Kelleher Family Tree
Greg Kelleher
September 19, 2014
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Contents
Introduction………………………………………………………………….. (pages 3-5)
Chapter 1: Historical Background………………………………….. (page 6)
Chapter 2: Process and Pitfalls………………………………………. (page 7)
Chapter 3: Security and Sensitivity……………………………….. (page 8)
Chapter 4: The Kelleher’s and the Lucy’s………………………. (pages 9-24)
Chapter 5: The Rudiger's………………………………………………. (pages 25-28)
Chapter 6: The Papst's………………………………………………….. (pages 29-31)
Chapter 7: The Seibold's and the Fehr's………………………… (pages 32-43)
Chapter 8: The Pavlakovic's …………………………………………..(pages 44-49)
Chapter 9: Additional Work Needed…………………………….. (page 50)
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Introduction
If only I was as famous as Cindy Crawford. This genealogical journey back through the ages would then
be a piece of cake. By way of explanation, Arlynn and I were watching the TV show “Who Do You Think
You Are” sponsored by Ancestry.com. The show’s premise is to research the ancestry of famous people
and then condense months and months of research into an hour’s worth of TV time. We found the
program to be highly entertaining and a very clever way of advertising Ancestry.com’s genealogical
website and services. Watching the show is not without some frustration, however. After 6 months or
so of struggling with the Kelleher family tree, I had to laugh at the fact that Ms. Crawford started her
genealogical search at 7:00 pm and had traced her lineage all the way back to Charlemagne by 8:00 pm.
I can only imagine the hundreds of hours of research done on her behalf by multiple numbers of
genealogists, who are the true stars.
Although I did not have a multitude of researchers behind me, I did have one that was, and continues to
be, a terrific source of information and encouragement. Jim Sigmund was a colleague of mine at
Pennzoil and then at Devon. He is currently the President of the Cypress Historical Society and is
extremely knowledgeable on research methods, various genealogical databases, and full of many helpful
hints. If not for him I may have given up on this journey early on. I initially started researching the
Kelleher lineage with Jim’s help. As we progressed through the various databases and generations with
all of the name misspellings (more on this later), Jim commented that this was the most challenging
research that he had ever done. And I was only on my first line of ancestors! I knew then that this
journey was going to take longer than one hour.
My interest in history began at an early age. Our folks loved to camp out so growing up we traveled
extensively throughout California visiting many of the state’s historic sites. From the Spanish missions
along the coast, to California’s “gold rush” area in the High Sierras, to the abandoned ghost towns of the
deserts, we logged many miles. My interest in geology was a natural outcome of my childhood travels
and of the numerous earthquakes experienced growing up. How could one not be interested in geology
after being tossed out of bed by the Sylmar earthquake of 1971 registering a magnitude of 6.6. Today, I
am still as much in awe of Mother Nature’s beauty, scale, power, and potential, as I was laying on my
bedroom floor back in 1971.
My interest in our genealogy flows from my interest in history. Coupled that interest with my recent
retirement, I finally had the time to tackle the project full time. Initial efforts to capture some of our
family history began in the mid-1980’s while visiting Mom and Dad in Menifee, California. Together we
filled out their pedigree charts as far back as they could remember. These data formed the foundation
of my later research. Another key source of information came from an idea Arlynn had to create a
family picture album as a gift for Dad on his 80th birthday. We celebrated his birthday with a party
organized and hosted by Frank, Betty, and Val.
About a year before his 80th birthday, Arlynn and I sat with Dad and broke out the many old family
photos that he had stored away in closets and drawers but rarely, if ever, looked at. While Arlynn took
hand written notes, Dad was able to identify many of the relatives in the photos. This information
would have been lost forever had we not had this opportunity with Dad. What a scary thought! It
would have been tragic to have had all of these photos of unidentified relatives with no way of linking
faces with names. By far, the majority of these photos did not have any writing on the back. It is sad to
think how much information has been lost with the passing of each generation. This is just another
motivating factor to at least make a first pass at documenting our family tree. So, when it came to the
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task of documenting our family history, the questions became, if not now then when, if not us then
who? The picture album assembled by Arlynn is a great source of photographic documentation of the
Kelleher family. Many of the photos have been subsequently scanned and saved in the family tree.
I should mention here that Ancestry.com was used to document our family tree for several reasons
including:
1. Price: generating the family tree in Ancestory.com is FREE!
2. Digital Repository: everything is online and the link to our family tree can be easily shared with
others for free as well. Photos can be scanned and stored within the tree.
3. User Friendliness: the online software package is extremely easy to use. It is like "Family Tree for
Dummies". Uploading pictures and records is very straight forward.
4. Data Sourcing: Ancestory.com has digitized various public record types from multiple sources and
countries. It truly is a one-stop shop for data records which greatly facilitates genealogical research.
So, with some foundational information from Mom and Dad, together with Arlynn’s photo album and
the help and guidance of Jim Sigmund, my genealogical journey began in June, 2013.
My initial goal was to capture as much information about currently living family members as possible
and then enter the data into the family tree. I was amazed and somewhat embarrassed by how little I
knew about our relatives. When completing individual profiles within Ancestry.com one is prompted for
birth dates, birth places, maiden names, death dates, death places, spouse’s names, children’s names,
their birth dates and birth places, and so on. You get the picture. I quickly hit an informational road
block on my first day! Man, was I uninformed. How could I have lived so long and be so ignorant of so
many of my relatives. I guess that is the price one pays for going away to college and then rarely looking
back. Shame on me.
So, with some trepidation, I reached out to all of our current living relatives and to a person, all were
very supportive and very helpful in gathering the requested information. Another unexpected but
rewarding outcome of this project is reestablishing contact with our cousins.
With everyone’s help, I now have an up-to-date snap shot of all of our current relatives, at least those
on the West coast. During my continued research of the Pittsburgh Kelleher’s, I stumbled on some
cousins that I did not know existed. More on them below.
With that initial part of the project complete, I was ready to launch into our ancestry. The summary
below is a much condensed version of about 15 months of research some of which was extremely
frustrating and some extremely rewarding. After these initial months I feel like I have only “scratched
the surface” of this project. However, since each of the paternal side of our relatives has been traced
back to those specific individuals that initially emigrated from Ireland and Europe I thought it was a
sufficiently significant milestone to stop and document the project to this point.
It has been more challenging to trace back the female side of our families since, traditionally, females
take the male surname when married. Although this practice is steeped in tradition, there would be
value if females were to keep their own surname and female children could take their mother’s maiden
name as their own. Alternatively, the mother’s maiden name could be used for the middle name of
children. If this practice would have been enacted, at a minimum, this project would be so much easier!
Typically the only way to determine the wife’s maiden name is on original documents such as birth,
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baptismal, marriage, and/or death records. The further back in time the more difficult it is to locate
such documents.
I have always been in awe of the pioneering spirit. I hold in the highest regards those individuals that
cast away the chains that bind them and set out for a better life, frequently at their own peril. Whether
it was the early explorers sailing away to lands unknown or today’s astronauts risking their lives for the
opportunity to explore and discover. I believe our ancestors had this pioneering spirit, that sense of
adventure, deep within them. Whether driven by starvation, lack of opportunities, or simply the desire
to forge a better life for themselves and their families, this is the story of our ancestors who had the
courage and confidence to take the path less traveled. Try to imagine what it must have been like to
spend your net worth on a ship’s passage to a new world where the future could not have been known.
How does one weigh the opportunities versus the risk? The lives we live today are directly linked to the
courageous decisions made by our ancestors including the one to step aboard the transport ships
headed to this great country. Thank goodness our ancestors were willing to risk their lives for that
opportunity.
Our ancestors’ experiences probably were not too dissimilar to other immigrants. Most were self-reliant
and had a great determination to succeed. The threat of starvation was a great motivator. If you were
hungry and wanted to eat then you better find work. Some of our emigrant ancestors were illiterate
while others had an impressive amount of formal education. Most worked as common laborers in the
Pittsburgh area including driving trucks, cutting hair, teaching music, selling goods, or working as
domestic servants. One of our ancestors fought in the Civil War (on the Union side thank goodness)
while another gave his life trying to save others in the Great St. Patrick’s Day flood in Pittsburgh.
Tragically, we also suffered 2 suicides within our family tree.
The history of our family is one of adventure, great courage, hard work, determination, and strong ties.
It is up to us and future generations to honor our ancestors by becoming the best we can be while using
the traits they gave us. After all, their pioneering spirit is in our blood.
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Chapter 1: Historical Background
Before simply diving into our family history, I was interested in finding out why and when immigrants
came to the United States. Being part Irish, I knew about Ireland’s Great Potato Famine of 1845-49, and
I just assumed that that is why our Irish ancestors came to this country. But I knew we also had
ancestors from Germany, Austria (Slovenia), and elsewhere, so what motivated them to leave their
homes and families, to take a hazardous journey across the Atlantic in order to start a new life here in
the United States?
While we may never know the individual reasons our ancestors made their fateful decision to emigrate,
there are many references on U.S immigration history on the internet. These references provide keen
insight to the long and continuous immigration to these United States.
There are at least 3 well-documented episodes of emigration to the U.S.:
1. 1600-1775: the Colonial Era
 Primarily British subjects with some German and Dutch descendants and African slaves
 Mostly seeking religious freedom but some with business reasons as well
2. 1790-1849
 Large numbers of Irish, Scot-Irish, Germans, with some British and French immigrants
 Main drivers include potato famine in Ireland, threat of starvation, brutal British repression
o The Kelleher’s and the Lucy’s emigrated at this time
 Many of the Irish were laborers who built most of the infrastructure (canals, railroads) in
this country
 Many Irish went to large industrialized cities in the Northeast (ie. Pittsburgh) for jobs
3. 1850-1930
 Germans, Italians, and others of Slavic language speakers comprised most of the immigrants
1. The Papst’s, Seibold’s, and Pavlakovic’s emigrated during this episode
 Large numbers of Irish and British continued to emigrant as well
 Drivers included poor economic conditions in the home lands
 Cheap land, jobs, opportunities, and relatives lured them to the U.S.
Some References
1. History of Immigration to the United States: from Wikipedia
2. United States Immigration before 1965: from History.com
3. Open Collections Program: Immigration to the US: from ocp.hul.harvard.edu/immigration/timeline
4. American History: Immigration-Spartacus Educational: from www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk
5. History of Ireland: from Wikipedia
6. Penal Laws (British and Irish history): from www.britannica.com
 References 5 and 6 detail the severe repression of Ireland by the British in the 17th, 18th, and
early 19th centuries
 Irish immigrants were largely illiterate due to the enforcement of Penal Laws under British
rule that forcibly took away their land, prohibited Irish nationals from running for office,
from practicing their religion, and from attending school
7. Allegheny City: A History of Pittsburgh’s North Side by Dan Rooney and Carol Peterson
8. The History of the Kelleher Family by Frank A. Kelleher, Jr. (no relation), written in 1971
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Chapter 2: Process and Pitfalls
Just a short note on the mechanics and potential pitfalls of doing data searches in Ancestry.com.
Ancestry.com has scanned and digitized numerous types of records including U.S. Federal Censuses. A
census has been taken every 10 years beginning in 1790. The latest publicly available census is the 1940
Federal Census due to a 72-year privacy restriction. Census questions varied from year to year but
general information such as names, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations can be found. Other
scanned documents available through Ancestry.com include birth records, death records, military,
church, baptism, marriage, etc. This effort is ongoing so new records are added on a continuous basis.
This database, while not complete, is very extensive. The search capabilities are very robust but there
are several pitfalls associated with such a vast database.
First, many original records are full of mistakes for various reasons despite the best efforts of all
involved. This is especially true for the U.S. Federal Census. Early on, census takers were charged with
the unenviable task of going door to door and writing down answers provided by the residents. In many
cases, residents were illiterate immigrants with little to no English skills. I am sure that thick Irish
brogues (and other strong foreign accents) added to the communication difficulties. Numerous
resulting spelling errors were inevitable. When these records were scanned, and then transcribed,
additional spelling errors occurred due to human error. Much to the website’s credit, the initial
transcriptions and original documents are viewable.
These embedded errors make searching a challenging task, especially when last names are uncommon
like Kelleher, Pavlakovic, and Seibold. In a majority of cases, information on our ancestors was found
under incorrect spellings. In some cases I had to assume that the information found under misspelled
surnames was our ancestors’ due to secondary or tangential information. For example, I found
information on the Kelleher’s under various misspellings including Callahan, Calaghan, Kayler, Kellcher,
Kelleker, Keller, and Keleher. To determine if the information captured under misspellings pertained to
our Kelleher lineage, secondary information like first names, birth dates, and addresses had to be
reviewed. The same is true for other, non-English, non-Americanized surnames.
I mention this because the following history is based more on educated guesses rather than hard facts. I
hope with time and additional help from family and genealogical experts, a more robust story may be
told.
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Chapter 3: Security and Sensitivity
Family Trees generated in Ancestry.com can either be private or public. I have chosen the public option
for our family tree to facilitate collaboration with other Ancestry.com members. This has proven
beneficial on several occasions.
In order to ensure privacy of its members, Ancesty.com automatically hides information for all living
members. Only the owner of the tree (me), and the owner’s selected guests, can view living individuals
within a tree. Privacy of photos is always protected for living individuals.
For more information, please read Ancestry.com’s Content Submission Agreement.
Even with these protections, there is a valid concern about having too much information available on
currently living relatives, especially children. Our family tree on Ancestry.com is purposely left
unfinished and somewhat vague on currently living relatives.
