Franklin Peter Fertich

FRANKLIN PETER FERTICH

Franklin Peter "Frank" Fertich and Eva Blanche Straub

Frank building his house at 1048 North 19th Street, Allentown

Frank in front of the home

Figures carved by Frank Fertich:

They represent himself and his wife, Eva carrying her Bible.

Also a family gold filled pocket watch with initials, J.P.F. engraved on it.

Frank and Eva Fertich's children:

Left to right: Leon Francis, Russell James and Dorothy Wilda

Frank Fertich with his two sons:

Russell James on left and Leon Francis on right

Leon

Russell

Russell

Trip to New Mexico in the 1960's with the Boy Scouts for 3 weeks

Handmade Muzzleloader from Frank.

It was likely his father Daniel's gun.

Franklin Peter "Frank" Fertich was born in Ashland, Pennsylvania, on July 31, 1888, the second son of Daniel B. Fertich and Alice Hornberger¹. Within a few years after the birth of Frank, his family relocated to Sunbury, Northumberland County².

Frank married Eva Blanche Straub on December 24, 1908 in Sunbury³. Eva was born on March 12, 1890 in Snyder County, the daughter of John A. Straub and Phoebe Annie Stepp³. After marriage, Frank and Eva lived with his parents at 535 Catawissa Avenue in Sunbury while Frank began his career as a carpenter and worked for C.H. Weist^4,5,6,7. Within several years, Frank and Eva purchased a house at 1038 Masser Street and later moved to 501 Packer Street^5,6,7.

Frank and Eva were blessed with four children: Dorothy Wilda, Leon Francis, Russell James and Arlene Blanche^8,9,10. In June 1917 during World War I, Frank registered for the draft⁷. Due to his hearing difficulties, he was excused from service⁷. The same year, the family moved from Sunbury to Allentown¹². Several years later, the family temporarily lived in an apartment at 2111 West Broad Street in Bethlehem⁸.

Frank was an excellent carpenter and in 1926, he built a beautiful three story brick house at 922 North 21st Street in Allentown^9,11. Frank and Eva were charter members of the Boulevard Evangelical Congregational Church of Allentown^10,11. Frank was a man of faith who always ensured that his children were in church and Sunday school every Sunday¹¹. Frank also maintained the upkeep on the church and fired the coal burning stove in the winter months¹¹.

Frank purchased his first car in the late 1940's¹¹. Years later he built a home at 1048 North 19th Street in Allentown¹¹. Frank retired from the carpentry profession in 1958 and the family later moved to 3802 Hamilton Street in Cetronia¹⁰.

Eva passed away on January 1, 1963 in Allentown at the age of 72¹¹. Frank lived alone for awhile and later moved in with his daughter, Mrs. Llewellyn Brown's family at 1045 North West End Boulevard in Quakertown^10,11. Frank passed away on October 6, 1975, at the age of 87, in the Quakertown Community Hospital in Quakertown^10,12. Frank and Eva were both buried at the Arlington Memorial Cemetery in Whitehall¹⁰.

CHILDREN OF FRANKLIN PETER AND EVA BLANCHE:

Dorothy Wilda "Dot", born July 22, 1910, married Louis Wanner Bechtel, Sr. and died November 8, 1989

Leon Francis, born November 11, 1912, married Marjorie Walley Hummel and died June 20, 1969

Russell James "Russ", born November 6, 1917, married Barbara Susan Lubitich and died March 1, 1994

Arlene Blanche, born August 25, 1920, married Llewellyn George "Lou" Brown and died March 7, 2006.

REFERENCES:

1. Correspondence with Russell James Fertich, son of Franklin Peter Fertich.

For more information, see the reference section for Daniel B. Fertich.

2. 1900 Census of Sunbury, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Daniel B. Fertich family.

For more information, see the reference section for Daniel B. Fertich.

3. 1908 Marriage license for Franklin Peter Fertich and Eva Blanche Straub.

NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY, ss., No. 17102

Personally appeared before me, the Clerk of the Orphans' Court of said County, Frank P. Fertich who, being duly qualified according to law, did depose and say that a marriage is contemplated by and between the man and woman hereinafter named, and that the answers to the following interrogatories are correct and true: Name of man, Frank P. Fertich, Name of Woman, Eva Straub, Relationship of the parties, either by blood or by marriage, None, Age of the man, and where born, 20 Years, Ashland, Schuylkill Co, Age of woman, and where born, 18 Years, Jackson Twp., Northumberland Co Pa, Residence of man, Sunbury Pa, Residence of woman, Sunbury Pa, Parents' names-man, D.B. and Alice Fertich, Consent of parents, Given, Parents' names-woman, John A. and Annie Straub, Consent of parents, Given,.....Color of parties, white, Occupation of man, Carpenter, Occupation of woman, -----, and that he knows of no reason why the said marriage may not be lawfully made, and thereupon requests that a license be issued therefor. Sworn and subscribed before me, this 23rd day of December A.D. 1908, E.V. Nicely, Clerk of the Orphans' Court. Frank P. Fertich, December 23d 1908, duly attested and acknowledged consent of D.B. Fertich father of Frank P. Fertich and John A. Straub father of Eva Straub to this marriage filed. Whereupon a Marriage License was issued in due form of law, this 23rd day of December 1908, E.V. Nicely, Clerk of the Orphans' Court. Dec 31st 1908, Duplicate certificate signed by Rev. C.D. Huber, certifying to the solemnization of said marriage at Sunbury, Pa on 24th Dec 1908 received and filed.

4. 1905 to 1933 Sunbury Directory, Fertich families.

For more information, see the reference section for Daniel B. Fertich.

5. 1910 Census of Sunbury, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Daniel B. Fertich family.

For more information, see the reference section for Daniel B. Fertich.

6. 1910 Census of Sunbury, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Franklin Peter Fertich family.

1038 Masser Street; Frank P Fertich, head, age 21, married 1 year, carpenter at house, owned house; Eva B. Fertich, wife, age 20, married 1 year

7. World War I, Draft Registration Card for Franklin Peter Fertich

Form 1; REGISTRATION CARD; No. 80.; 1 Name in full Frank Peter Fertich, Age in yrs. 29; 2 Home address 501 Packer, Sunbury Pa; 3 Date of birth July 31 1888; 4 Natural Born; 5 Where were you born? Ashland Penna U.S.A.; 7 What is your present trade, occupation, or office? Carpenter; 8 By whom employed? C.H. Weist, Where employed? Sunbury; 9 Have you a father, mother, wife, child…solely dependent on you for support? Wife 2 Children; 10 Married or single? Married, Race Caucasian; 11 What military service have you had? None; 12 Do you claim exemption from draft (specify grounds)? Deafness; I affirm that I have verified above answers and that they are true.; Frank Peter Fertich

REGISTRAR’S REPORT; 1 I am tall, slender; 2 Color of eyes? Brown, Color of hair? Dark, Bald? No; 3 Has person lost arm, leg, hand, feet or both eyes or is he otherwise disabled? No; I certify that my answers are true, that the person registered has read his own answers, that I have witnessed his signature, and that all of his answers of which I have knowledge are true, except as follows; EN Bright; Precinct 6 Ward, City or County Sunbury; State Penna June 5^th

8. 1920 Census of Bethlehem City, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, Franklin Peter Fertich family.

2111 West Broad Street; Frank P. Fertich, head, rented house, age 31, married, carpenter; Eva B. Fertich, wife, age 29, married; Dorothy Fertich, daughter, age 9; Leon Fertich, son, age 7; Russell Fertich, son, age 2

9. 1930 Census of Allentown City, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, Franklin Peter Fertich family.

