David Weitz's family tree on www.ancestralfindings.com lists Christ Mertz and Regina Ruppel as Sophia's parents. More recent information from descendant of Anna Diener was taken from family bible.
Saginaw News Obit Archive:
Catherine Mertz (Jan 1 1863, Reinhard - Dec 14 1948, Saginaw) married Gottlieb Bolger in 1885 in Russia. He died in Feb 1911 at age 50. She immigrated from Russia to Caro MI, then Saginaw in 1904. Church: Zion Luth. Both buried at Oakwood Cemetery in Saginaw.Kathrina Bolger 1880, "German Province of Europe" - Aug 28 1962, Saginaw, married (1) Jacob Mertz, and (2) Adam Wagner in Yale MI in 1929. 7th Day Adventist church. Buried at Pinegrove.
A Marie Katherine Mertz from born in 1895 in Reinwalt Russia died in Saginaw 1975 married Alex F Eurich, buried in Forest Lawn Cem, listed in Saginaw News Obituaries Online. Alex born 1893 Russia d. 1977 Saginaw buried ForestLawn. Thus, Mertz-Spindler/Mertz-Eurich/Spindler-Eurich marriages.
Rosalie Mertz Martin b. 1903 Rhinewalt Russia moved to US 1903 (Crookstown MN) moved to Saginaw 1918 m. Frederick Martin d. 1963 Saginaw
Alice Mertz Els (1888 Russia-1968 Bridgeport MI) moved to Saginaw 1905 married John Mertz in Lincoln Neb(1905), Jacob(1943) buried Oakwood (died Sun Valley Med Ctr) church Immanuel Luth
Molly Mertz b. 1903 in "German Colony Russia", married Frank Piaszek, & died Dec 24 1984 in Saginaw, bur Roselawn.
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1798 census for Reinhard, Russia, transcribed by Brent Mai, lists the following:
Johannes Mertz, head, age 42; Anna Elisabeth Bork, sp, 38, from Nieder-Monjou; Johann Christian, son, 13; Johann Philipp, son, 5; Johannes, son, 2; Johann Jakob, son, 3 mo; Margaretha Elizabeth, daughter, 16; Christina, daughter, 13; Katharina Margaretha, daughter, 7; Elisabeth Siegfried, his mother, age 75.
1798 census for Reinwald, Russia -- Peter Mertz, head, age 45; Anna Margaretha Oberheim, spouse, 32; Johann Philipp, son, 15; Katharina, daughter, 25; Johannes Eurich, son-in-law, 30; Maria Elisabeth, granddaughter, 6mo; Elisabeth Margaretha, daughter, 13; Susanna Katharina, daughter, 5; Anna Elisabeth, daughter, 3; Anna Margaretha, daughter, 1.
Also from Reinwald in 1798: Philipp Mertz, head, 47, Margaretha Koerber, spouse, 53; Andreas, son, 21; Johann Martin, son, 13; Johann Peter, son, 7; Christina, daughter, 18; Elisabeth Margaretha, daughter, 15.
The mother of Sophia is more likely to be Regina Schaefer, according to family bible of descendant of Anna Diener, but the following notes about the Ruppel family were made before the new info came to light:
Possible relatives: Elizabeth Ruppel Spindler 1903(German Province, Russia)-1994(Saginaw) m. Jacob Spindler
Karl Ruppel m. Anna C (1877, Reinwald- Jul 1951, Saginaw).
Julia Ruppel (Dec 18 1878, Reinwald - Mar 23 1961, Saginaw, St John Luth, bur Oakwood, m. Christian Mertz Feb 4 1897, immig to US (Crookstown, MN) 1907, to Saginaw 1915.
Christian Ruppel (1884, Reinwald - Oct 2 1968, Flint, bur Roselawn in Saginaw, moved to Saginaw in 1911, lived in Flint 45 yrs).Germans from Russia arriving at the port of St. John, New Brunswick, Canada in
the year 1903.