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Chapter 4: The Kelleher’s and the Lucy’s
From the pedigree chart that we did with Mom and Dad back in the 80’s, I knew that my paternal great
grandfather was named Daniel Kelleher. Initial searches using Daniel Kelleher and his wife, Hattie
Kelleher, eventually led to the following family history.
Daniel (the elder) Kelleher and Hannah Lucy Kelleher
Daniel Kelleher, our 2nd Great Grandfather, was born in Ireland about 1828. In an effort to avoid
confusion in this written summary, the moniker of “the elder” is used for the Daniel Kelleher that
emigrated from Ireland. Daniel and Hannah’s son, also named Daniel, was born in Allegheny City in
1860 and the moniker of “the senior” is given to him. This convention is used because the son of Daniel
“the senior” was also named Daniel (full name was Daniel Henry Kelleher, Junior). For clarification
purposes, references will always include the monikers of Daniel (the elder), Daniel (the senior), or Daniel
(Junior).
To date, it is not certain when Daniel the elder immigrated to the US or when he settled in Allegheny
City. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh located the marriage record for Daniel Kelleher
(Danielem Kaylor) and Hannah (Honoram) Lucy in the files of the old St. Peter’s Catholic Church. In Dan
Rooney’s book: Allegheny City-A History of Pittsburgh’s North Side, the original St. Peter’s was founded
in 1848 in Allegheny City’s 4th Ward. After the Civil War, a new St. Peter’s church was built at the corner
of Arch Street and West Ohio Street in the 1st Ward in 1871 and is still operational today.
The “new” St. Peter’s Church. My good friend, Ray
Follador, is standing on entry steps.
The names on the marriage record are listed as written but it is not unusual to find spelling
discrepancies in older documents according to the Diocese. They are confident the marriage record is of
our ancestors because the Diocese was also able to locate the baptismal record for Daniel the senior
“born 17 May 1860 to parents Daniel Kelleher and Hannah Lucy”.
Daniel the elder and Hannah were married at St. Peter’s on 28 June 1857 and, therefore, must have
settled in the Pittsburgh area prior to this date. Daniel petitioned for U.S. naturalization (it was not
required nor was it customary for women to be naturalized) on 23 March 1861 by affixing his “X” at the
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bottom of his Declaration for Naturalization document processed through the federal court of Western
Pennsylvania. Daniel was evidently illiterate (at least could not write) since he made an “X” in lieu of
signing his name. Thomas Lucy, acting as a witness for Daniel, also made his mark confirming that
Daniel had lived in the U.S. for at least 5 consecutive years prior to Daniel’s naturalization. I assume that
Thomas was either Hannah’s father or brother.
The first civil records of Daniel occur in the Allegheny City Directories of 1858, 1859, and 1860 under the
names of Callahan, Callaghan, and Calaghan. The key to unlocking this early puzzle was identifying
Daniel Callahan as our Daniel the elder in the 1860 U.S. Federal Census. Daniel Callahan is listed with his
wife, Hannah, and their infant son, Daniel, age 1. The census also indicates that Daniel the elder and his
family lived in Allegheny City’s 2nd Ward. Allegheny City was founded on the north side of the Allegheny
River just across from the much larger city of Pittsburgh (against the efforts and wishes of the people in
Allegheny City, their town was forcibly annexed by Pittsburgh on 7 December 1907). Based on
information contained in the Historic Pittsburgh City Directories and federal censuses, the Kelleher’s
resided most, if not all, of their lives on the “North Side”. It is very informative to plot the residence
timeline of the Kelleher’s on the 1872 ward maps of Allegheny City.
In 1860, at the age of 30, Daniel the elder was a common laborer and his occupation is listed as
“teamster” and as a “carriage driver”. To put this in a historical time frame, the onset of the Civil War
began in 1861. Daniel immigrated to this country to escape severe circumstances in Ireland brought on
by potato famine, poverty, and political repression only to find his new country embroiled in its own
explosive political crisis including slavery. However, despite the umbrella of an uncertain and potentially
dangerous future, Daniel was able to find work and provide for his young family. I assume, with his
horse and buggy, he acted as a delivery man of sorts.
Allegheny City
2nd Ward
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There is no record of Daniel the elder serving in the Civil War which is curious. Additional research is
needed to help explain why this was so. Could it have been due to his age, health, immigrant status, or
the fact that he was the sole supporter of his young family?
City Directories were used to track Daniel the elder during the time between federal censuses. From
1860 to 1870, Daniel the elder and his family lived in several different rental homes all of which were
located in Allegheny City. According to the Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society (WPGS), it was
not uncommon for immigrants to move frequently while staying within a local area surrounded by, in
Daniel’s case, transplanted and likeminded Irishmen, as Allegheny City was settled largely by Irish on the
west side and German immigrants on the east side. In the City Directories during this 10-year span,
Daniel the elder is found under the names of Kellaher, Kellagher, Kellahan, and Kellegher.
The 1870 Federal Census shows Daniel (under the last name of Kayler, similar to Kaylor listed on his
marriage record), along with Hannah and their children, Daniel the senior and Ellen, living in Allegheny
City’s 2nd Ward. Only 3 records that have been found in the City Directories from 1870 to 1880 that
mention a Daniel Kelleher and it is uncertain if these records pertain to our Daniel the elder as the
addresses listed appear to be located within Pittsburgh proper and not in Allegheny City.
It should be pointed out that in this decade, the nation suffered a severe economic depression called the
Panic of 1873 that lasted at least 3 years. About half of Pittsburgh area banks went bankrupt which put
tremendous financial stress on families throughout the area. Then, in the midst of the economic
downturn, the Butchers Run River, flowing through Allegheny City’s Deutschtown area (east side)
experienced a devastating flood in July, 1874. Many homes and business were lost or severely damaged
in this event. Perhaps the combination of the economic downturn and flooding event forced Daniel to
move across the Allegheny River for work related reasons. In any event, residence records for Daniel
the elder are sketchy at best in the 1870s. The 1880 Federal Census, which is crucial to our story, sheds
a sad light on the Kelleher family tree.
The 1880 Census lists Hannah as “widow of Daniel”, and as head of household. She lived at 61 Fountain
Street (in Allegheny City 3rd Ward) along with son Daniel the senior and daughter Ellen. Evidently,
Daniel the elder passed away during the 1870’s, perhaps as late as 1879. The Diocese of Pittsburgh did
not find a death record for Daniel the elder. Unfortunately, death records before July 5, 1887 no longer
exist for St. Peter’s Parish.
Daniel the elder came to the U.S. aboard a transportation ship prior to 1857 since that was the year of
his marriage. Based on various ship registry data there are at least 7 (maybe more) possible Daniel
Kelleher’s of the correct age that immigrated to the U.S. in the proper time frame that are listed below
in order of interest.
Ship's
Arrival
Port of
Port of
Place of
Name
Age
About
Born
Occupation
Name
Date
Arrival
Departure
Origin
National Archive
Series #
Roll #
1
Daniel Kelaher
24
1828
Laborer
Hibernia
26 Aug 1852
New York
Liverpool
?
M 237
118
2
Daniel Kelleher
20
1828
Laborer
Catherine
13 Nov 1848
Boston
Liverpool
Ireland
M 277
27
3
Danl Keleher
20
1828
Workman
Victoria
7 Nov 1848
New York
Liverpool
Ireland
M 237
76
4
Daniel Kilaher
22
1827
Workman
Shannon
2 Jun 1849
New York
Liverpool
Ireland
M 237
79
5
Dan Keheller
20
1829
?
Centurion
12 Dec 1849
New York
Liverpool
Ireland
M 237
85
6
Daniel Kelleher
Adult Male
?
Laborer
Sophia McKenigal
6 May 1848
Boston
?
Ireland
M 277
24
7
Daniel Kelliher
22
1830
Laborer
Speed
27 Nov 1852
New York
Traleee
Ireland
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Names of immigrants were often recorded as they were heard and many immigrants could not spell
their own names. Thus, spelling variations of names frequently occur in ship’s registries. There is no way
to connect any of these individuals to our Daniel the elder without additional information. However,
since no records in the 1850 Federal Census have been linked to Daniel the elder, I assume that he
arrived in the U.S. between 1850 and 1857. If true, then the Daniel listed first, Daniel Kelaher, may be
our Daniel the elder. Of course, Daniel the elder could be listed under other variations of his last name
(ie. Kaylor, Callahan, etc.) and there would be no way to verify such a record.
Hannah Lucy Kelleher was born in Ireland about 1830. Her maiden name, Lucy, was confirmed on her
marriage record and on her daughter Ellen’s death certificate. One of two witnesses listed on Hannah’s
marriage record is Maria Lucy which may refer to her sister or mother. This information will be used to
hopefully trace her roots back to her parents and to her hometown in Ireland.
As noted, the 1880 Federal Census has Hannah (age 45), along with son, Daniel the senior (age 20), and
daughter, Ellen (age 18) living at 61 Fountain Street. The family lived at this address for 11 years from
1880-1891. A misfortune for all genealogists is that the 1890 Federal Census was destroyed in a major
fire and only about 10% of the records were saved. City Directories, therefore, become extremely
important in locating and tracking family members for the 20-year gap between 1880 and 1900.
Daniel the senior married Hattie Rutiger in 1887. City Directories show that Hannah, widow of Daniel,
moved to Poplar Street in 1892 and then to 292 Sandusky Street in 1885 and to 274 Sandusky Street in
1889. There is a good chance that this is our Hannah since Sandusky Street intersects Fountain Street
and is just around the block from 61 Fountain. Hannah does not show up in the 1900 Federal Census. It
could be that she passed away between the City Directory of 1899 and the 1900 Federal Census but
without a death certificate we cannot be sure. She would have been 70 years old in 1900. The Diocese of
Pittsburgh checked their records but found no death certificate for Hannah between the dates of
January 1, 1896 and September 14, 1899. Death records between September 14, 1899 and 1905 no
longer exist for St. Peter’s parish.
Lanark Street
Fountain Street
Poplar Street
StStrFountain
Street
Sandusky Street
Google: Allegheny City Wards and then scroll down to find Ward maps for Allegheny City and Pittsburgh
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With a bit of intrigue, I received unsolicited “leafs” or possible record matches for Hannah from
Ancestry.com. A Hannah Kelleher is listed several times in City Directories from Cheboygan, Michigan,
for the years 1910, 1912, 1914, and 1916. There are many unrelated Hannah Kelleher’s in the Federal
Censuses but there are 3 curious things here:
 For each of the 4 entries, Hannah is listed as “widow of Daniel” like she was in the Pittsburgh
City Directories
 In the 1910 Cheboygan City Directory, Hannah is listed with a middle initial of “G”. With
additional records this information could help to confirm or deny that this is our Hannah.
 In the 1912 Cheboygan City Directory, Hannah is listed as living at the same residence (386
Cleveland Avenue) as a Thomas Kelleher. One of our Hannah’s eight grandchildren was named
Thomas. However, Thomas Kelleher, our great uncle, appears in the 1910 and 1920 U.S. Federal
Census as living in Pittsburgh. It is possible that he moved to Michigan in between 1910 and
1920 and then returned to Pittsburgh but not likely. Also, Hannah would have been in her 80’s
at this time.
Irish Roots
In order to trace Daniel’s and Hannah’s roots back to Ireland additional information is needed. Since
they were both born in Ireland, their birth certificates would not be kept in this country unless one of
their descendants has copies. Without knowing their birth place or their parents’ names it will be
difficult to trace their lineage back to Ireland. The WPGS and Diocese of Pittsburgh were unable to
locate any additional records.
Based on the written summary by Frank Kelleher (1971), most Kelleher’s originate from the Macroom
area of County Cork, Ireland. Perhaps researching e records from the various Catholic churches in the
area would be a good place to start. Get your passports ready!
Daniel (the senior) and Hattie Kelleher
Daniel and Hattie
With Connie Kelleher Mandic
Anna Papst Kelleher and Hattie
More is known about Daniel the senior and Hattie versus Daniel the elder and Hannah because of the
availability of additional records (including U.S. Federal Censuses), memories and documents from our
parents, and information from our currently living cousins in Pittsburgh (descendants of William Kelleher
and Richard Kelleher; more about them later).
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Daniel the senior was born 17 May 1860 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania according to his birth certificate and
numerous U.S. Federal Censuses. Daniel the senior first shows up in the 1860 Federal Census at age of
1. He is listed again in the 1870 Federal Census at age 10 along with his sister, Ella (Ellen), born in
Pennsylvania in 1861 (more on her later).
As noted previously, Daniel the elder is not listed on the 1880 Federal Census and Hannah is noted as
“head of household” so it is presumed that Daniel the elder passed away prior to this census. So how
does a family in the 1880’s support itself when their primary financial provider, Daniel the elder, dies at
the early age of 52 or so? The occupations of the 3 remaining family members are listed as Hannah
“keeps house”, Daniel the senior as “laborer” and Ella (Ellen) as “dress maker”.
As I do this research, what impacts me the most is how hard our ancestors worked when they came to
this country. They certainly embraced the pioneering spirit of being self- reliant. They clearly
understood that if they wanted to eat then they had to work. Unlike today, where 25% of Americans
receive government assistance in one form or another, early immigrants were totally on their own. The
early Kelleher’s put hard work ahead of advanced schooling out of necessity. Apparently, hard work
simply came natural to them. Imagine how Daniel the senior and Ellen felt at the time. At ages 20 and
18 respectively, they just lost their father and the burden of providing for the family fell on their
shoulders. In order to survive they had to go out and find work to help put food on the table. I assume
that Daniel the senior took odd jobs as a common laborer to make ends meet and Ellen probably made
the best darn dresses around. I very much admire their work ethic and determination to survive in some
very trying times.
