Matilda's mother was married three times: First to Charles LALLMANG until about 1867; second
to Michael SCHIRCK of Yankee Bush Hill, Warren County, Pennsylvania from 1870-1890;
and lastly to Jacob MEHS of Dunkirk, New York from the 1890s until her death in 1905.
Matilda's maternal grandparents were Jacob George KOPP and
Elizabeth BEIHL KOPP of Baden, Germany who immigrated to Clarksburgh, East Eden,
New York by 1841.
Matilda is also descended from a long line of GISSELBRECHT'S and SIGWALDS from Muttersholtz and Baldenheim in
Bas-Rhin, France.
MATILDA'S CHILDHOOD FAMILY:
Matilda came from a large family. She had SCHIRCK half-brothers and SCHIRCK half-sisters from her dad Michael SCHIRCK's first marriage.
Her half sisters were Mary Eleanor SCHIRCK, Magdeline SCHIRCK, Salome SCHIRCK, Isabel Sarah SCHIRCK,
and Caroline SCHIRCK. Her half brothers were Franklin SCHIRCK, and George SCHIRCK. Two other half brothers had died before her birth, Michael SCHIRCK, JR. in 1863, and Daniel SCHIRCK in 1866.
Matilda also had two LALLMANG half-sisters and a LALLMANG brother from her mom's first marriage. Her sister Rose LALLMANGwas eight years old when Matilda was born and her sister Josephine LALLMANG was only about six years old.
Matilda had one full sister who was younger.Bertha SCHIRCK HERMANN, born in 1882, when Matilda was six years old. Bertha married Joseph HERMANN in 1900, and lived on a farm in Conneaught, Ohio. Matilda and Bertha were life long friends.
Matilda and her siblings grew up on Michael SCHIRCK'S 60 acre farm in Warren, Warren County, Pennsylvania. The home was built of flat boards, and the barn was built log cabin style. This home was later owned by the John Honhart family.
Matilda was born sixteen days after the marriage of her father's sister Aunt Magdeline SCHIRCK who was married to Fred HENCK on 10 July, 1876. Matilda was born 22 days after the American Centennial of 4 July, 1876.
Matilda was one year old when her cousin Oswald GRUBER was born to her Aunt Salome SCHIRCK GRUBER on 4 August 1877.
Matilda was almost four years old when her sister Isabella Sarah SCHIRCK married Edward J. KELLER on May 20, 1880.
Matilda was six years old when her widowed paternal grandmother, Maria Marquerite GISSELBRECHT SCHIRCK died in February 23, 1882. Her paternal grandfather Jacob Schirck, Sr. had died in 1869, before Matilda was born.
Matilda was seven years old when her sister Caroline R. SCHIRCK married William BALDENSPERGER on July 3, 1883.
Matilda was eight years old when her sister Salome SCHIRCK GRUBER was widowed by the death of her first husband, John GRUBER on 7 May 1884.
Matilda was about 12 years old when her sister Rose LALLMANG married Charles RUHLMAN.
When Matilda was about 14, she moved with her mother and sister Bertha to Dunkirk, New York where her parents had met twenty years earlier. Her father Michael SCHIRCK died in 1890, and the home was left to children from Michael's first marriage. Her mother Mary Theresa KOPP LALLMANG SCHIRCK was a widow for the second time, and returned to Dunkirk, where she had lived before marrying Michael SCHIRCK, to once
again run a boarding house. Matilda's married sister Rose gave birth to her daughter Rhea Ruhlman on 16 October, 1890. We do not know if Rose was in Dunkirk, but may have needed help with the baby.
Matilda was 18 years old when her cousin Lena V. HONHART, (daughter of Mary Eleanora SCHIRCK HONHART), was married on 15 November 1894 to Orrin DALRYMPLE.
Matilda was 19 years old when her cousin Lena V. HONHART DALRYMPLE gave birth to her daughter named
Ella Marie DALRYMPLE.
Matilda was 20 years old when her cousin Hazel M. SCHRICK was born on 25 August 1896 to her brother
George SCHIRCK and his wife Caroline SIEFERT SCHIRCK.
MATILDA'S MARRIAGE AND CHILDREN:
Matilda married Martin J. VERSCH who was born in Rotendorf, Obervietach, Bayern, Germany. Their wedding took place in the Church of the Sacred Heart in Dunkirk, Chautauqua County, New York on 8 August, 1902. Matilda was 26 years old when she married Martin VERSCH.
Matilda met her husband Martin VERSCH in Dunkirk, New York. He was a boarder at her mom's boarding house on Ruggles Street. Martin had returned from a long visit to his brother Adam VERSCH, who homesteaded in a sod house in Herndon, Rawlings County, Kansas.
Matilda and Martin had six VERSCH children, four whom lived beyond infancy.
Their names were: Bernadine, Martin, Margaret, Joseph, Mary Theresa,
and George.
Bertha "Bernadine" Versch, born 1903 and her baby brother Martin "Marty" Versch, Jr.,
born 1908.
Matilda and Martin had six VERSCH children, four whom lived beyond infancy.
