However, Ralph and Mildred are listed as part of Albert's family in the 1920 U.S. Census145, and they may have live with them briefly.
Ralph and Mildred were married at Elkton, Maryland in March of 1918. Mildred was born on March 14, 1901, the daughter of Edwin R. Pierce and Lena C. Meade. After their marriage, Ralph and Mildred initially settled in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, near Philadelphia, where Ralph worked in a machine shop apparently owned by a distant relative40. Later, the family moved to Chester, Pennsylvania, where Ralph began a career with the Reading Railroad40. From time to time, the family moved to various locations, finally settling in Ridley Township, Pennsylvania. During his career, Ralph advanced to be a train engineer.
In 1967, after his retirement, Ralph and Mildred moved to Palmyra Virginia164. Mildred died there on October 16, 197718, and Ralph died on August 14, 199518. They raised a family of four children.
Mary Zehler
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| William and Mary McClusky |
Mary Eleanor Zehler was born July 4, 190218, the second child of Albert Zehler and Ida Crerar. She grew up with his family mainly in Warsaw, New York. On April 11, 192340, Mary married William Leander McClusky. William was born February 27, 190240, the son of William S. McClusky and Katherine Gaffney.
In 1920165, William was living with his parents in Java and was working at a bank. Following their marriage, William and Mary settled in Warsaw, New York, where he continued working in a bank and where their six children were born40. Shortly after 1930, the family moved to Le Roy, New York, perhaps as a result of a transfer. It was there that William developed an eye infection which nearly left him blind. As a result he could no longer work in the bank, so the family moved to Rochester, New York, to live with his mother40. Four years later, in 1936, William obtained a job with the M.J. DeLaney Drilling Co., of Dallas, Texas, a company founded by his Uncle, Michael DeLaney40. Thereafter, William and Mary lived in Dallas, and William worked in the oil industry.
William died on November 24, 198440, in Dallas, and Mary died there on October 9, 199618
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