As previously noted, based on census data and a FamilySearch.org record, Daniel the senior and Hattie
married on 30 June 1887. FamilySearch.org is a website sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter Day Saints, commonly known as the Mormons. This record is interesting because it documents a
marriage between a Daniel Keller and a Hallie Redger. Although slightly misspelled, the names and
marriage date are too close to just be coincidental. I believe this, indeed, is their marriage record.
Hattie Rudiger was born in March, 1862 in Pennsylvania (probably in Saxonburg, Butler County located
just north of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County). Much like the Kelleher lineage, information on Hattie’s
family tree is found under various derivatives of her maiden name of Rudiger including Redicher,
Ritcher, Richer, Ruediger, and Reidger. The Rudiger family emigrated from Germany to Saxonburg,
Butler County, Pennsylvania between 1852 and 1855. Information on the Rudiger family tree can be
found in Chapter 4.
Daniel the senior died in 1947, at the age of 87, and is buried in Section E of St. Paul’s Cemetery in
Pittsburgh’s Reserve Township on the North Side. Although no longer active, the cemetery is well
maintained and has spectacular views of downtown. Hattie, who died in 1951 at the age of 89, and two
of their children (Thomas and Frederick) are buried alongside Daniel.
St. Paul’s is a Protestant cemetery associated with the Church of Christ. Since Daniel’s parents are not
buried there then it was initially assumed that his parents were of a different religion which was later
confirmed by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh. Apparently, Daniel the senior converted to the
Protestant religion for Hattie’s sake. We know that our grandfather, John T. Kelleher, Sr., was originally
Protestant but then converted to Catholicism for the sake of his wife, Anna, prior to their marriage. This
was a common practice back then which continues to the present day.
14
Fredrick Kelleher (veteran)
Hattie (Rudiger) Kelleher
Daniel the senior Kelleher
Thomas Kelleher
St. Paul Cemetery, Reserve Township, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Not much is known about Daniel the senior’s sister, Ellen. She was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on
20 August 1861. The 1920 census shows an Auntie Ella living with our grand uncle, William Kelleher and
his family, in Allegheny Ward 2. While I believe that this is our Ellen, on the census her age is shown as
45 which is in error. In 1920, Ellen would have been about 58. I recently located Ellen’s death certificate
with the help of an online Ancestry.com member. Ellen died in Bellevue, Pennsylvania in 1940 at the
age of 78 and, evidently, she never married.
The Kelleher Grand Uncles
Based on the 1900-1940 U.S. Federal Censuses, Daniel and Hattie were married for 60 years and had 7
sons: William, Daniel Jr., Thomas, Frederick, John (our grandfather), Ralph, and Richard. Below is a short
summary of each of our Grand Uncles on the Kelleher side.
William Joseph Kelleher
William was born on 28 October 1887 in Pittsburgh and was a music teacher by profession. He died in
February, 1972 in Rockville, Maryland at the age of 84. As shown on the 1920 census, William is married
to Sarah Murphy and they have a child, William Joseph Jr., age one year and 8 months. His Aunt Ella
(Ellen) is also listed as a resident.
The 1930 Federal Census shows William married to Catherine with William Jr., now age 11, Marion age
9, and Margaret, age 6. I am confident that this is the family of our grand uncle for several reasons
including the match of the children’s names and ages and the fact that their residence is listed in West
View where Daniel and Hattie lived. Also, I have pictures and oral histories that include siblings William
Jr., Marion, and Margaret. As a further confirmation, the marriage license for Marion, dated 3
September 1942, lists her mother as Sarah Murphy.
If the 1920 and 1930 Censuses are correct then either Sarah Murphy passed away or William and Sarah
divorced prior to 1930. William Sr. was a widower at the time of the 1940 Census with the family still
living in West View. In addition to the 1900 through 1940 Census data, his WWI and WWII Draft
Registration Cards (with his signature) and his U.S. Social Security Death Index card have been located
and saved to the family tree. William Sr.’s WWII draft card shows that the family moved from Pittsburgh
to Ohio between 1940 and 1942.
15
At the time of this writing, death records for Sarah Murphy or Catherine have not been found.
However, my son, Max, had his DNA done through the organization 23 and Me and he received
notification from that organization that a William Kelleher may be his 3rd cousin. We contacted William
and sure enough he is a direct descendant of William Kelleher, the oldest son of Daniel the senior and
Hattie.
William III and I have been corresponding by email and he provided additional information for this
narrative including the birthdate and death dates of his parents. Also, he noted that his Aunt Marion
and her husband, J. Paul Aland, lived most of their life on a farm outside of Butler, Pennsylvania. Paul
was interested in music, so he conducted church choirs and even started a small theater in their barn
called the Red Barn Theatre, which is still active today. After their children grew up, Marion went back
to college at Duquesne and got a degree and then certification as a Montessori teacher. After Paul
retired, they moved to Atlanta where they opened a Montessori school.
William’s other aunt, Margaret, married Nick DePaola (sp?) and they may have had as many as 4
children. They lived in St. Petersburg, Florida but subsequently divorced and the families have lost
contact with one another.
I look forward to meeting William, his wife Denise Billane Kelleher, and their 2 daughters someday.
Daniel Henry Kelleher Jr.
Daniel Jr. was born 16 August 1889 and was an electrician by profession. His date and place of death
have not been determined at the time of this writing. According to the 1930 Census (under Daniel
Kehler) he and his wife, Amelia, were married in about 1931 when Daniel was 40 and Amelia was 37.
They had one child, Margaret. It is a little odd that they would name their only daughter the same name
as the youngest daughter of his older brother, William.
I was able to locate and speak with the children of the Daniel and Hattie’s youngest son, Richard (more
on this below). Richard’s oldest child, Barbara Kelleher Powers, remembered “Millie” fondly.
Thomas Lewis Kelleher
Thomas was born on 12 October 1891 and was a clerk/foreman by profession. His WWI Draft
Registration card, dated 5 June 1917, shows his status as married (to Helen). The 1920 Federal Census
shows that he was born at Nunnery Hill, known today as Fairview, on the north side. To my knowledge
they did not have any children.
Barbara Kelleher Powers told me the heroic story of Thomas and his death during the Great St. Patrick’s
Day flood of 1936 that inundated downtown Pittsburgh. According to the Wikipedia story, warmerthan-normal temperatures began to melt snow on the upper reaches of both the Allegheny and
Monongahela Rivers on March 16th. Pittsburgh is located at the confluence of these rivers in western
Pennsylvania. Both rivers were already over their banks as the waters reached their flood stage. Heavy
rains on the night of March 17th swelled the rivers to a peak of 46 feet, 21 feet above flood stage, on
March 18th. According to Barbara, Thomas was one of a small number of people that boarded boats on
the river in an attempt to help save the lives of those that were stranded, stuck, or drowning. During
the course of those rescue efforts, Thomas drowned. A total of 69 people died during the flood event.
About 100,000 buildings were destroyed and damage was estimated at $250 MM ($4.3 billion today).
16
Downtown Pittsburgh at the “Point” looking northeast during the Great St. Patrick’s Day Flood
Thomas is buried at St. Paul’s Cemetery on the north side of Pittsburgh as are his parents and his
brother, Frederick. When I visited Pittsburgh in May, 2014, I went to St. Paul’s and personally saw their
grave site. Thomas’s headstone has subsided into the ground and is sitting at an angle. Attempts to fix
his headstone were unsuccessful due to its weight. As a true American hero, his gravestone needs to be
restored. He deserves better.
Frederick W. Kelleher
Fred was born 3 October 1893 and his occupation is listed as “truck driver”. Family lore has it that
Frederick, along with one or more of his brothers, ran liquor during prohibition. Frederick never married
and lived with his parents until the day he died.
According to Fred Kelleher, our cousin in Pittsburgh, Frederick committed suicide. Fred said that it was
hard to understand how “such a nice, giving person could do such a thing”. Frederick was 59 years old
when he died on 15 December 1952. He was a veteran of WWI serving as a private in the 155th Depot
Brigade from 24 July 1918 to 20 August 1919. He is buried in St. Paul’s Cemetery. It was Memorial Day
weekend when I was recently in Pittsburgh and someone, a veteran’s group I assume, placed a flag next
to his gravestone. It was a very nice and meaningful gesture.
John Theodore Kelleher, Sr.
Age and date unknown
In Army uniform about 1917
Anna & John Sr. with Connie Kelleher Mandic
Our paternal grandfather, John Theodore Kelleher, Sr., was born 26 April 1896. He was a veteran of
WWI enlisting on 21 Sep 1917 and was released 7 Jun 1919. My brother Frank said that, according to
17
our parents, John Sr. was exposed to mustard gas while fighting in the European theatre during WWI.
This injury would have made him eligible for the Purple Heart which was instituted in 1932. However,
for one to receive the medal pre-1932, one had to apply for it. As we have no record of John Sr.
receiving the Purple Heart medal, I assume that neither he nor anyone else in the family applied. Of
course more research would be needed but I wonder if we could apply posthumously for the medal
now. At the age of 46, our grandfather was also required to register for the WWII draft but did not have
to serve.
Our grandfather married Anna Papst in about 1917 at the ages of 21 and 19, respectively. John Sr.
served as a police officer (based on family stories and a picture of him in uniform), a laborer, chauffeur,
and a truck driver. After their marriage, he and Anna lived with Daniel and Hattie at 58 Lakewood
Avenue in West View just north of Pittsburgh.
This house, on an oversized lot, is the first piece of property actually owned by our Kelleher ancestors in
the U.S. and the family was extremely proud of this fact. Sometime between 1930 and 1940, John Sr.
and Anna, built a house on the same lot immediately adjacent to the original house. Both houses shared
the same address back in those days but now the house that John Sr. and Anna built has the address of
#1 Montclair Avenue.
Original Kelleher house
John Sr. and Anna’s house
Original Kelleher home: 58 Lakewood Ave, circa ~1930
John and Anna’s home on right
John Sr. and Anna continued to live in their house until they moved out to California to be closer to their
sons and their families sometime during the 1970s. As a side note, we stayed in their Pittsburgh house
on a family vacation when I was about 5 years old. Our parents, John, Jr. and Cleora, with 3 kids drove
all the way from Los Angeles, California to Pittsburgh in a 1956 blue Ford Mercury (I believe). I
remember our Mom put red cushions from our living-room couch in the back seat so we kids could nap
along the way. Interestingly enough, the 1940 census also lists our Uncle Charles (Chuck), age 20, and
our Dad, John, Jr., age 13, as residents at 58 Lakewood Avenue. The house is well preserved when I
visited the area last May. It still has the original green and white awning covering the front porch!
John Sr. died November 30, 1985 from colon cancer at the age of 89. Strangely, the California Death
Index lists his mother’s maiden name as Lippold. Lippold is the married name of his mother’s sister,
Louisa Rudiger Lippold. Anna Papst, John Sr.’s wife and our grandmother, is summarized under the
Chapter 6.
Kelleher Family Life
The censuses and other documents paint an interesting picture of family life back in the early part of the
1900’s. According to the 1910 Census, the Kelleher household included Daniel the senior and Hattie
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plus their 7 sons, ranging in ages from 22 to 7. Can’t help but think how lively their house must have
been with all 7 boys under one roof.
In 1917, at the onset of WWI, 4 of the 5 eligible brothers (including our John Sr.) enlisted on the same
day. I imagine a large family meeting occurred and then the boys all went together by foot or trolley to
the Army enlistment office. Daniel and Hattie must have been both proud and fearful of having their
sons in harms-way. Another indication of the closeness of the Kelleher family is that they lived together
under the same roof for quite some time. And when the sons did move out they didn’t move far.
From 1858 through 1942, records show that the Kelleher’s stayed within Wards 2 and 3 in Allegheny
City. The 1900 Federal Census shows Daniel the senior and Hattie (under the last name of Kellcher)
living at 1234 Pump Alley located in the southeast corner of Ward 2 along with 6 of their 7 sons (Richard
was not yet born). The Kelleher’s lived at this location until 1908 when they moved to 11 Lanark Street
located just north of Fountain Street, in Ward 3. The 1920 Federal Census shows the family still living on
Lanark but, in 1930, the family was living at their new home at 58 Lakewood Avenue in West View.
In 1920, William J. Kelleher lived on Sherman Street in Allegheny Ward 2. As an interesting side note,
Sherman Street was part of the area of Allegheny City called the Mexican War Streets. This area was
initially owned by William Robinson Jr. and he named the streets for battles and generals in the Mexican
War of 1846-48. In 1930, William moved to Chalfoute Street in West View in order to be closer to
Daniel, Hattie and the rest of the family.
Daniel Jr. and his family continued to live on Monterrey Street in the Mexican War Streets area (Ward 2)
according to the 1930 and 1940 Censuses. In 1920, Thomas lived just west of Ward 2. Ralph and
Richard lived in the Wexford area just north of West View in 1940.
So, by all accounts, the Kelleher’s were a close family. Barbara Kelleher, oldest daughter of Richard and
Catherine Kelleher, told a story that the Kelleher brothers would get together on Friday nights for a
round of beer drinking; all except William and John Sr. who were steadfastly against drinking alcohol.
Growing up, I never saw Grandpa Kelleher ever having a drink.
Only after WWII, with the expanding post-war economy, did some of the brothers move away with their
families in search of greater opportunities. Efforts should be made to track all of the living descendants
to help build a more robust story of family life and to check for additional historical records.
