Frieda Henrietta Albertina Merzke

Frieda's Confirmation

Frieda Henrietta Albertina Merzke, Maria and Henry's fifth child, was born at home at 26 Alphonse Street on November 20, 1894. She was baptized December 8, 1894 at Concordia Lutheran Church. Her sponsors were Albertina Merzke, Henriett Holinke and Frieda's maternal grandfather, Julius Smarcz. Frieda and her younger sister Ella were both November babies.  They were similar in temperament and particularly close friends growing up.

from left - Norm Tallman, Frieda, Ella and Gus Keller

Frieda married Gustov Richard Keller of Rochester, New York on November 23, 1915 in Concordia Lutheran Church. Attending the couple were her sister Luella (Ella) Merzke and Norman Tallman. Gus and Norm Tallman had met in Rochester where they worked as streetcar conductors after serving in the First World War. Gus met Frieda and wanted to date her, but Papa Merzke would not let her go out with Gus alone. The resourceful couple solved that problem by fixing up Ella with Norm so they could double date and appease Papa. This plan worked so well that Ella and Norm also married.

Sadly, Frieda and Gus had only ninety-four short days of married life together.  Frieda died at her parents' home at 181 Weaver St. on February 25, 1916. She died of diabetes in the arms of her mother.  Frieda is buried in Mount Hope Cemetery.

At the time of Frieda’s death, doctors knew what diabetes was, but did not know how to treat it.  How helpless and terribly sad Maria must have felt.  Frieda was the fourth and last child that Maria and Henry would out live.  The next seventeen years would be filled with weddings and many grandchildren. 

Gus Keller remarried later that year, had four daughters and become a chiropractor. By all accounts, he lived a happy and comfortable life.

Anna Bertha Marie Merzke

(The Story of Two Little Girls Named Anna)

Anna Bertha Marie Merzke, the second child and first daughter, was born at home at 82 Maria St. on October 19, 1890. She was baptized that same day. Her sponsors were Albert Bonke and Caroline Rach. (Note: This Caroline Rach was not Maria's mother. She was most likely Maria's aunt by marriage.) Anna's middle name and baptismal name are those of her mother and not those of her sponsors as was typical for the Merzke naming pattern. Baby Anna died the next day, October 20, 1890 at home. The cause was listed as convulsions. She was buried October 21, 1890 in Mount Hope Cemetery.

Maria's half-sister, Anna Smarcz was born to Julius and Albertina Smarcz on June 6, 1887 in Stolp, Prussia. She came to America with her parents and older brothers in the early spring of 1892. Upon arrival, the family came to Rochester and came to live with Maria and her young family. Anna had little time to get acquainted with her big sister Maria and her family. Anna Smarcz died of diphtheria on Mar 17, 1892 at the age of 4 years, 11 months and 11 days. She is buried at Mount Hope Cemetery in the same burial plot with her big sister's daughter Anna Merzke.

For years and years my father, Floyd and his sister, Marian decorated the graves of their parents and four sisters buried in Mount Hope Cemetery. I went along with them for as long as I can remember. For all those years that they planted flowers for their sister Anna, I do not believe they had any idea there were two little girls named Anna buried in that grave. I only discovered the fact while researching the family history.

Maria Bertha Smarcz Merzke

Maria Bertha Smarcz was born December 22, 1869 in Stolp in the Pommern section of Prussia.  She was the second child of Julius Smarcz and Caroline Rach. As a young woman she worked in the brickyard and this is likely where she met Henry the stonemason. Maria probably came to the United States in 1888. She traveled alone by ship in steerage passage at a cost of $25. She came to Rochester New York where she joined Henry.  Maria was 18 years old. Maria and Henry eventually had sixteen children including two sets of twins.

Maria learned to read and write in English. She especially enjoyed reading westerns and mystery novels. She was an excellent homemaker and cook. She taught all of her children to be good cooks. Each day was devoted to a specific task.  Monday was washday, Tuesday for ironing, etc. On Saturday Maria baked bread.  Saturday night’s supper would be scrambled eggs with ham and warm homemade bread with butter. She ruled the house with an iron fist but always kept it covered with a velvet glove. If Henry came home two nights in a row having had too much to drink, she never had words with him. She just cut back on his spending money.

After Henry’s death, Maria continued to live in the Weaver St. home with her youngest son Floyd.  She had no retirement income to speak of and for this reason she preferred gifts of money for her birthday and Christmas.  It was this money she would use to give gifts to her many grandchildren.

Maria died on November 9, 1946 of Carcinoma of the Peritoneum & Acitoo (liver cancer) at the home of her daughter Marge Magin at 102 Balmeade Drive in Irondequoit New York. At the time of her death there was a newspaper strike. News broadcaster Al Siegel read the death notices on the radio. There were so many flowers at the funeral that they were three rows deep all the way around the room. Maria is buried with Henry in Mount Hope Cemetery.