John Gerlitz (1901 - 1952)

Born 12 Mar 1901 in Pine Island, Warwick, Orange, New York, United States

Died 4 Oct 1952 at age 51 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada

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Biography

John was the son of Conrad Gerlitz and Elizabeth Wiegandt. He was born at Pine Island, Warwick, Orange, New York, which had been a colony of Germans from Russia. His specific birth date comes from Find-A-Grave. His parents were immigrants from Russia and his father was an onion farmer. On March 28, 1911, John and his family, who were travelling by train, crossed into Canada at Bridgeburg, Ontario. Their destination was Calgary.

John must have worked nearly all his life. In the 1910 U.S. Federal Census, when he was 10 years old, his occupation was laborer although it seems he attended school. In the 1916 Canada prairie census, he was shown working at some sort of factory. After trying electric welding, John and his brother Henry became jewelers. (One wonders how they got into this business?) They started at D E Black & Co. Henry went to California where he manufactured jewelry. John stayed in Calgary working for Henry Birks and Sons and then for Baker and Co. in his final years.

In 1923 John married Mary Kneiss, someone with a similar background as himself. John never left the Bridgeland-Riverside neighborhood where he and his family first settled after they arrived in Calgary. When he died in 1952, he was living at 103 8th St. N.E. John is buried at Queen's Park Cemetery.

Obituary

From the Calgary Herald (Calgary, Alberta, Canada) 6 Oct 1952, Mon, page 19; as found on Newspapers.com:

JOHN GERLITZ

Rev. John Leinweber will officiate at the funeral service Tuesday at 2 p.m. in McInnis and Holloway funeral home for John Gerlitz, 51, 103 8th St. N.E., who died Saturday in General hospital. Burial will be in Queen's Park Cemetery.

Born at Pine Island, N.Y., Mr. Gerltiz came to Calgary in 1911 and was employed as a jeweler with Henry Birks and Sons (Western) Ltd. for 27 years. For the past three years he was a jeweler with Baker and Co. He was a member of St. John's Lutheran Church.

Surviving are his wife Mary; two sisters, Mrs. Adam Hergert, of Los Altos, Calif., and Mrs. Robert McMeekin of Toronto; three brothers, Conrad and Peter in Calgary and Henry in Fresno, California.

Henderson's Directories

Henderson's Calgary City Directory, 1919, p. 421: Gerlitz Elizabeth wid Conrad h 109 7a St NE

Henderson's Calgary City Directory, 1919, p. 421: Gerlitz Henry appr welder Bates Elec Welding r 109 7a St NE

Henderson's Calgary City Directory, 1919, p. 421: Gerlitz John appr welder Bates Elect Welding h 109 7a St NE

Henderson's Calgary Directory, 1920, p. 418: Gerlitz Henry jeweler D E Black & Co r 727 1st Ave NE

Henderson's Calgary Directory, 1920, p. 418: Gerlitz J jeweler D E Black & Co r 727 1st Ave NE

Henderson's Greater Calgary Directory, 1925, p. 377: Gerlitz John jeweler Henry Birks & Sons r 713 2nd Ave SE

Henderson's Greater Calgary Directory, 1930, p. 426: Gerlitz John jeweler Henry Birks h 211 7A St NE

Henderson's Greater Calgary Directory, 1935, p. 406: Gerlitz John jeweler Henry Birks h 103 8th St NE

Henderson's Greater Calgary Directory, 1940, p. 441: Gerlitz John jeweller Birks h 103 8th St NE

Henderson's Greater Calgary Directory, 1948, p. 360: Gerlitz John h 103 8th St NE

Henderson's Greater Calgary Directory, 1950, p. 516: Gerlitz John (Mary) emp Bert Baker & Co h 103 8th St NE

Henderson's Greater Calgary Directory, 1952, p. 568: Gerlitz John (Mary) :jeweLler Bert Baker & Co h 103 8 St NE

Sources

• Henderson Directories. Henderson's Calgary Directory:http://peel.library.ualberta.ca/bibliography/2961.html

• Name: John Gerlitz; Age in 1910: 10; Birth Date: 1900; Birthplace: New York; Home in 1910: Warwick, Orange, New York, USA; Street: Little York Road; Race: White; Gender: Male; Relation to Head of House: Son; Marital Status: Single; Father's Name: Conrad Gerlitz; Father's Birthplace: Russia; Mother's Name: Elizabeth Gerlitz; Mother's Birthplace: Russia; Native Tongue: German; Occupation: Laborer; Industry: Home Farm; Employer, Employee or Other: Wage Earner; Attended School: Yes; Able to read: Yes; Able to Write: Yes; Out of Work: N; Number of Weeks Out of Work: 0; Household Members: Household Members: Conrad (30) Head; Elizabeth (30) Wife; Conrad (12) Son; John (10) Son; Henry (6) Son; Catharina (3) Daughter. Source Citation: Year: 1910; Census Place: Warwick, Orange, New York; Roll: T624_1061; Page: 7B; Enumeration District: 0084; FHL microfilm: 1375074. Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1910 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006.