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Ralph F. Kelleher
Grace and Ralph Kelleher
Ralph and Grace Kelleher
Ralph was born in Pittsburgh on 13 November, 1898 and was a truck driver and a mechanic by
profession. He lived with Daniel and Hattie until he married Grace in about 1927. Grace worked at the
Woods Box factory, first as a wrapper and then as a machine operator. There is no record of them
having children. According the 1930 and 1940 Federal Censuses, Ralph and Grace lived in Pittsburgh
Wards 25 and 21, respectively which equate to Allegheny City Wards 2 and 5. William Kelleher III
mentioned in an email that at the age of 2 he and his family moved to Cleveland, Ohio. He remembers
meeting Ralph, the only brother of the 7 that he ever met, when Ralph and Grace also moved to
Cleveland. Ralph died on 13 November 1965 at the age of 66 at Mt. Sinai Medical Center in Cleveland,
Ohio.
Grace was born 19 January 1905 in Ohio and died on 2 January 1981 in Cleveland, Ohio. Both Ralph and
Grace are buried at the Lake View Cemetery in Cleveland. Having a death date and place should assist in
locating a death record for Grace which, hopefully, would include her maiden name.
Richard Kelleher
Richard, Catherine, and Barbara are sitting in the wagon.
Daniel the senior is standing on the right.
Not sure who is lying on the ground (Ralph?)
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Richard, the youngest son of Daniel and Hattie, was born 28 March 28 1902 in Pittsburgh. In 1930,
Richard, at the age of 28, was single, working as a laborer, and living with Daniel and Hattie at their
Lakewood Avenue residence in West View. However, by 1940 the Federal Census shows that he was
married to Catherine and had 3 children, Barbara, age 7, Richard, age 3, and Frederick, age 1. Barbara
mentioned that there was an older sister, Rita, but I did not meet her during my visit. I have not been
able to locate any records of Rita and was hesitant to ask any additional questions as I did not want to
pry.
The family lived just north of West View in Marshall Township near Wexford. Richard died in October,
1976 at the age of 74. He is buried alongside Catherine at the Calvary Cemetery (Catholic) in Freedom,
Pennsylvania. No other Kelleher’s are buried at this cemetery.
Catherine was born about 1902 in Pennsylvania. Her maiden name was McCullen. She died in 1966 at
the age of 64.
I am not sure of the circumstances behind the photograph above that shows Daniel the senior and his
youngest son, Richard, posing with the wagon. I can’t help but wonder if they were thinking of Daniel
the elder and his time as a carriage driver when the picture was taken.
Their Children: Barbara, Richard, and Frederick
Through various online searches, I was able to locate current addresses and phone numbers for each of
the 3 living children. Until recently, all 3 lived fairly close together in the Freedom area. However,
Barbara is now living in a retirement center closer to Pittsburgh. On a recent trip to Pittsburgh, we were
able to meet each other for the first time. Richard and his wife Marlene hosted a luncheon in my honor.
Marlene is a fabulous cook and extremely well known in the county. Barbara is now 80 years old and is
on dialysis 3 times a week. Richard retired from the Valvoline Oil Company and Marlene, the “Pie Lady”,
keeps busy with her cooking. Fred also retired from Valvoline and is a practicing musician. He labels
himself as Freddy the Musician and does gigs for various charity organizations. The picture below shows
Fred, his nephew Butch (Richard and Marlene’s son), and Rich’s wife and daughter visiting Mom and Dad
in Menifee, California.
Dad, Butch, daughter Maddie, Mom, Fred, and Butch’s wife, Tina
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Charles Kelleher (our uncle, Dad’s big brother)
Chuck’s high school picture
With his 1935 Chevy in Bellflower, CA. (~1953)
With Johnny at our home in Norwalk (~1962)
Chuck was born in Pittsburgh on 1 April 1920. He is especially important to our more modern family
history because, to the best of my knowledge, Chuck was the first Kelleher to migrate from Pennsylvania
to Southern California. He moved in the early 1950’s and was soon followed by our parents in about
1953. The exact motivation behind the move is not known but jobs, weather, and a sense of adventure
may be contributing factors (Mom’s side of the family (her sisters, brother, and parents) also migrated
from Pittsburgh to Southern California around the same time probably for the same reasons)).
I felt a strong sense of adventure of striking out on my own (although my folks still paid for everything)
when I went off to college in Colorado. I assume similar feelings were felt by Chuck, Dad, and Mom
when then headed off to California. I can only imagine, however, that the move west by their parents,
especially John Sr. and Anna, was much more difficult. After all, John Sr. and Anna were both born in
Pittsburgh and raised their family there. With so much family history tied to Pittsburgh’s North Side,
and to the house where they lived at 58 Lakewood Avenue, I can only imagine that the decision to move
west to be closer to their children was not an easy one.
Chuck was a great uncle. He was not around much but whenever he visited he always brought gifts for
us kids. Of course, that always made a big impression on me.
When Grandma and Grandpa Kelleher moved to California they lived near Chuck in Orange County. As
they grew older, Chuck took good care of them. When Grandpa passed away, Chuck moved Grandma
next door to him in Hesperia, California, so he could care for her.
Chuck’s first wife was Betty Jean Swartz and they had one daughter, Connie. Connie lives in Southern
California with her husband, Bob Mandic. They, in turn, had one daughter named Kelly.
Chuck died on 30 January 1993, at the age of 72, from skin cancer.
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John Kelleher, Jr. (our Dad)
Dad was born 11 July 1926 in Pittsburgh. He was raised in the West View house at 58 Lakewood Avenue
along with Daniel, Hattie, Fred, and his parents, John Sr. and Anna, and brother, Chuck. I wish I took the
opportunity to ask Dad more about his childhood. He enjoyed hunting with his trusted 22 (squirrels
mostly I imagine) as a kid and told a story about he and his friend successfully hitchhiking along the road
with guns in hand. Dad wondered how many people today would stop to pick up 2 scraggly looking kids
with their guns.
I am not sure how he met Mom (Cleora Mary Seibold) but he would talk about taking the trolley across
the Allegheny River to downtown and then over to the Morningside area to visit Mom at her house.
Getting around the greater Pittsburgh area was evidently easy and inexpensive with the trolley systems.
Mom and Dad married on 31 July 1949 although a marriage record through FamilySearch.org lists the
date as 30 July.
Kelleher wedding party. Al and Anna Grimpe on right.
I have no record of where they lived after their wedding and before moving to California and will have to
wait until the 1950 Federal Census is made public in 2024 (10 years from now).
23
Mom and Dad had 2 sons while in Pittsburgh, Johnny and Frank, born in 1950 and 1952, respectively.
They then moved to California sometime in 1953-54 where I was born in 1954 and my sister, Valerie,
was born in 1967.
I assume that their decision to move to California was largely based on the encouragement from Chuck
who had moved out their several years earlier. The lure of great weather, booming post-war economy,
and plentiful jobs were also enticing. I believe the family lived initially in Bellflower but quickly bought a
house in Norwalk, at 14623 Flatbush Avenue, their home for the next 30 years or so. The decision to
move to California was probably an easy one for Dad. He was always an adventurous sort. My brother,
sister, and I have many memories of traveling throughout California, camping at various sites from the
Sierras, to the beach, to the deserts, first in tents and then in a camper on the back of a green Ford
truck. Later, Dad became an active backpacker going on many trips with Frank and Val.
Dad was a machinist, a tool and dye inspector, for Norris Industries and other defense contractors.
Mom worked full time outside the home at various jobs first as a waitress and then as an office/sales
person for a company that I cannot remember. While I was growing up Mom worked a normal 8 to 5
schedule while Dad worked the graveyard shift so at least one parent was home with the kids. I also
remember going over to Grandma Seibold’s home after school and playing card games (Crazy Eights)
until Mom got home in the evening. We were a baseball/softball family with Dad coaching many of the
teams that we were on while Mom volunteered in the Little League concession stand because she was
too nervous to watch us play. Later, Dad would take Val to her softball practice and games on the back
of his Honda motorcycle.
After Proposition 13 passed in California, lowering and capping property taxes, Mom and Dad moved to
Menifee, California, and lived at 30169 Calle Pompeii. They joined the Menifee Lakes Country Club
where Dad was able to play unlimited golf. Dad really enjoyed the times he partnered with Frank at his
club’s various tournaments and together they took first place several times.
Mom passed away on 15 February 1998, at the age of 69, from pneumonia, a complication stemming
from an earlier surgery. Mom suffered with rheumatoid arthritis most of her late-adult life which
caused severe joint pain and nerve damage. Mom was cremated in Menifee and her ashes were spread
by family members along a trail in Humber Park just outside of Idyllwild, California. It was tough to see
her confined to a wheelchair and in such pain late in her life. Details of her early life are captured under
the chapter on the Seibold's.
Dad passed away on 8 March 2008, at the age of 81, from lung cancer. He had been cigarette-free for
decades but was a heavy smoker most of his early-adult life. Dad was cremated and his ashes were
spread by family members in the same area as our Mom.
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Chapter 5: The Rudiger’s
Hattie’s father, Friederick Rudiger, was a Master Stone Mason. He was born in November, 1826 in
German Saxony (Germany). Her mother, Christiana, was born about 1827 and was from the same area.
The kingdom or state of Saxony is located in northeast Germany around the city of Dresden. The family
immigrated to the United States in 1855, 2 years after their first son, Louis, was born and just before the
2nd child, Mary, was born. After 2 years in Pittsburgh, they settled in Saxonburg, a small town located in
Butler County, immediately north of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County. The city was founded in 1832 by
German immigrants and was initially named Germania. Later, the city’s name was changed to
Sachsenburg and then anglicized to Saxonburg.
Butler
Saxonburg
Allegheny
Pittsburgh
Documents show that Friederick petitioned for naturalization in the Western District Court of
Pennsylvania on 24 December 1856. He may also be the passenger listed as F. Ruediger, arriving in New
York on 24 October 1854 at the age of 27 aboard the Ann Johnson. On the ship’s registry, his occupation
is listed as “mason” and his destination is shown as Pennsylvania, which is a pretty good match with our
Friederick. No other family members are listed on the registry. It is quite possible that Friederick
traveled round trip from the U.S. to Germany and back alone during the family transition to Saxonburg.
On the 1860 U.S. Federal Census, the family is listed under the last name of Redicher. The family is
found again in the 1870 Census under the name of Ritcher, which is the first civil record for Hattie. She
is listed under the name Hetty, age 8 (born about 1862) along with her other 6 siblings.
The 1880 Census results for the family are very odd. First, the family is found under the name Rindcher
due to a poor translation of the written name on the census. Second, Friederick’s (Fred’s) occupation is
listed as “farmer” not mason. Third, the only child captured on the census is Mary. By 1880, both Louis
and Hattie are living independently but there is no mention of Herman, Elvina, Emma, or Louisa. Their
ages in 1880 would have been 23, 20, 16, and 12, respectively. There are 4 possibilities including:
1. They were living on their own and are under another variation of the Rudiger name.
2. The daughters are married and living under their married name
3. They passed away prior to 1880 (although no death records have been found).
4. They were simply “missed” by the census taker.
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No post-1870 records of any kind have been found to date for Herman, Elvina, or Emma. Louisa shows
up again on the censuses from 1900 through 1930. So, there is much uncertainty about the lives of
Herman (sometimes Harmon), Elvina (sometimes Alvena), and Emma.
On the 1880 Census, there is a Hedwig Richer, age 18, working as a domestic servant for a family living in
Allegheny City. There is no direct evidence that this is our Hattie but there is a significant amount of
circumstantial evidence including:
1. Our Hattie was born in 1862 in Pennsylvania based on 1900-1940 Federal Censuses
2. The Hetty listed in the 1870 census and the Hedwig listed in the 1880 census were also born in
1862 in Pennsylvania
3. Barbara Kelleher Powers, our Pittsburgh cousin, told me that her records show that Hattie
Kelleher’s maiden name was Rudiger (her records show the spelling as Ruddiger)
4. There are strong and direct census ties between the families listed under Redicher, Ritcher,
Rindcher, and Rudiger on the 1860-1900 Federal Censuses.
5. The name Hedwig is of German origin; nicknames for Hedwig include Heddy, Hettie, and
Hattie
6. The obituary for Louisa Rueidger Lippold (Hattie’s younger sister) documents that Hattie Keller
(sp) was the sister of Louisa.
7. Hedwig Richer lived in Allegheny City at the age of 18, the same small town as her soon to be
husband, Daniel Kelleher the senior
8. Hattie and Daniel the senior are buried at St. Paul’s cemetery on Pittsburgh’s North Side, a
Protestant cemetery that is aligned with the Church of Christ congregation. Her parents,
Friederick and Christiana, are buried at the Saxonburg Memorial Cemetery, a cemetery also
aligned with a Church of Christ congregation.
Hattie’s father, Friederick, shows up again in the 1900 Census as a widower and living with Mary, his
oldest daughter. According to Find-A-Grave, Christiana, Hattie’s mother, died in 1883 at the age of 56.
Friederick died in 1901 at the age of 75 and both he and Christiana are buried in the Old Saxonburg
Memorial Cemetery along with 2 of their children and other relatives.
Lippold grave marker
Bertha M. Rudiger (Louis’s wife)
Louis H. Rudiger (Hattie’s brother)
Mary M. Rudiger (Hattie’s sister)
Lippold grave marker
Theodore Lippold (Louisa’s husband)
Louisa (Rudiger) Lippold (Hattie’s sister)
Friederick Rudiger (Hattie’s father)
Christiana Rudiger (Hattie’s mother)
26
Great Grand Uncles and Aunts
Friederick and Christiana had 7 children. Completing the Rudiger family tree is still a work in progress
although much work has been done by Sheila Seifert, a collaborator on Ancestry.com.
