Person:Katherine Pinczés (1)

Address: Address 1: 44 Fien Street City: Rochester State: New York

Birth recorded in State Archives Arad, Register 41, page 44, No. 21. Her name is Katalin in Hungarian.

A wonderful woman. Was very active in German club. Her children all danced in folk dance group. She was godmother to RoseMary. Dealt with a drinking husband as did her sister-in-law Mary. They were more sisters than sisters-in-law.

One was always welcome in her home -- she lived on Fien Street in Rochester. During the riots all her family and friends were concerned for her safety as she was in the heart of the riot area. She pooh-poohed their concerns by saying that the rioters wouldn't hurt her because she was their neighbor. She was right.

Snapshots of her personality ... one liked to be hugged by her, called "Aunt Mayer" by Joseph's children, had difficulty walking because of bunions, always kuchen and coffee ready for the drop-in visitor, sweet and gentle person, emotional support for her sister-in-law. Despite her foot problems she was an excellent dancer.

Ellis Island Records: Arrived April 1, 1914, on the Noordam sailing out of Rotterdam, Holland. She had $30 and was going to join her husband Franz Mayer at 68 Evergreen Street (staying with the Krehlings) She was listed as being 5' 8" tall, with blue eyes and brown hair. Her occupation was "housewife." The closest relative left in Szemlak, Hungary was her father, Heinrich Keller. Below her info were additional numbers: "5-77875 6/4/37" Traveling with her was her oldest child, Elizabeth who was 3.

Her son, Henry, believes that Katherine's family emigrated from the Black Forest area of Germany where they had owned the land for 400 years. They settled in Hungary where she was born. Despite the differences in the death of Katherine's mother (Henry believes her name to be Elisabeth) and Katherine's birth, the Mayers believe that Katherine's mother died in giving birth to Katherine.

[Katherine sailed steerage to America aboard the ship Rotterdam after the death of her father. She sailed in 1914 but our records show that Heinrich Pinczés died in 1919. She had lost her second born, Anthony, to death in Yugoslavia. She was six months pregnant and came with her oldest child, Elisabeth.]

1. ↑ Georg Schmidt. Semlak Lutheran (Evangelische) Church Birth Records.
2. ↑ Family Records.
3. ↑ Family Records.

   Family Records. Supplied by son, Henry Mayer.

4. ↑ ^4.0 4.1 Family Records.

   Family Records from Henry Mayer.

5. ↑ Ladislau Gyémánt, Researcher
   Page 29.

   State Archives Arad, Reg. 42, No. 20.

6. ↑ Ellis Island Manifest.
7. ↑ ^7.0 7.1 Census Records - FHC.

   1930 Census Records - FHC.