Birth: Gertrude Friderike Kettler, female, second child of mother, born 11 April, 1889, 9 P.M., at 87 Fery Street, ward, 12, Brooklyn, to Johanna Kettle, maiden name, Johanna Peter, born, Norway, age 29, and Fritz Kettler, laborer, age 27, born in Friesland Exp., reported by Mathilde Ruppannaer, 53 Dikeman Str, certificate #3401.

Note: There is no street in Brooklyn, called "Fery" Street. There was a "Ferry" Street that ran along the waterfront at the end of Hamilton Avenue and Sackett Street, close to the Atlantic Basin. It is now a loading dock and is not accessible to the public. There is also a Ferris Street in the lower end of Red Hook Ferris Street and Ferry Street are across the Atlantic Docks from on another. The mid-wife who "made the return" for both Marie and Gertrude's birth was Mathilde Ruppanner. Her address was 53 Dikeman Street. This is much closer to Ferris Street than Ferry Street. Was Gertrude born on Ferris or Ferry Streets?

Gertrude, Young Life

Fritz and Hanna moved to Hoboken, NJ sometime after the birth of Gertrude in April, 1889 and before the birth of Frederick, Junior in November, 1891. Hoboken was another major shipping center in the New York area. There was also a Norwegian community in Hoboken large enough to support a Norwegian Church.

Fred T. Kettler died at age 33 on February 16, 1896 when Gertrude was not quite 10 years old.

Hannah Peter/Petersen Kettler remarried in 1898 to Johannus Jensen, a Dane with a daughter and a son. Two years after the marriage Gertrude and her brother, Fred were in an orphanage in Brooklyn while Hanna and her youngest son, Henry, were living with Johannus Jensen and his children in Hoboken. See Gertrude in the 1900 census and Hanna Peters/Petersen Kettler Jensen in the 1900 census.

Why Gertrude and Fred in an orphanage in Brooklyn instead of in Hoboken?

I do not know how long they remained in the orphanage.

Gertrude and Fred Kettler, Jr in the 1900 Federal Census

The 1900 US census lists Gertrude, born Sept, 1889 and Frederic, born November, 1891 as pupils in the "Orphan Asylum Society of the City of Brooklyn" at 1423-1435 Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn.

Note: According to the 1898 Brooklyn Directory, the Orphan's Asylum was a protestant institution located near Kingston on Atlantic. Mrs. Geo H. Nichols was the President in 1900.

Gertrude Between 1900 and 1907

By 1905 Gertrude and Frederick were reunited with their mother. They were both listed with her and her second husband, John Jensen, in the 1905 census in Hoboken.

See Hannah Peter/Petersen Kettler Jensen

Marriage of Gertrude Kettler and Louie Blanck

According to the civil records for the state of New Jersey, on March 16, 1907 in Hoboken, New Jersey, Louie Blank of 213 Willow Avenue, Hoboken, age 20, white, driver, born in USA, son of Henry Blank and Melusine Erxmeyer married Gertrude Kettler of 253 3rd Street, Hoboken, age 21, white, born in the USA, daughter of Fritz Kettler and Hanna Peterson. The witnesses were Andrew Sharpe and Marie Poproutti. The minister was, Pastor, J. Rudolph, Ger. E..

According to the German Evangelical Church records, on March 16, 1907, Louis Blank of 213 Willow Avenue, born May 9, 1887 in Hoboken, the son of Hein. and Melusine, nee Erxmeyer, married Gertrude Kettler of 253 3rd. Street, Hoboken, born April 11, 1886 in Hoboken, daughter of Fritz and Hanna, nee Peterson. Witnesses Andrew Sharp and Marie Poproutti.

Notes:

• On the marriage certificate she gives her age as 21. She was really only 18 years old. She was born in Red Hook, Brooklyn on April 11, 1889, not 1886. (Twenty-one was the age that Marie would have been.)
• 235 3 rd Street is between Park and Willow.

Children of Louis and Gertrude

Louis Blanck and Gertrude Kettler had:

1. Dorothy Marie Augusta Blank, was born on December 25, 1907
2. Louis James Blank was born on June 30, 1909
3. John Frederick Blanck was born July 4, 1915

For details of the births of the children of Gertrude and Louis see, Louie Blanck

The 1910 Federal Census

Louis Blanck at 303 Willow Avenue in Hoboken with quite a house full:

1. Louis, head of household, age 24, married 3 years, born in NJ, German father, German mother, occupation wagon driver for moving van.
2. Gertrude, wife, age 22, married 3 years, 2 children, born in New York, German father, Norwegian mother.
3. Henrietta, age 2, born in NJ
4. Louis, age 10 months, born in NJ
5. Fredrick Kettler, brother-in-law, age 18, born in NJ, German father, Norwegian mother, occupation, locksmith.
6. Henry Kettler, brother-in-law, age 15, born in NJ, German father, Norwegian mother.
7. Herman Jensen, brother-in-law, age 17, born in Denmark. Mother and father both Danish. Immigrated in 1893. Working as a drill press operator for an electrical works.

The relationships listed are to the head of household, in this case, Louis Blanck. Frederick and Henry Kettler were Gertrude's brothers. Herman Jensen is the son of Hanna Jensen's second husband by a previous marriage making him technically, a step brother-in-law.

Death of Gertrude Kettler Blanck

Gertrude Blanck died on November 5, 1938 at 12:45 P.M. at St. Mary's Hospital in Hoboken, New Jersey of cardiac decompensation from hypertensive heart disease, after an illness of 6 days. A contributing factor was diabetic mel?? Her residence had been 1122 Hudson Street, Hoboken. She was buried in the Hoboken Cemetery on November 8, 1938.

We did not find grave markers for Gertrude Kettler Blanck and her husband, Louie Blanck, who according to their death certificates were buried in the Hoboken Cemetery in 1938 and 1935 respectively.