Louis H. Rudiger
Louis was born in Germany in July, 1853 and emigrated to the U.S. with his parents in 1855. He, too,
was a stone mason like his father. They may have belonged to the fraternal order of Free Masons,
which could be another source of information. Louis married his wife, Bertha, in 1878 and together they
had 6 children. Bertha was born in Pennsylvania but her parents were both born in Germany. The 1880
Census shows Louis and Bertha living on the same street as Bertha’s parents Hans and Charlotte Merkel.
Louis Rudiger died 25 April 1913, at the age of 59, in Kensington, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
and is buried at Saxonburg Memorial Cemetery along with his parents, wife, 2 sons, 2 daughters, 1
daughter-in-law, 1 sister, and 2 grand-daughters.
Mary M. Rudiger
Mary was born September, 1855 in Pennsylvania (probably in Saxonburg) and she never married. As
noted above, the 1900 Federal Census shows her status as “single” at the age of 43 and living with her
father. The 1910 Census shows Mary living with her youngest sister, Louisa Rudiger Lippold and her
husband Theodore Lippold. Strangely, the death certificate for John Theodore Kelleher Sr. lists his
mother’s maiden name as Lippold not Papst. I cannot explain this error but the marriage between
Louisa and Theodore shows a family tie between the Rudiger's and Lippold's.
The 1940 census shows Mary living with her nephew, Norman Lippold, head of household, along with
Norman’s father, Theodore. Theodore’s wife, Louisa (Mary’s younger sister), died in 1938 at the age of
70.
Mary died in 1943, at the age of 88, and is buried in the Saxonburg Memorial Cemetery.
Herman (Harman) Rudiger
Herman was born in 1857 and is listed with the family on the 1860 and 1870 Federal Censuses.
However, I have not yet found any additional records for him post-1870. In 1880, he would have been
23 years old so may be living on his own but under another variation of the Rudiger name. Also, I am
not sure when he died. He is not listed in the Saxonburg Memorial Cemetery.
Elvina (Alvena) Rudiger
Elvina was born in 1860. She, too, is listed with the family on the 1860 and 1870 Censuses but I cannot
locate any additional records for her either. By 1880, she may be married and listed under her married
name. Like Herman, she is also not listed as being buried in the Saxonburg Memorial Cemetery.
Emma Rudiger
Emma was born in 1864 and is listed with the family on the 1870 Census. As with Herman and Elvina, I
cannot find any additional records for her and she is not listed as being buried in the Saxonburg
Memorial Cemetery.
Louisa Rudiger Lippold
Louisa, the youngest child, was born in 1868 in Jefferson Township, Butler County. She married
Theodore Lippold in 1891 and they had 8 children including twin boys, Herman and Norman. According
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to articles in the New Castle newspaper, the twins were the starting guards on the Saxonburg town
basketball team. Unfortunately, another story mentioned that Louisa’s youngest son, Howard, was the
cause of an auto accident that sent an Assembly man to the hospital with a fractured skull. Howard,
who was 25 at the time of the accident, was charged with aggravated assault and battery, and released
on a $1,000 bond. Still researching how that story ended.
As mentioned, Louisa died 24 May 1938 and is buried in the Saxonburg Memorial Cemetery. Her
obituary, found in the Butler Area Public Library, was published in the Butler Eagle newspaper. The
obituary states that she died following a lingering illness. She was survived by her husband, eight
children, 18 grandchildren, and 3 sisters including our Hattie. Interestingly, the obituary spells her
maiden name as Rueidger. With 18 grandchildren in 1938, there are probably a significant number of
Lippold relatives living in the greater Saxonburg area today.
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Chapter 6: The Papst’s
John Papst
What little is known about the patriarch, John Papst, comes from the 1900 Federal Census. John was
born in Austria in October of 1865 and immigrated to the United States in 1891. Although the census
shows an immigration date of 1892, Theresa’s naturalization document confirms a date of June, 1891.
Also, the 1900 Federal Census shows that their eldest child, John, was born in Pennsylvania in July, 1891.
Apparently, Theresa was 8 months pregnant when she immigrated. It is assumed that John and Theresa
immigrated together although no records have been found to confirm this assumption.
According to the Historic Pittsburgh City Directory of 1900, John worked as a laborer and the family lived
on the North Side. He apparently died between 1900 and 1910 since the 1910 Census shows Theresa as
widowed and head of household. However, no death records have been found to date. I remember
our Grandma Kelleher (Anna) telling me that she and her family grew up very poor. This makes sense
since, John Sr., as the primary bread winner, died so young (< 45 years of age).
The 1910 Census also shows that John and Theresa had 4 children but only 3 were living in 1910 (John,
Anna, and Frank). Their fourth child, born between 1900 and 1910, did not survive childhood. Although
no name was remembered, this fact was confirmed by Mom and Dad during their oral histories given to
me in the 1980’s.
Theresa Weiss (Grandma) Papst
Theresa was born 24 May 1874 in Kaichen, Germany located about 16 miles northeast of Frankfurt. Her
maiden name was Weiss according to the verbal history from Mom and Dad and confirmed by her death
record. According to her 1928 naturalization document, dated 13 January 1928, Theresa was widowed
at the time and living with her 3 children in West View, PA. Under Historic Pittsburgh City Directories,
family members can be traced sporadically living at different residences on the North Side from 1900
(first entry) through 1930 (last entry). Various entries list John Jr. as a lineman, Frank as a laborer, and
Theresa as widow of John. Through the years, according to Federal Censuses, Theresa supported her
family by working as a short order cook, a clerk, and a saleswoman. I have not been able to find Theresa
or any of our Papst relatives on the 1920 Federal Census. Theresa died 3 January 1930 in West View, at
the age of 56, from a cerebral hemorrhage.
29
Grand Uncles
John Papst, Jr.
John Jr. was born in July, 1891, shortly after John Sr. and Theresa immigrated to Pennsylvania. Other
than the 1900 Federal Census, the only other documentation of John Jr. found to date are the 1913 and
1928 City Directories listing John working as a clerk and lineman, respectively. Curiously, John is not
listed on the 1910 Federal Census as living with Theresa, Anna, and Frank. No death records have been
found to date for John Jr.
Frank John Papst
Much more is known about Frank Papst since he shows up in several Federal Censuses and on the trees
of other FamilyTree members. Frank was born 22 March 1899 according to several independent
sources. However, curiously, his WWI Draft Card shows a birthdate year of 1898, which looks to be in
his own writing. We know for a fact that our grandmother, Anna, was born on 11 January 1898 so Frank
had to be born in 1899. Not sure why the discrepancy. Perhaps Frank was trying to appear older on his
draft card so he would be accepted.
Frank worked as a truck driver and then as a lineman like his older brother. In about 1927, Frank
married Austa Plater and together they had 3 children, Frank Jr., William, and Sondra (Sandra?). The
1930 Census shows the family living with Austa’s mother, Dora, and her 2nd husband Frank King (along
with Mary Plater, Austa’s sister) in Mercer County, PA. The 1940 Federal Census, the last census
available, shows the family living in New Castle, Lawrence County, PA with Frank working as a lineman.
No death records for Frank or Austa have been located.
Sondra Papst
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Anna Papst Kelleher (our Grandmother)
From the left, back: John Sr., Aunt Betty, Dad, Mom,
Grandma Kelleher, Johnny, and Uncle Chuck.
From the left, front: me and Frank
Dad, Max, Grandma Kelleher, Chelsea, and Mom
Anna was born 15 January 1898 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She lived with her mother, Theresa, until
she married John Sr. in 1917. I wonder if the onset of WWI and the subsequent enlistment of John Sr.
(and several of his brothers) helped to set an early wedding date. Anna moved in with John Sr.’s parents
while he was in the army. John Sr. and Anna continued to live with his parents at the 58 Lakewood
house in West View until they built their own house next door. John Sr. and Anna lived in their West
View home up until they moved to California sometime in the 1970s (1960s?). I remember Grandma
Kelleher as a talkative person who spoke with that very characteristic Pittsburgh accent. I had to laugh
when Arlynn and I moved to Pittsburgh in 1986 because all of the natives spoke like Grandma.
While visiting the Pittsburgh Kelleher’s, we talked about the 7 sons of Daniel and Hattie and specifically
John Sr. and Anna. I mentioned how quiet John Sr. was and Barbara Kelleher Powers laughed and said
that he was quiet because Anna was so talkative.
Anna was very religious (Roman Catholic) and attended church on a regular basis. I remember many
conversations with her after the passing of John Sr. in 1985, where she frequently mentioned how much
she missed him and wished that she had died before him. Due to her religious beliefs, she was not
afraid of dying and she very much wanted to see her husband again in heaven.
Anna and John Sr. were married 68 years at the time of John Sr.’s passing in 1985, which is truly
amazing. In her later years, Anna moved to Hesperia, California and lived in a home immediately next
door to her eldest son, Chuck. Anna passed away on 13 May 1994 at the age of 96 in Hesperia.
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Chapter 7: The Seibold’s and the Fehr’s
Frederick Seibold (our 2nd GGF)
Frederick was born in the Wurttemberg area of Germany in March, 1840. The Wurttemberg-Baden area
is located in southwest Germany and centered on the city of Stuttgart. Interestingly, many of our
ancestors are from Germany including:
 Hattie Rudiger Kelleher’s parents, Frederick and Christiana Rudiger
 Anna Kelleher’s mother, Theresa Weiss
 Anna Marie Schmidt and both of her parents, G.L. and Auguste Schmidt
 Caroline Fehr’s parents, Daniel and Walburga Zeller Fehr
 Both of Daniel Fehr’s parents, Hugo and Rosalita Eckert Fehr
Frederick Seibold immigrated to the US in 1855 at the age of 15 based on the 1900 Federal Census.
Immigration and naturalization records for Frederick have not been located to date. At the age of 21,
Frederick enlisted in the Union Army as a private in the Ohio Company, 2nd Infantry Regiment. He
mustered out on 10 October 1864. He then re-enlisted in Company E, Ohio 58th Infantry on 7 April 1865
and was quickly promoted to Full Sargent on 20 June 1865. He mustered out on 16 September 1865 in
Vicksburg, Mississippi.
Frederick and his wife, Anna, were married in 1866 when they were 26 and 20 years old, respectively.
According to other Family Trees on Ancestry.com, Anna’s maiden name was Schmidt although other
corroborating data has not been found to date. Anna immigrated to the US in 1849 at the age of 3,
presumably with her family, according to the 1900 Census. There are several interesting immigration
records under the name Anna Schmidt and more research is needed here. However, one record in
particular is very intriguing. There is an immigration record (New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957) for
an Anna Marie Schmidt, age 4. This record lists her parents, G.L. (not sure what the initials stand for)
and Auguste Schmidt, and her sisters, Louise and Auguste. So, Anna’s last name and age is a good
match. But what makes this record even more interesting is that G.L.’s occupation is listed as “barber”
the same occupation as Frederick Seibold. Did Frederick learn the trade from his father-in-law, G.L.?
Frederick and Anna had 3 children, Frederick Jr., born 1867, Namrie (sp?), born in 1869, and Rosa, born
in 1875. The 1900 Federal Census documents that the couple had 3 children but only 2 were living at
the time. Since additional records for only Frederick Jr. and Rosa exist after 1900, it is assumed the
deceased child was Namrie.
Between 1880 and 1900 the Seibolds moved from the Dayton area to Galion, Ohio where Frederick, the
senior, worked as a barber. This fact tends to confirm the oral history passed on from our Mother to
Valerie Kelleher that the original spelling of Seibold was Seybold. However, since the “y” in Seybold fell
below the horizontal line, the cost to stencil the name on the barber shop window was going to be more
expensive. Hence, the family decided to change the spelling to Seibold.
An interesting fun fact passed on by Bri Adams, a family friend, was that the red and white striped
barber poles were modeled on rags that were set out to dry after being cleaned at the barbershops. In
the early days, some barbers were called on to serve as part time surgeons because they had the
sharpest instruments and barbers were usually very dexterous. At these particular barbershops, the
rags were always blood stained, so there would be red and white rages blowing in the wind outside of
these shops.
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Frederick died in 1903 at the age of 63 and is buried in the Fairview Cemetery in Galion, Crawford
County, Ohio. Anna died 11 July 1924 at the age of 77. She is buried in the Mount Calvary Catholic
Cemetery in Galion, Crawford County, Ohio, along with her son, Frederick C. Seibold and his wife,
Caroline H. Fehr Seibold, Rosa V. Seibold Shea (Anna’s daughter), and Cleora R. Seibold (Anna’s
granddaughter).
Frederick Charles Seibold
Caroline Fehr and Fred C.
Unknown, Fred, and Leo Seibold (our Grandfather)
Golden Anniversary, 1888-1938
Frederick C. Seibold (our GGF) was born 21 January 1867 in Ohio and grew up in Dayton. He was the
oldest of 3 children. He married Caroline Fehr on 4 September 1888. They were married for over 55
years and their Golden Anniversary notice is shown in the above right image. Eventually, they had a
total of 8 children: Cleora, Anna, Fred, Paul, Caroline, Leo (our GF), Esther, and finally, Myron.
However, at the time of the 1900 Federal Census, they only had 6 children to date. Interestingly, their
eldest child was named Cleora R., which is the namesake of our mother Cleora Mary. Also, our
Grandfather Leo Charles was just 4 months old at the time the 1900 Census was taken. And, in keeping
with family tradition, Frederick C.’s occupation is listed as “barber” same as his dad.