Researched by George Dorscher, Alberta Chapter, GRHSSHIP: SS Lake Erie
DEPARTURE: Liverpool DATE: 24 Dec, 1902
ARRIVAL: St. John DATE: 5 Jan., 1903
NAME AGE DESTINATION
Ruppel, Johann 28 Caro, MI
Maria 28
David 5
Amalia 4
Johannes 1(Jacob Spindler family arrived in 1903 on SS Lake Megantie destination Caro, MI -- See SpindlerMertzShiplist1903.rtf)
SHIP: SS Lake Ontario
DEPARTURE: Liverpool DATE: 17 Dec., 1902
ARRIVAL: St. John DATE: 29 Dec., 1902
NAME AGE DESTINATION
Many of these names also appear among the list of
passengers aboard the SS Lake Erie that arrived in
St. John. Jan. 5, 1903. I do not know why this is.
Ruppel, Johann 28 Caro, MI
Marie 28
David 5
Amalia 4
Johann 1
Eittel, Jacob 18 Caro, MI -- Zittel?
Holzwart, Jacob 44
Marie 45
Heinrich 19
Katherina 15
Fritz 10
Maria 8
Karl 5
Jacob 3
David 1
Neuwart, Johann 29 Caro, MI
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Otto Ruppel child of John Sr. Ruppel 1905 (Sheboygan)-1965 (Saginaw) moved Saginaw 1920 mar Erna Fischer 1930
Casper Ruppel Sr. b 1874 Rhinewalt Russia d. 1964 Saginaw buried Roselawn, marr Amalia Fischer (d. 1957); immigrated 1907 NE moved Saginaw 1909.SCHNEIDER, John (Jack)
b. 10 Apr 1905 - Russia
d. 18 Mar 2001 - Farwell, Michigan
From Saginaw News, May 1, 2001
Son of David and Amelia (Wiegel) Schneider. He married Elizabeth RUPPEL on Sept. 5, 1926 in Saginaw and she survives him.
Surviving beside his wife Elizabeth are one daughter and her husband, Shirley and John Gebhart, Hereford, Ariz; three
grandchildren, John and Sally Gebhart, Karen Gebhart, Mark Gebhart; three great grandchildren. He was predeceased by an infant
daughter, Betty Jane in 1930, also four brothers and three sisters. Burial of his ashes in Roselawn
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Index: SAGINAW NEWS Thursday, November 1, 1990 (D11)
Name: BRINKMAN, HENRY
Spouse's Name: PAULINE MACOCCO
Date of Birth: Sunday, June 1, 1919
Place of Birth: SILVERWOOD, MI
Date of Death: Tuesday, October 30, 1990
Place of Death: FORT WAYNE, IN
Miscellaneous Cemetery: EASTLAWNGeorge & Lita(?) Brinkman in the 1920 Rich Twp Lapeer Co MI census, ages 33 and 28, b. Saradov, children b MI: sons Alex, 7, George, 6, Henry, 6/12, and dau Lita 4.
In same census: John Brinkman, 45, wife Katie, 44, sons Fred 22, and Alex, 20, dau-in-law Dora, gch Fred Jr, Dora Jr, and Mary.
Katie had a niece named Lillian Josephine Scharich, b. Oct 23 1923 d. Nov 30 2001, bur Roselawn, married Arthur Ralph Kitzman, who as of Sept 2002 was in a Saginaw area nursing home. A Henry Scharich/Scharick, born in Russia, immigrated to Akron OH, married in Caro MI in 1903 Sophie Remer (Reimer?) who died 1922, then Mary Horn. He died 1940, buried in Silverwood Cemetery.
Died in Saginaw; death certificate # 56957 -- Michigan Deaths 1971-96 (www.ancestry.com)
Emilie Eurich was a daughter born May 1916 in Sheboygan to Sophie Beller and husband Karl Eurich -- Trinity Lutheran church records.