Their names were: Bernadine, Martin, Margaret, Joseph, Mary Theresa,
and George.
Matilda was 27 years old when her first child Bernadine Bertha VERSCH
was born in 1903 in Dunkirk, Chatauqua County, New York. Matilda gave birth to her oldest daughter,
Bertha Bernadine VERSCH in 1903, the same year as the Wright Brothers first successful flight.
It was also the days of the horseless carriage.
When Matilda was 30 years old, her daugther Mary Theresa VERSCH was born on 14 January 1905,
also in in Dunkirk, Chatauqua County, New York. Mary Theresa VERSCH died as a baby the same year, on August 25, 1905 at the age of seven months.
Matilda was 31 years old when her oldest son Martin "Marty" VERSCH was born
on 11 June 1906,in Dunkirk, Chatauqua County, New York.
Matilda was 32 years old when
Margaret Anne "Marge" VERSCH was born on 26 July, 1908 in
Dunkirk, Chatauqua County, New York.
By the time Matilda was 34, Matilda moved to Conneaught, Ohio by 1910,
with her husband Martin and their three surviving children: Bernadine, age 7, Marty age 4, and Marge age 2.
Her second son Joseph "Joe" VERSCH
was born in Conneaught, Ohio on 20 February 1910, and the family is enumerated on the 1910 United States Census in Conneaught, Astubala County, Ohio.
The VERSCH family decided to try city life and moved to Buffalo, New York by 1912. Martin had
a brother there named Joseph VERSCH. Martin worked first as a baker, and then opened a candy store and
post office. Matilda was 35 years old.
When Matilda was 35, her youngest son George VERSCH was born in 20 March 1912 in Buffalo,
New York.
George VERSCH also died in infancy, on 22 September 1912, at almost six months of age.
George may have been named after Matilda's half brother George SCHIRCK. Matilda was 36 years old,
and did not have any more children.
Matilda's husband Martin VERSCH was owner of a small neighborhhood candy store
and post office on Jefferson and Sycamore Streets in Buffalo, New York from during the 1920s
and possibly before They made home-made taffy. The family helped run this "mom and pop" store.
Matilda was 46 years old on 8 August 1922 when her oldest daughter
Bernadine married
Carl "Charles" KELLERMANN, a customer who met Bernadine while she was helping in the store. The KELLERMANN's moved
to Howard St. in Buffalo, New York. Bernadine and Charles KELLERMANN are Sharon Centanne's grandparents.
MATILDA'S GRANDCHILDREN:
Matilda was 47 years old by 9 May 1923 when her grand-daughter Mildred Grace KELLERMANN was born.
"Millie" was born pre-mature, and Matilda helped save her life by making her an incubator with warm bricks.
Matilda was 48 years old by August 24, 1924 when her grand-daughter Lillian KELLERMANN was born, another daughter of Bernadine and Charles KELLERMANN. Her cousin Philip SCHIRCK died the same day.
Matilda was 51 years old when her grand-daughter Alice Lucille KELLERMANN was born on 15 July, 1927,
third daughter of Bernadine and Charles KELLERMANN.
Matilda was 52 years old when her daughter
Margaret Ann VERSCH married Walter LINDEBAUER
on 23 February, 1927. Walter was born 7 April 1904 in Orchard Park, New York . Marge and Walt lived with the VERSCH's for many years and helped in the store, before buying a farm in Attica, New York after Matilda's death. Marge and Walter had three LINDEBAUER children.
Matilda was 52 years old when her son Joseph VERSCH married Loretta COLE on January 15, 1929, and bought a farm in Wellsville, New York. Joe and Loretta had five VERSCH children.
Matilda was almost 53 years old when her oldest son Martin "Marty" VERSCH, Jr. married Anne WINCHESTER on 12 June 1929. Marty and Anne lived in Buffalo, Erie County, New York. Marty became an artist and won awards for his landscapes and his paintings of animals. They did not have children.
Matilda was 53 years old when her grandson Walter R. "Sonny" Lindebauer, was born to Joe and Loretta VERSCH in 1929.
With the stock market crash and the coming of the Great Depression in 1929, the VERSCH family
lost their little candy store and post office. People could not afford to eat candy anymore.
Matilda's children were all married by the time the market crashed. Matilda was 53 years old.
The VERSCH family moved to Clinton Avenue, and later to Bailey Avenue.
Matilda was a woman with a kind personality.
Matilda died May 1939, in Buffalo, Erie County, New York, 14 years before Martin, leaving him a widower.
They were married 37 years.
Matilda assisted in the birth of her first grand-daughter Mildred Grace KELLERMANN
on May 9, 1923.
Four of
Matilda's Grandchildren around 1929: Millie, Sis, Alice and Sonny.
Two of
Matilda's Grandchildren around 1931: Alice and Millie wearing costumes.
Three of
Matilda's Grandchildren in the 1980s: Alice, Millie, Sis (Lillian).
Copyright July 1998 by Sharon Marie Centanne.
This page was updated August 2, 2007