The 1910 Census lists a total of 8 children born but only 7 were living at the time. The last 2 children,
Esther and Myron, were born in 1903 and 1908, respectively. Tragically, Cleora R. Seibold died in 1906
at the young age of 16. Cause of death is unknown. No death records have been located to date.
Another interesting find is in the 1912 City Directories for Mt. Vernon. Fred and Caroline are listed as
living at 608 W. Chestnut Street with the barber shop at 507 W. High Street. Most of the time,
directories tend not to list children but in this case, Anna, Fred D., and Paul F. are listed as a
stenographer, conductor, and student, respectively.
By 1920, the family moved from Mt. Vernon to the Sharpsburg area of Pittsburgh and lists Caroline as
“head of household” with no mention of Fred C. This is puzzling since the 1930 Census shows the family
(Fred C., Caroline, and Paul) living in Pittsburgh, PA. Again, we are left to speculate what caused the
family to move to Pittsburgh and why Fred C. was not listed on the 1920 Census. The most obvious
current event at the time was the onset of WWI. Although no military records have been found to date
for Fred C., could he still have been involved in the war effort in some manner and away from the family
during this time?
The 1930 Census shows the family living at 1025 Chislett Street. Fred C.’s occupation is still listed as a
barber and Paul is listed as a patent attorney. Interestingly, their house on Chislett Street was just 0.3
miles from Leo and Mary Seibold’s home at 1244 Jancey Street.
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The obituary for Caroline’s younger sister, Mary Josephine (more on her later), notes that Mary died 12
January 1938 and that she was survived by several siblings including “Mrs. Fred Seibold” (this is our
Caroline), of Detroit, Michigan. Evidently, Fred C., Caroline, and Paul moved from Pittsburgh to Detroit
sometime between 1930 and 1940.
Caroline (Carrie) Fehr Seibold passed away 3 December 1938 at the age of 73 (more on her below in the
section on the Fehrs). The 1940 Census shows Fred and his son, Paul, living in Frenchtown, Michigan.
The reasons they moved from Galion, Ohio to Pittsburgh, and then to Frenchtown are unknown. One
can speculate that the move to Frenchtown may have been due to Paul’s job but we will probably never
know for sure.
Apparently, Fred C. moved back to Pittsburgh and lived with his son, Leo (our grandfather) and his family
at 1244 Jancey Street shortly before he died. His death certificate states that Fred C. died on 26 May
1943 at the age of 76 in Pittsburgh, PA due to coronary heart disease (hardening of the arteries). He is
buried in Mount Calvary Catholic Cemetery in Galion, Ohio along with his wife, Caroline. I have sent for
a copy of Fred C.’s obituary from the Monroe County Historical Museum and am awaiting results.
Seibold Grand Aunts and Grand Uncles
Cleora R. Seibold
Headstone at Mount Calvary Catholic Cemetery
Cleora R. was born 21 February 1890 in Galion, Ohio. According to another family tree in Ancestry.com,
her middle initial “R” stood for Rosa. This could very well be true since Rosa was the name of her aunt.
Not much is known about Cleora since she died in 1906 at the age of 16. I have not been able to locate
any additional records for her to date. Cleora R. is buried in Mount Calvary Catholic Cemetery in Galion,
Ohio and her headstone is shown above.
Anna M. Seibold
Anna was born 27 February 1892 in Mt. Vernon, Ohio and was evidently named after her paternal
grandmother. She lived with her family and made the move from Mt. Vernon, Ohio to Pittsburgh as
shown by the 1920 Census. She married Edward R. Bett in about 1926 in Pittsburgh and they
subsequently had 4 children:
 Daniel F: born about 1928
 Janet A: born about 1929
 Jack A: born about 1931
 Ruth M: born about 1938
We lose track of her and the family after the 1940 Census but 2 sources confirm that Anna died on 22
March 1972, at the age of 80, in Tampa, Florida.
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Fredrick D. Seibold
Fred D. was born on 4 March 1894 in Galion, Ohio. Both the 1900 and 1910 Federal Censuses show that
he grew up in Mt. Vernon, Ohio with his parents and siblings. Curiously, like his father, Fred C., I cannot
find Fred D. in the 1920 Census. Additional research is needed here.
Fred D. married Sarah Mae (maiden name unknown at this time) in about 1918. The 1930 Census shows
that they were living in Tampa, Florida and had a son, Charles R., who was 11 at the time. Fred D.’s
occupation is listed as a hardware store salesman. Could it be that Sarah Mae was from the Tampa area
and that is why the family lived there initially? By 1940, the family was back living in Mt. Vernon, Ohio
and, once again, Fred D. was working as a hardware store salesman.
Fred D. died at the Ohio State University (OSU) medical center at the age of 66. An autopsy was
performed and a report is available but I have not yet requested a copy.
Not much more is known about Sarah Mae since her maiden name has yet to be determined.
Paul Fehr Seibold
Paul was born 2 February 1896 in Mt. Vernon, Ohio. He was raised in Mt. Vernon until the age of 22,
when he enlisted in the army on 23 May 1918. His WWI Draft Registration Card documents his middle
name as Fehr which is his mother’s maiden name. He was subsequently honorably discharged on 28
November 1918 without seeing military action. According to the 1920 Census, he was single and living
with his family and siblings in Pittsburgh, PA. His occupation is shown as “engineer” with the W.E. Mfg.
Company. Interestingly, our grandfather, Leo Charles (Paul’s younger brother), was working at the same
company as a “machinist”. Paul was 34 at the time of the 1930 Census. He was the only sibling still
living with his parents on Chislett Street. Paul’s occupation is listed as “patent attorney”.
As noted earlier, Caroline Fehr Seibold passed away in 1938. The 1940 Census shows Paul living with his
father, Fred C., in Frenchtown, Michigan which is located about 35 miles south of Detroit. Paul’s
occupation is still listed as a practicing patent attorney. I assume that Fred C. is now retired at the age
of 73 since no occupation is listed for him. Paul and his father must have been doing okay for
themselves since the census shows a housekeeper living with them.
Paul’s WWII Draft Registration Card shows him living in Newport, Michigan which is about 4 miles north
of Frenchtown. Paul’s father, Fred C., passed away in 1943 and we lose track of Paul until 1953 where
he is listed in the City Directory for Royal Oak, Michigan working as a patent attorney, along with his
wife, Geraldine E. Seibold. A quick search did not find a marriage record so additional research is needed
here.
Paul’s life must not have been all work. A 1956 New York Passenger List shows Paul, Geraldine, and
their son, Paul M., took a one week cruise to Bermuda with onboard first class accommodations.
Paul passed away 18 September 1983, at the age of 87, in Waterford, Michigan near his residence in
Bloomfield Hills.
Caroline H. Seibold
Caroline was born 2 March 1898 in Mt. Vernon, Ohio. She lived there until she moved with the family to
Pittsburgh. At the age of 22, she married Hayes Ferdinand Durkee, from Ohio, in about 1921. Caroline
and Hayes lived in Akron, Ohio and had 4 children, 2 boys and 2 girls. Hayes died 4 February 1970, at
35
the age of 77, at the St. Thomas Medical Center in Akron. Carrie died 16 March 1984, at the age of 86,
also at the St. Thomas Medical Center.
Leo Charles Seibold (our maternal Grandfather)
26 August 1970
Mary and Leo Seibold
Mary, Frank, Leo, Me, and Mom
Leo was born 11 January 1900 in Mt. Vernon, Ohio. At the age of 18, he registered for the draft but he
never served. His WWI draft card shows the family residence at 208 North Mulberry Street in Mt.
Vernon. Grandpa moved to the Pittsburgh area with his family prior to 1920. He worked as a machinist
in a manufacturing company along with his older brother, Paul. In 1927, Leo married Mary Pavlic
McClements, our grandmother, who was widowed at the time with 3 children: Jennie, age 9, Anna, age
8, and George, age 3 (more on our Grandma in the next chapter on the Pavlakovic's/Pavlik's). Leo
adopted the children and raised them as his own which, to me, says a lot about his character.
The 1930 Census shows the family, including our mother, Cleora, age 1 ½ years, living at 1244 Jancey
Street in Pittsburgh.
Me sitting at the Seibold house on Jancey Street
Leo worked as a manager of an auto parts store, suggesting that he had good business and leadership
skills. The 1940 Census indicates that only George, age 15, and our mom, age 11, were still living with
their parents. Jennie and Anna had moved out of the house by then.
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Leo and Mary moved to Norwalk, California sometime in the late 1950’s or early 1960’s. They lived on
Studebaker Road about one mile from our home at 14623 Flatbush Avenue, also in Norwalk. My earliest
memories include going to Grandma’s house after school (St. John of God) and being with her until my
Mom got home from work. I believe that our grandfather, who went by the endearing name of “PapPap” continued to work at an auto parts store in the area. After a hard day at work, I remember
fetching him his pipe and 2 fingers of whiskey (over ice) on occasion.
Grandma and Grandpa bought the first color television in our family and I remember going over to their
house to watch the Wonderful World of Disney and seeing the colorful NBC peacock.
Grandpa also attended many of our Little League baseball games. I played several positions including
catcher but he admonished me one day saying that “catching equipment are the tools of ignorance”. I
did not know what he meant until he pointed out that many catchers, including Johnny Roseboro of the
Dodgers (also from Ohio), had bad knees as they got older. Now looking back, he was right.
He and I served as altar boys at several masses at St. John’s. I think he took a lot of pride in that
although he did not say anything directly. He was pretty reserved by nature.
Leo died 22 February 1986 in Norwalk, California at the age of 86. We have their old style writing desk
as a keepsake from their Norwalk home.
Esther T. Seibold
Esther was born on 26 July 1903 in Galion, Ohio. She moved with the family to the Mt. Vernon area
prior to 1910. She moved again with the family to the Pittsburgh area prior to 1920. Then, at the age of
21, she married Frank Tarazi in 1924. Interestingly, her marriage record is from Summit County, Ohio
and her address is listed as 969 Home Avenue in Akron. The record also states that she and Frank would
be married by a priest in a Catholic ceremony. I can only assume that her Akron address was only
temporary, perhaps the home of a friend or relative, since the 1930 Census shows her and Frank living in
Pittsburgh on Morningside Avenue just a few blocks from her parents on Chislett Street and few blocks
from her brother Leo and his family living on Jancey street.
I have not been able to locate the family in the 1940 Census so additional research is needed.
Esther and Frank had 2 daughters, Jean and Caroline. I have not found any information on Jean but
Caroline past away in 2013 in the state of New York.
Frank Tarazi passed away in 1970, at the age of 69, and is buried at Saint Joseph Cemetery in Kittanning,
PA. Esther passed away in 1978, at the age of 75, and is buried alongside her husband.
Myron James Seibold
Myron, the last of the 8 children, was born 20 June 1908 in Mt. Vernon, Ohio, where he lived until the
family moved to the Pittsburgh area. He graduated from college and worked in Washington D.C. as a
junior examiner for the U.S. government. The next record, the 1940 Census, shows Myron, married to
Alma W. with a son, Myron Jr., living in Detroit, Michigan. Myron Sr. was working as a patent attorney
for an electrical manufacturing company. My initial search did not find a marriage record so additional
research is needed.
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City Directories shows the family living in Royal Oak, Michigan for the years 1942-1956. Interestingly,
the last record that I found is Myron’s death record which indicates that he died 17 December 1970 in
Los Angeles, California! I don’t recall ever meeting Grandpa Seibold’s younger brother but I might have.
The Fehr’s
Daniel Fehr, our 2nd great grandfather, was born 8 September 1837 in Freiburg, Germany. Freiburg is
located approximately 120 miles southwest of Stuttgart, the district seat of Baden-Wurttemberg area.
Daniel arrived in the United States at the age of 18 on the passenger ship, Challenge, which sailed into
the port of New York on 1 May 1854. Just above Daniel’s name, the passenger list shows a Joseph
Zeller, age 19, an interesting find discussed below.
Daniel married Walburga Roberta Zeller (our second great grandmother) on 4 April 1859 based on other
Ancestry.com family trees. It seems likely that Walburga and Joseph were siblings. Walburga was born
in Baden, Germany, in about 1837. I have not found immigration papers for her but I think there is a
good chance that the Fehr and Zeller families knew each other in Germany prior to their immigration.
The 1860 Census shows the young Fehr family living in Galion, Ohio with their new 4-month old baby,
Elizabeth. Curiously, also living with them is one Hinnal Zeller, age 16. The occupation of both Daniel
and Hinnal is listed as “butcher”. It is probably safe to assume that Hinnal is the younger brother of
Walburga.
It seems a bit odd that new immigrants would migrate to the small town of Galion, current population of
10,500 people. To better understand the attraction I researched the history of Galion. Settlers first
arrived in the area about 1817. The town grew up at the intersection of 2 main roads, one running
north-south and the other east-west. Later, two major railroads established large rail centers in the
town and Galion became a critical layover for people crisscrossing the mid-West. Galion’s growth as a
transportation hub created job opportunities that attracted young immigrants to this very rural setting.
I have not located the family on the 1870 Census so additional research is needed. The 1880 Census
shows the family still living in Galion but now with 8 children. Daniel, age 43, is listed as a saloon keeper.
Their 2nd oldest child, Herman (sometimes Harmon), is listed as a bartender. Our future great
grandmother, Caroline, age 15, is listed under the occupation column as “at home”. Interestingly, of the
5 school age children at the time, the 2 boys are listed as “at school” while the 3 girls are listed as “at
home”. It would be interesting to research if this was typical for the times.
Daniel died on 11 May 1891 in Galion at the relatively young age of 54 of unknown causes. Daniel is
buried at Mount Calvary Catholic Cemetery in Galion (same cemetery where 4 other Seibold’s are
buried). Walburga died in 1900, at the age of 63, and is buried alongside Daniel.
