Anna Bertha (Mertl) Hilak   1904-1990 

1976 picture from their California home.

 

Signature form Anna’s Citizenship Certificate

 

Born:   July 8, 1904 in Bekhausen, Germany *

Died:   November 28, 1990 in Ontario, California.  There is a plaque at the Bellevue Memorial Park Cemetery with her husband, Joe.  However, as per her wishes, she was cremated and had her ashes scattered at sea in the Pacific Ocean. 

 

Spouse:          Jozef A. Hilak   m. September 17, 1921 in Bettendorf, Iowa.

Children:         Ed Hilak

                        Bob Hilak

                        Betty Jane (Hilak) Kowald

 

Father’s name:          Vojtejek ‘Joseph’ Mertl                    

Mother’s name:         Frances (Vavrinek) Mertl  

Siblings:         Agnes (Mertl) Gazurek

                        Bertha (Mertl) Hladik

                        Mildred (Mertl) Vobr

                        Emma (Mertl) Slama

                        Joseph Mertl

                        Albert Mertl   

 

A Rememberance, by Anna (Mertl) Hilak.  This document was handed down from Anna , to her daughter and my mother, Betty.  I’ve tried to faithfully transcribe it here.  The information in parentheses is hers, not mine.

 

A Rememberance, by Anna (Mertl) Hilak

 

The longest trip of my life began in March of 1912, when I was 7 years old. We left Obermarksloch, Germany to join our father in the United States. I remember eating at a restaurant and then boarding the ship in Antwerp, Belgium. We were on the ship for 14 days and landed in Canada. We boarded a train that went from Quebec to Montreal and Sault Saint Marie. The train was put on a ship (ferry) and crossed into the United States. We were Mother (Frances Mertl) and the five daughters: Agnes, Bertha, Mildred, Anna and Emma. Our train continued on to Chicago and the next stop was New Baden, Illinois. Our Dad (Joseph Mertl) had come to the United States one year earlier to find a job and stayed with my Uncle, Frank Vavrinek (Mother's brother). Our journey ended on March 15th, 1912.

Father was a coalminer. He had worked the mines in Czecho-Slovakia (Bohemia), then in Germany and now in New Baden, Illinois. This is where my brother, Joseph Mertl Jr. was born, - December 12th, 1912. My sister Agnes met Frank Gazurek, and shortly afterwards they married and moved to Bettendorf, Iowa.

Dad had to find other work at this time. Mother objected very much to dad working in the mines, as he had been hurt many times before. There were government agents talking families into going homesteading in Sandy Hook, Mississippi. Several families bought 40 acres. Dad also bought 40 acres and this is how we wound up in Mississippi. This was bottomland and was supposed to be good for growing sweet potatoes. Bertha did not go with us, she went to Bettendorf to be with Agnes, and worked doing housework. Only five of us went to Mississippi - Ma, Pa, Anna, Emma and Joe Jr.  The agents had promised there would be schools. After a few years some of the families left. Mother did not like it there because they did not build the schools and felt upset that the children were not in school. After about three years they left and went to Bettendorf, Iowa. Dad was broke and had to start all over again.

Mother worked at the Hotel doing laundry and cleaning. She also took in laundry for some bachelors. Our Dad went to the shoe shop to have our shoes fixed, and that's how mother did the laundry for Joe Lenoch, the shoemaker, who was Bohemian too. I had to deliver the clothes and this is where I first saw Joe Hilak. Emma was with me.  When Bertha got married, we invited Joe and that's how he got acquainted with the Mertl family. In the meantime, mother got me a job at the Hotel as a pantry girl.

Later, Bertha's husband Nick Jasper died, during World War I (1918). There was a flu epidemic and Nick died. Raymond, her son, was only four months old at the time. A short time later, Joe Hilak came over to see Bertha, but she was out with Martin Hladik. I had to take Dad his lunch, to where he was building our house at 2309 Bellevue Ave. It was on a Sunday and Joe Hilak went with me. We had to walk. This is how I got acquainted with him. Joe Lenoch is Joe Hilak's Godfather. Joe Lenoch was a widower and he married a young widow. He sold the business to Joe Hilak. Joe came over to the hotel to eat his dinner sometimes. Joe Lenoch then moved to Denver, Colorado.

We married September 18, 1921, and Ed was born. The business was very slow, the times were worse, so Joe sold the business. We moved to Cedar Rapids, Iowa in 1924. We lived there 2 years and also lost this job. In 1926 we moved to Kewanee, Illinois, and lived there for 10 years. Bob was born at 701 N. Main Street, Kewanee, Illinois on February 15, 1927. Betty was born at 1015 N. Main Street on May 8, 1934. During this time we had the Great Depression, which started in 1929. It had been coming on earlier, this was when all of the banks failed. A lot of people lost all of their money. We never had any money to put into the bank, but we lost everything that we had. This is when President Roosevelt gave the people food and clothing (The New Deal). We did get something for a couple of months. Dad had left for Chicago, and then Milwaukee, looking for a job. He found the job working for Abe Goldman, at Globe Shoe Remodelers in downtown Milwaukee. I left with the children for Milwaukee on May 30, 1936. Again, all we had with us were a few belongings, and we had to start over again.

 

A Little History on Bohemia

 

Bohemia was a rich and powerful empire in the 14th Century. It was located at the crossroads of Europe. It is a country of mountain, forests, farms and rich deposits of coal, iron, copper, gold and other minerals.

As time passes many wars are fought over this country. There was a 30 year war over religion - Between the Catholic and Protestants. This left the country much weaker and other rulers took over.

In the 19th Century, there was a revival of Czech literature and nationalism, resulting in a revolt against Austrian rule in 1848. The country helped fight during World War I and in 1918 the Czecho-­Slovak Republic was established.

It was during this time of unrest and uncertain conditions that Joseph Mertl and Frances Vavrinek were born and married and started to raise their family.

 

 

The year 1901 for Anna’s birth is in the Social Security Death Index.  The wrong year may have been given to the U.S. government when Social Security numbers were issued.

 

*Lhota, Bohemia is what the immigration documents say.  The area was/is part of Austria and today would be part of the Czech Republic.  However, my mother has it noted that her mother’s place of birth was Bekhausen, Germany and Anna listed Germany as place of birth on her marriage record.  Additionally, I have a copy of what appears to be a Baptismal Record that also shows Bekhausen for place of birth and the family’s address (at the time) 152 Hessler St., Horst, Germany.

 

Loved Square Dancing and had a proud collection of dresses. She loved to play the accordion.

 

Anna received her Certificate of Citizenship on September 18, 1945.  Her address at the time is 5022 North 41st Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.            

 

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