922 N 21st Street; Frank P Fertich, head, house owned, $10,000 value, age 41, married, age 21 first married, carpenter at house; Eva B. Fertich, wife, age 40, married, age 20 first married; Dorothy Fertich, daughter, age 19, stenographer, Publishing Co; Leon Fertich, son, age 17, salesman, Grocery store; Russell Fertich, son, age 12; Arlene Fertich, daughter, age 9

10. Obituary for Franklin Peter Fertich.

A TRIBUTE published in the pages of THE BETHLEHEM GLOBE TIMES, BETHLEHEM, PA. OCT 7 1975, Memorial Obituary, Entered Into Eternal Rest, Monday, Oct. 6, 1975

Frank Fertich

Frank P. Fertich, 87, of 1045 N. West End Blvd., Melody Lakes, Quakertown, former Cetronia resident and husband of the late Eva B. Struab Fertich, died Monday at Quakertown Community Hospital. Before retiring in 1958, he had been employed as a carpenter in the Lehigh Valley for many years. Born in Ashland, he was the son of the late Daniel B. and Alice Hornberger Fertich. He was a charter member of Boulevard Evangelical Congregational Church of Allentown. Surviving are two daughters, Mrs. Louis W. Bechtel of Quakertown, and Mrs. Llewellyn G. Brown with whom he resided; a son, Russell J. of Allentown, eight grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. Services will be held Thursday at 1 p.m. at the Trexler Funeral Home Inc., 1625 Highland St., Allentown. Burial will be in Arlington Memorial Park, Whitehall. Memorials may be sent to Boulevard Church.

Frank P. Fertich

Frank P. Fertich, 87 of 1045 N. West End Blvd., Melody Lakes, Quakertown, formerly of 3802 Hamilton St., Cetronia, died Monday in Quakertown Community Hospital. He was the husband of the late Eva B. (Straub) Fertich. Born in Ashland, Schuylkill County, he was a son of the late Daniel B. and Alice (Hornberger) Fertich. He was a carpenter in the Lehigh Valley area for many years, retiring in 1958. He was a charter member of Boulevard Evangelical Congregational Church, Allentown. Surviving are a son Russell J. of Allentown, two daughters, Dorothy F., wife of Louis W. Bechtel, and Arlene B., wife of Llewellyn G. Brown, both of Quakertown, with whom he resided; eight grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. Services will be at 1 p.m., Thursday in the Trexler Funeral Home, 1625 Highland St., Allentown. A calling hour will be noon Thursday until services.

11. Correspondence with Arlene Blanche (Fertich) Brown, daughter of Franklin Peter Fertich.

The following information was recorded in a letter from Arlene Blanche dated April 19, 2004:

My father, Frank P. Fertich was a good Christian man and took his family to Sunday School and Church every Sun. When he was a young man he had mastoid surgery which left him with heaving loss of the rest of his life. They moved from Sunbury to Allentown about 1916 or 1917. Dad was a good carpenter and in about 1926 he built us a beautiful three story brick home in the west end of Allentown on 21st St. There were very few homes in that area - no schools - no Churches and no paved roads. In a few years the Boulevard Church and Muhlenberg School was built. He became janitor of the Church where he tended a coal fired furnace in the winter. I helped with the dusting. Dad bought a car when he was in his late 50's. By this time I was old enough to learn to drive. Years later he built a home 19th + Highland Sts. We were all married and had our own homes by this time. Mother died in this home in 1963. Dad lived alone for awhile then moved in with my husband and I. He passed away in 1975.....Just thought of some special moments - I spent many evenings in the cellar with my Dad. He was always making or repairing something. He would give me a block of wood, nails and a hammer and I would hammer away. In the winter when we had snow, he would pull me back + forth to the Church on the sled when he had to tend the furnace. Guess I was Daddy's little girl. Arlene B. Brown

12. Social Security Death Index, Franklin Peter Fertich.

Name: Frank Fertich, Social Security Number: 207-10-7860, Issue State: Pennsylvania, Birth: 31 Jul 1888, Death: Oct 1975, Death State: Pennsylvania, Last Known Residence: 18951 (Quakertown, Bucks, PA)