Fehr Grand Aunts and Uncles
Elizabeth Mary Fehr
Elizabeth was born 15 January 1860 in Galion, Ohio. In public records, she shows up first on the 1880
Census at the age of 20 along with her parents and 7 siblings. Her occupation is listed as “domestic
servant”. The next public record is the 1910 Census, some 30 years later, which shows that she is
married to F.J. Baumgartner, and had been for the past 24 years, (she married at the age of 26) but they
did not have any children.
38
Her husband, Frank, died in in 1917, at the age of 58, and is also buried at Mount Calvary Catholic
Cemetery. Elizabeth died on 12 November 1929, at the age of 69, and is buried alongside her husband.
As a side note, the Mount Calvary Catholic Cemetery in Galion, Ohio, holds quite a bit of family history.
In addition to the 5 Seibold’s buried there, the cemetery also holds 13 Fehr’s, 17 Baumgartner’s, and 36
(wow!) Zeller’s. Certainly more research is required.
Herman J. Fehr
Herman was born in about 1863. I have not been able to find a record with a specific birth date,
although one can assume he was born in Galion. The first public record of Herman is the 1880 Census
where he is listed as Harmon, age 17, living at home in Galion with his parents and 7 siblings. His
occupation is listed as ‘bartender” suggesting he worked for his dad whose occupation is listed as
“saloon keeper”.
He married Josephine V. Riester (maiden name confirmed by an Ohio birth record of their son, Carlton)
in 1890. Both Herman and Josephine were approximately 26 at the time of their wedding. According to
the 1900 Census, they were living in Cleveland, Ohio, Herman was working as a clerk, and they had 2
children at the time.
They were still living in the Cleveland area in 1910 and Herman was working as a liquor salesmen. The
census notes that they had a total of 3 children but only two were living at the time. Since additional
public records are available after 1910 for their first two children, it is assumed that it was their 3rd child
that died (name unknown) prematurely.
The 1920 Census shows the family still in Cleveland along with their eldest son, Harold Cletus Fehr, who
is listed as a real estate dealer. Herman’s occupation is listed as soft drink salesman. This first struck me
as odd since he was a saloon keeper and liquor salesman in the past. Then I realized that Prohibition
went into effect in the U.S. in 1920 with the passing of the 18th amendment. So, of course, Herman had
to find a slightly different profession. Prohibition was later repealed in 1933 with the ratification of the
21st amendment
The 1930 Census shows Herman and Josephine in Cleveland with Herman working as a meat cutter, a
butcher, just like his dad when he first immigrated to the US. Interesting symmetry.
Although death records have not been found to date, other Ancestry.com trees indicate that Josephine
died 24 March 1936, at the age of 73, in Cleveland and Herman died 7 May 1937, at the age of 78.
Again, these dates cannot be verified at this time, but if true then Herman died within 14 months of
Josephine. As a side note, Bri Adams mentioned that studies have shown that when the wife passes
first, there is an abnormally high chance that the husband will pass within 18 months, supporting the
theory of “dying of a broken heart”. This phenomenon is due to the stress on the human body when a
loved one, especially a spouse, dies.
39
Caroline (Carrie) Fehr Seibold (our 2nd GGM)
Caroline and Fred C. Seibold
Caroline was born 14 September 1865 in Galion, Ohio. We know quite a bit about Carrie, as she was
called, since she shows up in each census between 1880 and 1930 (except for 1890 of course). I have
already incorporated most of the information previously in the written summary. A couple of
interesting points that deserve additional research include:
 Another Family Tree member shows her paternal grandparents were Hugo Fehr and Rosalia
Eckert both were born in the Baden area of Germany. No confirming documentation has been
found to date.
 Why Caroline is shown as head of household in the 1920 census with no mention of Fred C.
 There were 5 prominent German Catholic families living in Galion at the time including the
Seibold’s, Fehr’s, Baumgartner’s, Schneker’s, and Zeller’s. I am sure that they share an
interesting history including the inter-marrying among the 5 families in more recent times.
Caroline died on 3 December 1938 at the age of 73. I assume she died while living in the Detroit area
but, as previously mentioned, she is buried in Mount Calvary Catholic Cemetery in Galion, Ohio with her
husband and other family members.
Daniel C. Fehr
Daniel (sometimes Danial) was born in August of 1866 in Galion. In fact, he would live his entire life in
that small rural town. According to the 1880 Census, when Daniel C. was just 14 years old, the family
lived at 16 Payne Avenue. In 1900, Daniel C. was 33 years old, working as a bartender, and living with
his younger brother Joseph and his younger sister Bertha, lived at 228 East Payne Avenue.
In about 1901, Daniel C. married Jeanette Clara (birth notice stated Clara Jeanette) Whelan. In 1910,
Daniel C. and Jeanette were living at 228 East Payne Avenue along with their 5 children. The census
shows that they had 6 children born but only 5 living at the time. Daniel C. was then working as a
policeman.
Tragically, two of their children, Bernice and Daniel Jr., both died in 1916 at the ages of 10 and 6,
respectively. The cause of their deaths is unknown as no death records have been located. It is
unknown if they died together or separately. Spanish Influenza was at a peak in the years 1918-1920,
but without a death certificate, there is no way to connect the flu with the deaths of Bernice and Daniel
Jr. What a tragedy that must have been for the family. Both Bernice and Daniel Jr. are buried at Mount
Calvary Catholic Cemetery in Galion.
By 1920, the family, including 4 children, is at the same address (Daniel would live there until his death
in 1891; Jeanette continued to live there at least through 1945 based on City Directories) and Daniel C. is
working as a machinist. According to the 1930 Census, Daniel is now retired at the age of 62 and
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Jeanette is working as a seamstress in a garment factory. Three of their children are living with them,
including Gerald C. who is working as a book keeper at a garment factory, which I assume is the same
place his mother is working.
Daniel C. died in Galion on 22 November 1931 at the age of 65. Jeanette died in 1962, also in Galion, at
the age of 90. Both are buried at Mount Calvary Catholic Cemetery.
Joseph W. Fehr
Joseph was born in March, 1870 in Galion. The 1880 Census shows him living with his parents and 7
siblings in Galion. In 1900, at the age of 30, he is living on his own with his older brother, Daniel C., and
younger sister, Bertha.
He married Rose Bell Wertz in 1901, the same year his older brother Daniel C. married Jeanette Whelan.
The 1910 Census shows Joseph and Rose living in Springfield, Ohio with their 3 children, Hettie, Ruth,
and Mary. Joseph’s occupation is listed as “laborer”. In 1920, the family now includes a 4th daughter,
Ann Louise. The 1930 Census shows the family still in Springfield and Joseph’s occupation is now listed
as Supervisor in a leather factory. The census does not mention daughter Mary who would have been
24 at the time. Very few records are available for Mary. She may have married and moved away by
then. I don’t think she passed away since there is no mention of her on the list of Fehr’s buried at
Ferncliff Cemetery.
The 1940 Census has the family still in Springfield with Joseph now retired. Hettie and Ruth are both
single and living with their parents. Ann is now married and living with her husband. Records show that
Rose died in 1946 at the age of 46. Joseph died a year later in 1947, at the age of 77. Both Joseph and
Rose are buried in Ferncliff Cemetery in Springfield along with 13 other Fehr’s.
Walburga R. Fehr
Walburga, or Waldy as she was apparently called, was born 24 December (Christmas Eve) 1872 in
Galion. She married John B. Schnelker in 1896 at the age of 24. They eventually had a total of 10, yes
10, children together.
An interesting note is that in 1910 they lived next door to Walburga’s older sister, Elizabeth, and her
husband, Frank Baumgartner. John Schnelker worked in different capacities throughout his life and his
occupation in 1910 is listed as “wheel maker”. This is the same job as listed for Walburga’s brother,
Joseph W. Fehr, on the same census. It would be a fair assumption to think that they worked together
at that time.
Walburga died in 1946, at the age of 74, and is buried in Mount Calvary Catholic Cemetery along with
her husband who died in 1952, at the age of 83. A total of 18 Schnelker’s are buried there.
Mary Josephine Fehr
Mary was born 4 December 1874 in Galion. Her published obituary provided lots of interesting
information including the maiden name of her mother, Walburga Zeller Fehr, and her younger sister’s
married name, Bertha Fehr Thayer. Mary married Herman Koschnick in 1898, a naturalized citizen
originally from Germany, and together they had 5 children.
Going through the census data, I was surprised to see the overlap with other family members. It is
evident that the Fehr’s were a close knit family. Maybe that goes hat-in-hand with being a large family in
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a relatively small rural town. For example, according to the 1900 Census, Mary and Herman lived on
Payne Avenue. This is the same street where her brothers Daniel and Joseph, and sister, Bertha, lived in
1900 and where Daniel and Jeanette raised their family. Also, according the census, Fred C. and Anna
Seibold, Caroline’s in-laws, lived just 2 doors down from Mary and Herman.
Another intriguing tie is that Herman’s occupation is listed as “wheel maker” the same occupation as
Joseph W. Fehr (Mary’s brother) and John Schnelker (Mary’s brother-in-law). I assume that all 3 worked
together.
Another interesting coincidence is that all of Mary and Herman’s children were born in Ohio except
Edward who was born in Michigan about 1904. All of Walburga and John’s children were also born in
Ohio except Carl who was born in Michigan about 1910. Could it be that both of these families moved
to Michigan together between 1900 and 1910 only then to move back again to Galion?
Mary died on 12 January 1938, at the age of 63, after a long illness. She is buried at Mount Calvary
Catholic cemetery. Herman Koschnick died 20 June 1940, at the age of 75, and is buried alongside Mary.
Please note that there is a Koschnick Family Tree on Ancestry.com that has a lot more detail.
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Bertha Fehr
Bertha, the youngest of the Fehr children, was born in 1879 in Galion. She married Harry Thayer in
about 1903 and together they had one daughter. Harry was about 5 years younger than Bertha and I
wonder if that caused a stir back then. The family lived in Columbus, Ohio where Harry worked in the
railroad industry, first as a brakeman and then as a conductor.
Harry passed away 7 February 1935 at the young age of 51. He is buried at Sunset Cemetery in
Galloway, Ohio. Bertha passed away in 1957, at the age of 78, and is buried alongside her husband.
Their daughter, Marcella, is also buried next to her parents.
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Chapter 8: The Pavlakovics’s/Pavlik’s
Joseph K. Pavlakovic, our great grandfather, was born on 8 January 1868 in Crnomelj, Slovenia. Back in
his day, Crnomelj was part of Austria. Joseph became a naturalized citizen of the U.S. on 8 August 1907.
There is a tremendous amount of information in Joseph’s naturalization papers. In addition to his birth
date and place, we know that he immigrated to the U.S. on the ship, Trave, leaving Bremen, Germany on
17 January 1889, first sailing to Southampton, England and then onto the port of New York, landing on
or about 2 February 1899. He was 19 at the time. Joseph and his wife, Mary Balkowicz (sometimes
Balkovec) had 5 children at the time of his petition for naturalization.
To date, I have not been able to find the family in the 1900 Federal Census so additional research is
needed. Data searches are challenging for 2 reasons including the various spelling permutations of the
last name (for example, the family is found under the spelling of Polakovitch in the 1910 Census and
under Paulakovick in the 1920 Census). Also, some but not all, of the children began using Pavlik or
Pavlich as a simplified version of their family name. I assume the change was just to help them fit into
society easier.
The family was living in Sharpsburg in a home that they owned on Winchell Street in 1910. Joseph, 41,
was working as a laborer in the steel mills. The census also notes that the couple had a total of 8
children born but only 5 living at the time. Amia, their youngest child noted on Joseph’s naturalization
petition, passed away in 1908 from Scarlet Fever based on information on her death record. Tragically,
she was only 4 years old at the time. Since Joseph and Mary were married in about 1890 and the oldest
child, Barbara, was born in 1896, it is possible that the other 2 deceased children were born before
Barbara.
One interesting discrepancy noted on Joseph’s naturalization papers is the birthdate of their second
child. The name of the child is not readable due to the binding of the book. The birthdate, however, is
clearly shown as 21 Jan 1897. On the 1910 Census, their second child is listed as John Peter. His WWI
draft card lists his birthday as 2 February 1897. Not sure what to make of this discrepancy.
Mary, our great grandmother, was born on 31 October 1877 and is also from Crnomelj. The census
shows that Mary immigrated to the U.S. in 1890, the same year the couple was married. However,
there is an interesting immigration record for a Maria Pavlakovic that indicates this person, born about
1877, immigrated to the U.S. on 16 October 1895 and that her destination was Pittsburgh, PA. Could
this be our Mary? Her name, age, and destination are close matches.
In 1920, the family apparently moved from Winchell Street to a home that they owned at 54 Lower
Road in Sharpsburg. There were 6 children living at home including Barbara, John, Joseph, Elizabeth and
two new additions, Frances and George. Mary, our grandmother, married George McClements in 1917
when they were 16 and 24, respectively. In 1920, they were living at their own residence at 5362
Warble Street, Pittsburgh. Our great grandfather, Joseph, and his 2 sons, John and Joseph, all worked as
laborers in the steel mills.
By 1930, the family moved back to 39 Winchell (sometimes Winschell) Street (although it is not
definitive, the census information suggests that the family owned 2 homes in the area, one on Lower
Road and the other on Winchell Street). In addition to Joseph and Mary, 5 of their other children lived
with them including Barbara, Elizabeth (and her husband, Andrew Kilbert), Frances, George, and their
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latest and last addition, William. Joseph continued to work in the steel mills as a laborer while Barbara
worked as a servant for a private family, and Elizabeth is listed as a telephone operator.