Much information has come via Toni Plain (tlplain@avci.net) in her messages in www.familyhistory.com message board from May to August 2000. Her husband's (John Albert Plain) grandfather is Henry Gorde.
From Germans from Russia website, a Sheboygan WI immigrants list gives Christian Gorde a 3/3/1887 birthdate and Henry Gorde a 10/8/1908 birthdate, both from Urbach, Russia.
1920 Saginaw census has Alexander Eurich, Henry Krause, and Christ Gorte near one another (see notes under Alexander F. Eurich).
The following married couple also are a Gorte-Krause pairing:
Obituary Record
Index: Saginaw News
Tuesday, December 31, 1985 (D7)
Name: GORTE, JULIA
Maiden Name: KRAUSE
Spouse's Name: FREDERICK
Date of Birth: Monday, October 22, 1900
Place of Birth: RHINEWALD, RUSSIA
Date of Death: Monday, December 30, 1985
Place of Death: SAGINAW, MI
Miscellaneous
Cemetery: ROSELAWN
Last residence listed by social security index is Lake City, Missaukee Co, MI
In the 1930 Saginaw census, they were living on South Bates St., no kids listed, John working as a driver for a greenhouse.
SSDI and obituary has birthday 20 Dec 1909. Probably not since Henry was born 3 months later.
Eurich, John Henry, 1202 Ames Street. Passed away at Saginaw General Hospital after a brief illness. Age 59 years. He was born Dec. 20, 1909, in Saginaw County. He married Frieda Yurk in Saginaw Jan 5, 1929. She survives. He had been employed at the Chevrolet Service Plant for 26 years. Surviving, besides his wife, are three sons, Harold Eurich, Flint; Gerald Eurich, Bay City; Ronald Eurich, Saginaw; four grandchildren; also three brothers and two sisters, Mrs. David Bare, Grand Blanc; Mrs. Gus Zednick, Saginaw; Walter Eurich, Reese; Henry and Harold Eurich, both of Saginaw; several nieces and nephews. Funeral service will take place 11 am Wednesday at the Case Chapel, 409 Adam St. Rev. Gus Wuorinen will officiate with burial in Roselawn Memorial Gardens. Friends may call at the chapel after 2 pm Monday.
Frieda is in the 1920 Sheboygan twp census (ED 142) on page before Christ Dahmer -- in family 262, age 7, d/o David & Sophia Jurk, 34, older sisters Mary, Christine, and Amalia, younger brother Otto.
YURK, Mary (Mrs. John Pfister, Jr.) (Mrs. David Wehrwein)
b. 8 Apr 1901, Reinwald, Russia
d. 24 Mar 1975
Daughter of David and Sophie YURK, and came to Sheboygan with her family in 1908. In June, 1921, she was married to David WEHRWEIN also of Sheboygan.
He died on March 23, 1944. On Aug. 24, 1946, she was married to Mr. PFISTER also of Sheboygan. Surviving are her husband and three sisters, Mrs. John
RUPPEL and Mrs. Frieda EURICH, both of Saginaw, MICHIGAN, and Mrs. Alex HORNESS Sheboygan. She was preceded in death by two sisters.
--- from http://www.webbitt.com/volga/lower/obitjune.htmObituary Record
Index: Saginaw News
Thursday, August 5, 1993 (D9)
Name: RUPPEL, CHRISTINA S.
Maiden Name: YURK
Spouse's Name: JOHN
Date of Birth: Thursday, May 21, 1908
Place of Birth: SHEBOYGAN, WI
Date of Death: Thursday, August 5, 1993
Place of Death: SAGINAW, MI
Miscellaneous
Cemetery: ROSELAWN
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Married to Florence ("Flo") Wright. Had 2 daughters in late 40s: Dorothy and Susan. Worked as postal carrier in Saginaw; coached girls' softball many years.