Person:Frank Mayer (13)

Notes from son, Henry, indicate:

Frank George Mayer's ancestors emigrated to Serbia from the Stuttgart area sometime before the 1800s. His father, Anton, a city boy married Effie (Eva) Yaks, daughter of a wealthy farm family. As a result of the marriage, Effie was cut off from her family's inheritance. Anton and Effie had three children born in Semlean, Serbia, a town in the northern part of what is now Yugoslavia near the Hungarian border. The children were Frank, Julia, and Gretchen. Gretchen married in Semlean and bore 3 or 4 children; Julia committed suicide by drowning in the Danube River over a broken love affair. Look at Frank and Katherine's marriage notes for how they met.

Since Frank was AWOL when he came to America, it's interesting to note that he left from Southampton, England on the Saint Paul. Not the usual route for the immigrant members of our family. He was going to his cousin, Adam Holb (the husband of Julia, who was the niece of Katharine) at 65 Elmira Street, Rochester. He had $85. His occupation was listed as Joiner. There is a number of the ship's manifest which might indicate his Naturalization: 7-943991 4/6/38. He stated that the close relative he was leaving behind was a parent, Mayer Eva in Semin or Semum, Austria. Couldn't list his wife because she was in the country from which he was AWOL.

On July 2, 1914, Frank fell from a cherry tree fracturing his skull. A steel plate was placed in his skull to permit healing. As a result, he suffered frequent severe headaches throughout his life.

In 1914, Katherine joined Frank in Rochester living with the Krehlings while they searched for suitable and affordable housing for themselves. They lived in a number of locations on Evergreen St., Scrantom St., etc. until Frank obtained financing to build a home with his own labor at 154 Pomeroy St. in Rochester in the late 1920s. In the mid 1930s, the Great Depression resulted in Frank being cut to three days employment per week. Even with Katherine working as a housemaid and the children contributing their meager earnings, it was not possible to keep up the necessary mortgage payments. As a result, Frank and Katherine lost their home to the mortgage holder and were forced to move to a rental on Lakeview Park, Rochester in 1935. The family moved to Trenemen St. in 1937 and finally purchased a home at 44 Fein Street in February 1941. Frank and Katherine continued to live there until their death.

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 Family Records.
2.   Social Security Index.
3. ↑ Family Records.

   Family Records according to records from his son, Henry.

4. ↑ Ellis Island Manifest.
5. ↑ ^5.0 5.1 Census Records - FHC.

   1925 Census Records - FHC.

6. ↑ Census Records - FHC.

   1930 Census Records - FHC.

7. ↑ ^7.0 7.1 Family Records.

   Family Records from Henry Mayer.