Gerda
It appears that my oldest Gerda ancestors to come to America were actually my great-great grandparents. However, it also appears that they didn't care for the place and so got on a boat and went back to Slovakia.
Last modified 07/21/2005
Gerda
Andrew Gerda and his wife Anna lived in Slovakia (variously reported as Czeckoslovakia and Austria.) At some point, they traveled to the United States, but chose to return to the old country.
- Children:
Andrew, b. in Slovakia, MIA in WWI (info from George Vajda)
Michael, b. 24 Sep 1883 in Bretsiotsi [or Breciovca, or Brecejovca], Kencany [Kavecany?], Slovakia; made trans-Atlantic trip to US in 1908, 1914, 1920 and 1922; occupation of "steward" and "farm laborer" in Ellis Island records [see www.ellisisland.org]; m. Maria; later of Bason [sic], NY; sons Mike and Joe; d. Feb 1968 in Basom [sic], Genesee Co., NY
John, b. ~1888 in Slovakia (see below)
Frank, b. 1892 in Slovakia, resided 3425 E. 110th, Cleveland; worked as molder in 1920-21 and d. soon after in 1922, buried Calvary Cemetery, Cleveland, OH.
Alexander F., b.~1897 in Slovakia, imm. 1912, resided 9202 Aetna Rd., 10323 Union Ave., and 3439 E. 104th St., Cleveland; m. Elizabeth Ondercin, had sons Joseph (b. 1917 in OH) and Michael; worked as a molder; d. Aug 1955, funeral at Nativity Church.
Verona Elizabeth, [also variously listed as Veronica] b. 6 Jan 1904 in Bretsiotsi [or Breciovca, or Brecejovca], Chariska, Slovakia; imm. 5 Sept 1920 at the age of 17 on the ship France out of LeHavre, France [see www.ellisisland.org]; in 1924 she was a machine operator and was a boarder at 10301 Elwell Ave. m. George Vajda and had children George and Anna May.
| John Gerda, b. ~1888 in Slovakia, came to the U.S. in 1909 (according to the 1920 census.) On 26 Sept. 1911 in Cuyahoga County, OH he married Anna Weber, who had herself only come to the U.S. in 1910. They lived on E. 104th Street in Cleveland. In 1920, John was a carpenter in a steel mill. On 16 Dec 1932, John became a naturalized US citizen. In 1923, John owned a restaurant and bar called Gerda's Tavern at 10600 Broadway in Cleveland. When John died on Monday, 18 Feb. 1938 (funeral at Nativity Church 21 Feb), Gerda's Tavern passed in ownership to Anna and oldest son "Johnnie" while son Joe managed the business. John is buried at Calvary Cemetery in Cleveland, OH. Anna remaried to George H. Horrocks and lived at 9903 Robinson Ave. She died Sunday, 1 Feb 1948; funeral service at Saints Peter & Paul's Church on Turney Road in Garfield Heights, and was buried at Calvary Cemetery on 4 Feb. |  |
Children:
John Andrew "Johnnie", b. 12 Aug 1911 and baptised
18 Aug. 1911. He married Sophie D. Kaczmarek, who was b. 6 May 1898 and
d. 15 Mar 1988 in Cleveland; He d. 16 Mar 1962, buried Calvary Cem.
Joseph John "Joe", b. 14 Mar 1916 in Cleveland, OH (see
below)
This photo from genealogist Sally Weber (Emilsgal@aol.com) shows a family wedding with the Gerda family (John, Anna, and sons Johnnie and Joe) on the left. Can you help us to identify the others in the photo? (Click for larger version.)
Joseph John "Joe" Gerda, b. 14 Mar 1916 and baptized 19 Mar 1916 in the Church of the Nativity in Cleveland, OH. He went to grade school at Nativity and Roosevelt in Garfield Heights. He attended Garfield Heights High School ('34) where he somehow managed to catch the eye of a pretty cheerleader named Lois. However, Lois was from a Lutheran family and he was Catholic. He consulted with a religious advisor about what to do. He was told to forget Lois and marry a good Catholic girl. He m. 10 Oct 1938 in Garfield Hts, OH to Lois Louise Rahe. He attended night courses at Cleveland College. He co-managed Gerda's Tavern until it had financial difficulties and closed in 1946(?). He converted to Lutheranism in 1958 and was a member of St. John's Lutheran Church in Garfield Heights. He d. 6 Jan 1979 in Cleveland, OH and is buried at St. John's Cemetery in Garfield Heights, OH.
Children:
Jerome Joseph "Jerry", b. 14 July 1942 (see below)
James John "Jim", b. 27 Jan 1952. Married Mar 1979 to
Julie Townley in GA, div. Son James Joseph "Joey"
b. 21 Dec 1979. Joey plays football for Memphis State University.
Jerome Joseph "Jerry" Gerda, b. 14 July 1942 in Cleveland, OH. He grew up at 9816 McCracken Boulevard in Garfield Heights, OH and earned a B.S.E. in Chemical Engineering from Fenn College in 1965. Married 23 Jul 1966 to Joyce Eileen Murphy in St. John's Lutheran Church in Garfield Heights, OH. Jerry and Joyce made their first home on Columbus, OH but after having two children moved to Muscatine, IA for two years. In 1972, the family moved to Brunswick, Medina Co., OH and Jerry and Joyce have lived there since. Jerry had a career as a fire protection engineer. Joyce has an A.A. from Cuyahoga Community College and a B.A.in business from Cleveland State University. They are now retired to gardening, grandparenting and other assorted activities.
Children:
Janice Joyce, b. 18 Jan 1967 in Columbus, Franklin Co., OH. She
has a B.A. from Case Western Reserve University and a M.Ed. from Cleveland
State University. She worked as a Residence Hall Director at Grinnell
College and an Assistant Dean of Students at the University of Virginia
before returning to Ohio to become a full-time doctoral student in Higher
Education Administration at Bowling Green State University. [author of
this website]
Jeffrey Jerome, b. 15 May 1969 in Columbus, Franklin Co., OH. He
has a diploma in diesel mechanics from Northwestern Business College in
Lima, OH. He m. 20 Sep. 1997 Ronda Hoffman. They have two boys,
Jordan Jeffrey and Joshua Wayne.