• Name: John Gerlitz; Gender: Male; Racial or Tribal Origin: Russian; Nationality: Russian; Age: 15; Marital status: Single; Birth Year: 1901; Birth Place: Russia; Year of Immigration: 1911; Home in 1916: Calgary East, Alberta, Canada; Address: 109 - 7th St SE; Relation to Head of Household: Son; Father: Conrad Gerlitz; Mother: Elis Gerlitz; Sub-District: 05K; Sub District Description: (A - Q inclusive) City of Calgary such portion as is situated in this district according to the Representation Act, 1914. (Ogden - Book M); Enumeration District: 34; Enumerator's Name: W R Wood; Dwelling House: 137; Religion: Lutheran; Naturalization Status: Alien; Can Speak English: Yes; Can Speak French: No; Mother Tongue: German; Can Read: Yes; Can Write: Yes; Occupation: Laborer; Employment status: Worker; Employer: Factory; Household Members: Household Members: Conrad Gerlitz (37); Elis (37); Conrad (17); John (15); Henry (11); Katie (9); Peter (3); Lizzie (0). Source Citation: Year: 1916; Census Place: Alberta, Calgary East, 05K; Roll: T-21948; Page: 17; Family No: 163. Source Information: Ancestry.com and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 1916 Canada Census of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2009.

• Name: John Gerlitz; Gender: Male; Racial or Tribal Origin: Russian; Nationality: Russia; Marital Status: Single; Age: 20; Birth Year: abt 1901; Birth Place: USA; Year of Immigration: 1911; Residence Date: 1 Jun 1921; House Number: 824; Residence City, Town or Village: Calgary; Residence District: Calgary East; Residence Province or Territory: Alberta; Residence Country: Canada; Relation to Head of House: Son; Father Birth Place: Russia; Mother's Name: Elizabeth Gerlitz; Mother Birth Place: Russia; Can Speak English?: Yes; Can Speak French?: No; Other Language: German; Religion: Lutheran; Can Read?: Yes; Can Write?: Yes; Occupation: Apprentice; Employment Type: Wage Earner; Nature of Work: Jeweller; Income: 1000; Out of Work?: No; Section: 727 1st Ave NE; Enumeration District: 3; Sub-District: City of Calgary (Part); Sub-District Number: 27; Enumerator: Herbert J. Parrott; District Description: That part of the City of Calgary commencing at the intersection of Edmonton Trail to the main channel of the Bow River; thence northerly along the Edmonton Trail to Sixteenth Avenue N. E.; thence easterly along Sixteenth Avenue N. E., to the North west corner of Section 24, thence southerly along the west boundary of Section 24 and 13, to the North Channel of the Bow River; thence westerly along the North Channel of the Bow River to the place of Commencement; Line Number: 26; Family Number: 895; Household Members: Elizabeth (42) Head; Cote (22) Son; John (20) Son; Henry (17) Son; Katherine (14) Daughter; Pater (7) Son; Marie (3) Daughter. Source Citation: Reference Number: RG 31; Folder Number: 3; Census Place: 3, Calgary East, Alberta; Page Number: 86. Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1921 Census of Canada [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2013.

• Name: John Gerlitz; Gender: Male; Marriage Date: 1923; Marriage Place: Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Spouse: Mary Kneiss; Certificate Number: 190. Source Citation: Provincial Archives of Alberta; Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; Alberta Marriage Indexes. Source Information: Ancestry.com. Alberta, Canada, Marriages Index, 1898-1944 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2017.

• Name: John Gerlitz; Birth Date: 12 Mar 1901; Birth Place: Pine Island, Orange County, New York, United States of America; Death Date: 4 Oct 1952; Death Place: Calgary, Calgary Census Division, Alberta, Canada; Cemetery: Queens Park Cemetery and Mausoleum; Burial or Cremation Place: Calgary, Calgary Census Division, Alberta, Canada; Has Bio?: Y; Spouse: Mary Gerlitz; Source Information: Ancestry.com. Canada, Find a Grave Index, 1600s-Current [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/155954528/john-gerlitz