Martin and Mary Zehler - about 1881
Mathias Zehler was born in Nuhweiler, Rhine Province, Prussia, and came to America in 1856, with his parents. On January 15,
1867
The children of Martin and Mary are:
Third Generation
| i. | Angeline Zehler | Angeline was born in June 187235, and she in died 195840. Angeline married Harry L. Hand. |
| ii. | Anna Marie Zehler | Anna was born on October 2, 187536, and she died on April 3, 195036. Anna married Herman Avink. |
| iii. | Martin Jacob Zehler | Martin was born on April 6, 187811, and he died on August 4, 194637. Martin married Nora M. Keating. |
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| Martin's Baptismal Record |
Mathias Zehler was born February 15, 18415, in the tiny village of Nuhweiler, the sixth child of Peter Zehler and Anna Maria Klasen. His birth was registered with the civil authorities at Wadern the following day5. However, Mathias' baptismal record4, shown at right, gives his date of birth as December 16th, a discrepancy which is common for four of his siblings. (see Peter for additional comments).
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| Martin's Birth Record |
Mathias grew up on the family farm in Nuhweiler. Then, at the age of 15, he came to America with his parents and eight siblings. After arriving in America, Mathias, soon began work as a farm laborer, following the example of his older brothers. Thus in 1860, at the age of 19, he was residing on the farm of Benjamin Thatcher in the Town of Murray, Orleans County, New York, and working as a farm laborer16. Then in 1865, he was working on the farm of Joseph Billings, again in Orleans County125. By this time, he was going by the name Martin, a name he continued to use throughout his life.
On January 15, 1867, Martin married Mary Veit at St. Cecilia's in Sheldon1. Maria was born August 31, 1846126, in Selbach, Principality of Birkenfeld, Oldenburg, the daughter of Peter Veit and Catharine Dewes. The Veit family was another of the immigrant families from the Saar area who settled in Sheldon and Bennington. They came from the village of Selbach, a few kilometers east of Mettnich. Peter and Anna Maria Zehler, along with Mathias and his siblings, may have hidden in Selbach during the year prior to coming to America. At the time Selbach was located in the Principality of Birkenfeld, which was governed by Oldenburg, making it a likely place to avoid the Prussian authorities. This period in the family's history remains a mystery.
After their marriage, Martin and Mary continued to live in Orleans county, where he worked as a farm laborer. About 1871, Martin joined his oldest brother, John, and moved to Michigan, where he found work in the lumber industry. In November 1871, they purchased a house in the city of Big Rapids17. However, they only lived in Big Rapids for a brief time, for in March of 1873, Martin and Mary sold their property to his younger brother, Frederick, and proceeded to move to Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Martin and Mary lived the remainder of their lives in Grand Rapids, raising a family of three children. Martin continued to work in the lumber industry and his death certificate gives this occupation as Lumber Scaler11. Martin died on July 31, 191111, and Mary lived on until 1919127. They are buried in Mt. Cavalry cemetery, Grand Rapids, Michigan. Martin's head stone bears the name Mathias Zehler.
Anna Zehler:
Anna Marie Zehler was born October 2, 187535,36, in Grand Rapids, the second child of Martin Zehler and Mary Veit. She grew up in Grand Rapids, and was still living with her parents in 1900, while working as a Clerk35.
About 1910136, Anna moved to Los Angeles, California, living in Hollywood, again working as a Clerk. Anna may have traveled West with her brother, Martin, who was living in San Francisco in 1910137. About 1920, Anna had married Herman Avink138. Herman, who had immigrated from Holland in 1875, was born about 1870. He worked from his house as a Carpenter.
Herman died August 29, 194536, and Anna died April 3, 195036, in Los Angeles. They had no children.
Martin Zehler:
Martin Jacob Zehler was born April 6, 187840, in Grand Rapids, the third child of Martin Zehler and Mary Veit. He grew up with his family in Grand Rapids, and was still living with his parents in 1900, working as a laborer. Sometime before 1907, Martin moved to San Francisco, California. There, in about 1907, he married Nora M. Keating40. Nora was born November 9, 1886, in New Orleans, Louisiana18.
In 1910, Martin was living on 24th Street in San Francisco, and working as a Bridgeman, building bridges in the San Francisco Bay area137. Martin died on April 26, 1943139, in San Francisco, and Nora died June 1, 197418,140, in Union City, California.
The children of Martin and Nora are:
Fourth Generation
| i. | Dorothy Ruth Zehler | Dorothy was born on September 13, 190818, and she died on September 4, 199718. Dorothy married (1) Charles Aloysius Mcclory and (2) Frederick C. Cutchshaw. |
| ii. | Martin Jacob Zehler | Martin was born on August 28, 191018, and he died on May 11, 199118. Martin married Wilma Black |
Dorothy Zehler:
Dorothy Ruth Zehler was born September 13, 190818, in San Francisco, California, the first child of Martin Zehler and Nora Keating. She grew up in San Francisco and in August 192940, she married Charles Aloysius McClory, a San Francisco attorney. Charles and Dorothy had one child. In the 1930's40, Charles and Dorothy divorced. Charles died January 4, 197318, in San Francisco.
On June 10, 193940, Dorothy married Frederick C. Cutchshaw in Reno, Nevada. Frederick was born January 21, 190518. Frederick and Dorothy initially lived in San Francisco, where Frederick was an Accountant. They later moved to San Diego, California. Frederick died April 5, 197918, in San Diego and Dorothy died on September 4, 199718, in Anaheim California.
Martin Zehler, Jr.:
Martin Jacob Zehler was born August 28, 191018, in San Francisco, California, the second child of Martin Zehler and Nora Keating. He grew up in San Francisco, where he followed in his father's footsteps by becoming a Bridgeman40. On September 4, 1954, he married Wilma Black in Carmel, California. Wilma was born July 1, 191718, in Mason City, Iowa, the daughter of Henry Black and Louise Leonard. Martin and Wilma lived in Los Altos, San Francisco and Sebastopol, California.
Martin worked as a pile driver for the Port of San Francisco40. His career included work on the Golden Gate Bridge and the Bay Bridge40. Martin was a veteran of WWII and served as a Sergeant in the Army Engineer Corp40. Wilma was trained as a business secretary and was employed as Secretary for the Binks Manufacturing Co. in San Francisco40. Before her marriage to Martin, she was Secretary and Expediter for Westinghouse Electric in Minneapolis, Minnesota, for fifteen years40.
Martin Zehler died in Sebastopol on May 11, 199118, and Wilma died there December 10, 200518.
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