Vojtejek or Joseph F. Mertl, Sr.   1870-1963

 

 

Born:  January 10, 1870 in Hredle, Mutejovic, Czechoslovakia

Died:  July 23, 1963 in Davenport, Iowa

 

Spouse:        Frances (Vavrinek) Mertl

Children (More information on each child noted below):

 

Occupation:  Farming, Laborer at Steel Plant

 

Father’s name: ? from Bohemia                       

Mother’s name:  ? from Bohemia

Siblings:        Agnes Mertl

 

Please go to daughter Anna Bertha (Mertl) Hilak’s page to read her remembrances about immigrating and life in Iowa.

 

Possible Grandmother is Anna Mertl, born February 20, 1767 Vsenice,  Rokycany, Czech., daughter of Vojtech and Marketa (Cermakova) Mertl.

 

Immigrated in 1911 (port of departure was Antwerp and arrival in New York, NY.) and went to New Baden, Illinois where he met is Brother-in-law Frank Vavrinek.  He naturalized in Davenport, Iowa on September 16, 1924 along with his wife Frances.

 

In the 1920 census, the family is living in Bettendorf, Iowa.  Joe and Frances both list their place of birth simply as Bohemia.  The both list each of their parents as from Bohemia as well.  The oldest daughter shows her place of birth as Westphalia, Germany.  That was in 1906, so evidently the family was on the move.                

The photo is dated March 18, 1937.

 

Details regarding children:

  • Agnes (Mertl) Gazurek, born January 26, 1896, died January 1987 in Hampton City Virginia.  Husband’s name was Frank, who possibly died in 1964.  They were married June 9, 1913 in Davenport, Iowa.
  • Bertha (Mertl) Hladik  was born June 7, 1900 and died February 4, 2004 at the age of 103 in Davenport, Iowa.  She married Martin Hladik on August 2, 1919 in Bettendorf, Iowa.  Martin was her 2nd marriage.  She first married Nicholas Jasper in Davenport, Iowa on October 27, 1917.  He apparently passed away shortly thereafter.  (I do not have details about this.)  Bertha and Nicholas had one child named Raymond.  So this boy never really knew his father.  Bertha and Martin Hladik had a daughter named Julia.  Martin died in June of 1964.  Julia married Norris McKamey, a broadcast engineer for WHBF-TV out of Rock Island and they lived on the property next to parent’s farm, but had no children.  Son Raymond moved to Binghamton, NY.  He a mechanical engineer graduating for the University of Iowa and worked at General Electric’s jet engine division.  He died having committed suicide by contriving a device that exploded a shotgun shell at his head.  In other words, he shot himself without using a gun.
  • Mildred Anna (Mertl) Vobr , born January 15, 1902 (in Hamr, Czechoslovakia),
  • Anna Bertha (Mertl) Hilak, born July 8, 1904.
  • Emma (Mertl) Slama, born June 26, 1906 and died May of 1990.
  • Joseph Mertl, Jr., was born December 15, 1912. He married Ila McKown on June 6, 1942 and they had 1 daughter, Ruth Ann.  Ila was born February 24, 1910 and died October 31, 1991 in Davenport, Iowa.  Daughter Ruth Ann 1st married a Mr. Trego, divorced and remarried Craig Dobereiner (sp?). They lived on Geneseo, Illinois and had 3 children; Craig Jr., Leslie, and Lynn.  Ruth Ann has divorced and remarried twice more for a total of four ex-husbands.  She now lives alone in her father’s home.   I do have some info regarding the children’s families.  Write me if needed.  Joseph Mertl, Jr. suffered with Alzheimer’s and passed away about 2005.
  • Albert Edward Mertl, born September 9 or 15, 1919.  Served in WWII at the rank of T/4 and received a Bronze Star Medal for action in New Guinea.  On June 23, 1944, while under heavy fire, Al and 10 other men assisted with the evacuation of wounded from a point while on an enemy-held shore.  (From The Field Artillery Journal, October, 1944.)  After WWII, he married Eileen in Milwaukee, WI.  Joe Hilak, Anna Bertha’s husband was his best man.  Al and Eileen had 2 children, Mary Louis and Linda Kay.  Mary Louis married John Hartman

 

Albert Mertl’s rank of T/4 was new to the US Army, beginning in 1942. 

A Technician Fourth Class was considered to be a non-commissioned officer

with status and pay equal to a Sergeant and

having a specialty or technical training in a specific area.

 

 

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