Person:Johann Mager (5)

Baptisms 1854,
#19 - Johann, legitimate male, born/bapt. 11/15 Oct; parents: Jacob Mager, Agnetha Klimek, House #85; sponsors: Georg Schupszky, Anna Klimek, Susanna Klimek

At one time I heard that my granddad, John Mayer Sr. was the son of a miller, grinder of grain, had survived the bubonic plague. My mother once said our name was Mäger but was changed. At home in Montana my name was pronounced Mire. But when I went into the service I changed it to Mayer because of confusion with several other men with the same sound. I believe Esther Kronen [sister] would pronounce it with the i sound.

The history as I heard it years ago was that John Mayer Sr. - my granddad - was well educated in the German Army (could have been the Austrian-Hungary army) but deserted to walk out to Lithuania, boarded a boat for Americas, there was no mention of others - unloaded coal cars for a while in New York. Then came to Pittsburgh. He sent for "Anne". I don't know if they were married in Germany or in the UStates.

John Sr. was a draftsman and built a bridge or two on the Allega. & Mon rivers. I have a small draftsman pen kit, scrolls, block planes and other carpentry tools and his home made tool chest, books, etc.
John Sr. evidently left bridge building built an Apartment house late in 1890s. Said the panic in late 1890s wiped him out and he turned the apartment house over to the lumber yard and was broke. A fortune teller told him he would be "rattling logging chains in the West." I did understand that there was a family relationship of some sort between the Mayer's and Geo. Tatko.

Geo Tatko guided or advised or helped the Mayer's to get started farming on the Nez Pearce Indian Reservation. My Dad, John Mayer Jr. worked for Geo. Tatko for some time.
I have a picture of a church in Ilo, Idaho that John Mayer Sr. built for the town, don't know the date.
The family needed more land - Two boys and (I believe) 4 girls) homesteaded in Carter, Montana in the spring of 1910. All family members homesteaded - times were tough. John Sr. moved to Great Falls, Montana, for a time and others left their farms vacant and John Mayer Jr. farmed all homesteads.

p. 65 - Mayer, John (1888), Born, Hungary, Austria; Date of Intention [to apply for Naturalization]: 15 May 1886. Naturalized 15 Sept. 1888. Sponsor: Christian S. Baird.
p. 65 - Mayer, Michael (1888), Born Austria, Naturalized 6 Oct. 1888 (on age [resident in US three years (?) prior to age 21, naturalized on age]). Sponsor: John Mayer

90 Charles Street, HH 112, Fam 127
Mayer, John, head, white male, b. Nov 1854, age 45, married 20 years, b. Germany, both parents b. Germany, immigrated 1882, lived in US 18 years, Naturalized, carpenter, unemployed 0 days previous year, is able to read, write and speak English, owns home with mortgage
, Hannah, wife, white female, b. June 1861, age 38, b. Germany, both parents b. Germany, immigrated 1884, 16 years in US, able to read, write and speak English
, Anna, dau, white female, b. Feb 1881, age 19, single, b. Germany, both parents b. Germany, immigrated 1884, in US 16 years, telephone operator, unemployed 0 days in last year, able to read, write and speak English
, Mary, dau, white female, b. Mar 1884, age 16, single, b. PA, able to read, write, speak English
, John, son, white male, b. May 1886, age 14, single, b. PA, at school, able to read, write, speak English
, Cillie [sic], dau, white female, b. Aug 1889, age 10, single, b. PA, at school, able to read, write, speak English
, William, son, white male, b. Mar 1892, age 8, single, b. PA, at school, able to read, write, speak English

1887
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, City Directory, 1887, p. 613
Mayer, John, lab, 138 Charles, A[llegheny]

1895
J. F. Diffenbacher’s Directory of Pittsburgh and Allegheny Cities for 1895 (FHL film No. 1377308), p. 607
Mayer, John, Carp, 90 Charles , A

Name: John Mayer
Death Date: 11 Jul 1941
Death Place: Cascade, Montana, USA

Will of John Mayer, Sr., of Great Falls, Cascade County, Montana
- to my daughter, Mrs. Henry C. Moore of Van Nuys, California, $400
- to my son, John Mayer, Jr., of Carter, Montana, $400
- to my daughter, Mrs. Theodore Kruse, of great Falls, Montana, $400
- to my son, William Mayer of Great Falls, Montana, the remainder of my estate
- my son William Mayer to be executor
signed 16 June 1941
Witnesses: L. J. Robins, Great Falls national Bank, Great Falls, Montana
H. R. Eickmeyer, Great Falls, Montana

John Mayer
Birth 11 Oct 1854, Hungary
Death 11 Jul 1941 (aged 86), Great Falls, Cascade County, Montana, USA
Burial Highland Cemetery, Great Falls, Cascade County, Montana, USA
Plot Monument Section 11
[Has photograph of gravestone]

Johann "John" Mayer Sr. married Anna Roth in Klein-Lomnitz, Hungary in 1879. They had seven children, one child died in Klein-Lomnitz, Hungary before the family immigrated to the USA. They immigrated to the US in 1881 and were naturalized in 1886. They originally resided in Allegheny City, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Due to his health issues they moved to Ilo, Idaho, to work for a cousin George Tatko. John was an accomplished carpenter, overseeing the building of a church in Ilo, Idaho, now called Craigmont, Idaho. He also built several farm buildings in Ilo, for his cousin George Tatko and others, before homesteading and starting a farm near Carter, Montana in about 1910. Note: John Mayer Sr.'s original last name was Mager.

Spouse: Anna Roth Mayer (1861–1933)
Children: Anna Mayer Sheely (1880–1916); Mary Mayer Kruse (1884–1950): John Mayer (1886–1954); Mathilda Mayer (1889–1980); William Mayer (1891–1946)

Presbyterian Church was built in summer of 1902, along with the manse

Family 17
Mayer, John, head 1, owns farm, white male, 56, married, immigrated 188x [blurred], Naturalized, 188x, able to read and write, b. Hungary first language German, father b. Hungary first language German, mother b. Hungary first language German, speaks English, farmer, own farm, Schedule 17
, Ann, wife, white female, age 58, married, immigrated 1881, NA 1886, able to read and write, b. Hungary first language German, father b. Hungary first language German, mother b. Hungary, first language German, speaks English
, William, son, 28, single, able to read and write, b. PA, father b. Hungary first language German, mother b. Hungary first language German, farmer

Family 18
Mayer, John, head 2, rents, white male, 34, married, able to read and write, b. PA, father b. Hungary first language German, mother b. Hungary first language German, farmer
, Ide M. A., wife, white female, 27, married, NA, able to read and write, b. Germany first language German, father b. Germany first language German, mother b. Germany first language German
, Vernon J., son, white male, 7 months, single, b. MT, father b. PA, mother b. Germany first language German

3212 6th Ave N.
Mayor, John, head, owns home value of $2600, no radio, white male, age 75, married, age at first marriage=25, able to read and write, b. Czechoslovakia, both parents b. Czechoslovakia, 1st language = Slovenian, immigrated 1881, NA, no occupation
, Anna, wife, age 69, 1st marriage age 20, b. Czechoslovakia both parents b. Czechoslovakia, 1st language = Slovenian, immigrated 1883, NA, no occupation

5201 4th Ave W
Mayer, John (informant), 85, widowed, 6 years school, b. Hungary, in same house 1935, not employed, not looking for work, unable to work, work 0 weeks 1939, earned $0 wage income 1939, has other sources of income; owns home worth $2800