Mary, our great grandmother, died on 8 March 1937 at the age of 60. Her death certificate lists the
cause of death as a stroke due to Arteriosclerosis (or hardening of the arteries) and hypertension. She is
buried at St. Mary’s Cemetery located just up the road and atop the hill above their home on Winchell
Street.
By 1940, Joseph is 72 years of age and still working as a laborer in the steel mills. Amazing! Only
Barbara, age 41, and William, age 17, still live at home with Joseph at 39 Winchell Street.
Joseph died in 1959 at the age of 91 and is buried alongside his wife at St. Mary’s Cemetery.
Pavlakovic/Pavlik Great Aunts and Uncles
Barbara Pavlakovic
Barbara, or Aunt Babe as our Mom called her, was born 6 April 1895 in Pittsburgh. She worked as a
servant/housekeeper for private families beginning in her late teens and continuing up until the death of
her mother in 1937. The 1940 Census suggests that after the passing of her mother, Barbara stayed at
home and took over the household duties. Barbara never married. She lived with her parents and then
her widowed father until his death in 1959.
Barbara died on 15 January 1990, at the age of 94, and is buried at St. Mary’s Cemetery along with her
parents. Sadly, Arlynn and I were living in Pittsburgh at the time of her death but we never made a
connection with Barbara. Yet another reason that I wish I would have done this genealogical research
earlier.
John Peter Pavlakovic
John was born 2 February 1897 in Pittsburgh. He enlisted in the Army on 30 August 1918 and was
subsequently released on 5 April 1919. His WWI draft card noted that he worked for Westinghouse
Electric Company at the time. John signed his draft card as “John Pavlakovic” but later shortens his
name on other documents, including his WWII draft card signed some 24 years later as “John Pavlich”.
John married Catherine Magdalene Bertram in 1924 when they were 27 and 26 years old, respectively,
and together they had a total of 8 children. To support his family, John worked as a laborer driving
trucks and as a sheet metal worker.
Catherine died 4 June 1963 and John died 4 January 1975. No death records have been found to date
for either one.
Joseph Paul Pavlakovic, Jr.
Joseph Jr. was born 23 June 1899 in Pittsburgh. His WWI draft card of 1918 was signed “Joseph Paul
Pavlakovic, Jr. and lists his dad as Sr.
The 1920 Census shows Joseph working as a laborer in a steel mill in Pittsburgh. However, the 1930 and
1940 Censuses show Joseph as a lodger (with the same family) and working as a meter man with the
public utility company in Detroit, Michigan.
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Joseph died 7 April 1969, at the age of 69, and is buried in St. Mary’s Cemetery along with his parents
and older sister, Barbara. And, like Barbara, Joseph apparently never married. The U.S. Social Security
Death Index shows his last known address as Pittsburgh so perhaps he moved from Detroit back to
Pittsburgh sometime after the 1940 Census.
Mary Ann Pavlic (our maternal Grandmother)
Grandma and Grandpa Seibold
Grandma Seibold, me, Mom, and Val
Our maternal grandmother, Mary, was born 23 February 1901 in Sharpsburg, Pennsylvania. Based on
oral history from Mom, our grandmother used Pavlik as her maiden name although I have seen various
spellings of Pavlakovic used as well. The first public record of her is the 1910 census where she is living
with the family at the age of 9. As previously noted, she married George McClements in 1917 when she
was just 16 years of age. George was born 3 August 1893 in Pittsburgh. His father, James, was born in
Northern Ireland and his mother, Jennie Wilson, was born in Pennsylvania.
Mary and George had 3 children, Jennie (Jane), Ann, and George. George, the senior, died 13 July 1925
at the age of 31 from pneumonia just 2 days after having an appendectomy. George is buried at Mt.
Royal Memorial Park Cemetery in Glenshaw, Pennsylvania, just north of Pittsburgh.
Mary married Leo Seibold in about 1927 and together they had one child, Cleora Mary, our mother,
born in 1928. In 1930, the entire family, including the adopted children, Jennie, age 11, Anna, age 10,
George, age 5, and our Mom, age 1 5/12, were all living at 1244 Jancey Street in Pittsburgh.
By 1940, both Jennie and Anna had moved out presumably after marring their husbands Peter Stewart
and Al Grimpe, respectively. Mary, Leo, George, and our Mom continued to live at their home on
Jancey Street.
As noted under the section on Leo Seibold, Mary and Leo moved to Norwalk, California sometime in the
late 1950’s or early 1960’s to be closer to family. I remember Mary being a very loving and supportive
grandmother. The time between the end of the school day and before Mom got home from work, was
spent at Grandma’s house on Studebaker Road. We spent the time playing cards (Crazy Eight, Flap Jack,
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and Go Fish) and watching TV (Highway Patrol with Broderick Crawford). She was a big help to Mom
and an important person in my life.
Grandma died 5 September 1984, at the age of 83, in Norwalk, California.
Cleora Mary Seibold (our Mom)
At home on 1244 Jancey St.
Undated
Mom with Alisa and Val
Dad and Mom, mid 1990’s
Our mom was born 9 October 1928 in Pittsburgh and was raised at the 1244 Jancey Street home. I
visited the house during my recent Pittsburgh trip in May, 2014. The house is in surprisingly good shape
and the Morningside area is very nice and serene.
Mom was very active athletically as she grew up playing volleyball and basketball, among other sports,
at school. Along with Dad, she was a big baseball fan and supported our activities in Little League and
Val’s Little Miss softball teams.
She was definitely a trailblazer by working outside of the home while we were growing up. I remember
her working various jobs including waitressing, factory worker at Kraft foods, and finally working in sales
for Castle Metals where she was the first women inside sales person. She also won top salesperson of
the year multiple times. Having a career outside the home was important to her and our Dad and her
parents provided great support to her and to us growing up.
Mom was mostly a quiet, somewhat shy, person but was tremendously supportive and very loving. She
always encouraged us to do our best (“you don’t have to get A’s on your report card, just do your best”)
and to enjoy our lives. She encouraged me not to work the summers of my high school years saying that
I had a life time of work ahead of me so just go and enjoy the outdoors. After long days at work, she
would come home, cook dinner, and then help us with our homework. She was very smart, especially at
math. I will always remember Mom as being a rock in our family structure.
Mom and Dad continued to be very supportive all through my life. They came out to visit Arlynn and me
when we moved to Pittsburgh in the late 1980’s. It was great fun to see Pittsburgh through their eyes.
Mom had not been back to Pittsburgh since our family trip in 1960 (although Dad flew back to
Pittsburgh with Valerie shortly after she was born in 1967). While visiting, Mom and Dad told stories of
Pittsburgh during the boom times with soot raining down all hours of the day from the steel mills lining
the river’s edge. By their accounts, Pittsburgh was a bustling town back in their day. We took a driving
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tour around Pittsburgh visiting Dad’s home in West View and Mom home in Morningside. It was, and
still is, very meaningful to me to see the excitement in their eyes and while they told stories of their
early childhood as we made the tour.
They again drove out to New Orleans when Max was born to help us with making the adjustment of
having 2 kids. Through the years, we spent some holidays and vacations together but not nearly
enough. One of my biggest regrets is not coming home more often. I know Mom would have loved to
have seen us, and especially the kids, more often.
As previously noted, Mom suffered from rheumatoid arthritis later in life which increasingly caused her
mobility problems. She elected to have surgery in hopes of gaining greater flexibility and movement.
Tragically, she contracted pneumonia shortly after surgery and she passed away on 15 February 1998, at
the age of 69. We will remember her birthday every year by toasting with her favorite drink, (Ten High)
bourbon and water.
Grand Aunts and Uncles (cont.)
Amia A. Pavlakovic
Amia was born 4 September 1903 and is listed on the naturalization papers of her father, Joseph. As
previously noted, Amia died 19 May 1908, at the age of 4. Cause of death was due to Scarlet Fever.
There is no vaccine for Scarlet Fever but it is now effectively treated with antibiotics. However, before
antibiotics, Scarlet Fever was a leading cause of death in children.
Elizabeth Pavlic
Elizabeth was born about 1909 in Sharpsburg. An Ancestry.com member lists her birthday as 18
October 1908, which fits the known records. Elizabeth married Andrew Kilbert on 18 November 1926
based on the West Virginia Marriage Index. This index shows her age to be 21 but in reality she was only
17 at the time. The last name listed for Elizabeth on the index is spelled Pavlik.
The 1930 Census shows the couple living with Elizabeth’s parents at 39 Winchell Road. However, in
1940, they were living at the 54 Lower Road house. The census shows that the couple was renting this
house and I assume that they were renting from Elizabeth’s father, Joseph Pavlakovic.
No children are listed in the 1940 census and death records have not been located for either Elizabeth or
Andrew to date.
Frances M. Pavlakovic
Frances was born in 1911 in Sharpsburg. The very few records found for Frances include just the 1920
and 1930 Federal Censuses. In 1930, Frances, age 19, was living with her parents and siblings at the 39
Winchell Street house. We lose track of her after that date. The only other civil record found to date is
a Social Security Death Index which confirms a birth year of 1911 and a death year of 1983. These dates
match another Ancestry.com tree which shows a birth and death date for a Frances Pavlakovic of 1
March 1911 and 19 August 1983, respectively. The only other information that we have of her is from
the obituary of her son, Father Paul Robert Pavlik.
Father Valentine, as Paul Robert Pavlik was known in the U.S., was born 8 November 1931 to Frances M.
Pavlakovic and Robert Pavlik. No records have been found to date for Robert Pavlik. It seems a bit too
coincidental that a person with the last name of Pavlik would marry a person with the last name of
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Pavlakovic, especially when several of the Pavlakovic’s shortened their name to Pavlik. Coupled with the
fact that absolutely no records have been found for Robert, leads me to question whether the correct
name(s) have been identified. More research is needed here.
Paul Robert Pavlik professed his first vows on 5 July 1954 at the Portiuncula Friary in Washington, D.C.
The next year he completed a degree in Philosophy at St. Francis University in Loretto, PA and on 5 July
1957 he made his solemn vows. He was ordained into the priesthood on 23 May 1959. He continued
his education while teaching in the Philadelphia area until he received his Mission Cross on 27
September 1966. From 1966 until his death in 2012, he served various parishes in the state of
Amazonas, Brazil.
Father Valentine died of cancer 8 November 2012, at the age of 81, at Our Lady of Loretto Friary in
Manaus, Brazil and is buried at the St. John the Baptist Cemetery in Manaus.
George (Pavlakovic) Pavlik
George was born 18 October 1916 in Pittsburgh. He is shown living at home on the 1920 and 1930
Censuses. There is a George Pavlik that shows up in the 1940 Census as married to Mary and living in
Versailles, a small borough just outside of Pittsburgh. His occupation is listed as a laborer in the coal
industry. I believe this is our George except the birth year on the 1940 Census is about 1913 and not
1916.
George died 27 December 1994 in Pittsburgh, at the age of 78, based on the Social Security Index.
William F. (Pavlakovic) Pavlik
William was born 27 November 1920 in Pittsburgh. He is shown on the 1930 and 1940 Censuses as
living at home and attending school. He enlisted in the Navy on 31 July 1942 just after the Japanese
bombed Pearl Harbor. George served 3 ½ years and was released on 5 December 1945. I would love to
know more about his time in the Navy and what battles he potentially fought in so additional research is
needed here.
Shortly after returning from the war, William married Alice Graham, a bank teller from Etna, PA. Based
on information listed on their Application for Marriage License, William was living at home at 39
Winchell Street and his occupation is noted as salesman. William spells his last name (and the last name
of his father, Joseph) as Pavlik and his mother’s maiden name as Balkowicz. The marriage license was
issued on 13 February 1946.
William died 15 November 1980 at the age of 59. No other records have been found for either William.
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Chapter 9: Future Work Needed
Although much work has been done so much more is needed to trace back the Kelleher lineage to
Ireland and the lineages to their home countries. Below are some suggestions for future work.
1. Daniel, the elder:
a. Birth place in Ireland
b. Death date
c. Name of parents
2. Hannah Lucy Kelleher
a. Birth place in Ireland
b. Death date and place
c. Name of parents
3. Frederick Rudiger
a. Birth place in Saxony, Germany
b. Name of parents
4. Christiana Rudiger
a. Maiden name
b. Birth place in Saxony, Germany
c. Name of parents
5. John Papst
a. Birth place in Austria
b. Name of parents
6. Theresa Weiss Papst
a. Birth record from Kaichen, Germany
b. Name of mother and her maiden name
7. Frederick Seibold
a. Birth record from Wurttemberg, Germany
b. Army records and battles fought in Civil War
c. Name of parents
8. Daniel Fehr
a. Birth record from Freiburg, Germany
b. Confirmation of parents' names: Hugo Fehr and Rosalia Eckert
9. Walburga Zeller Fehr
a. Birth record from Baden, Germany
b. Name of parents
10. Joseph Pavlakovic
a. Birth record from Crnomelj, Slovenia
b. Name of Parents
11. Mary Balkowicz Pavlakovic
a. Birth record from Crnomelj, Slovenia
b. Confirmation of her maiden name (sometimes Balkovec)
c. Name of parents
12. John T. Kelleher, Sr.
a. Army record in WWI including battles fought in Europe
b. Consider applying for Purple Heart posthumously
13. Ongoing
a. Follow up on the 249 “hints” from Ancestry.com for various members of our family tree
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b. Continue to research each family post-1940 with goal of identifying all living relatives
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