Louie Blanck was born on May 9, 1887 at 43 Willow St., Hoboken, New Jersey to Heinrich Blank, age 39, born in Germany, occupation, shoemaker and Minna Erxmeyer, age 41, born in Germany.

Marriage

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 "Erxmeyre" 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:

• Gertrude was born in Red Hook, Brooklyn on April 11, 1889, not 1886. She was only 18 at the time of her marriage.
• 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, AKA Henrietta

   According to the civil records for the state of New Jersey, Dorothy Blanck was born on December 25, 1907 at 185 Spring Street in West Hoboken to Louis Blanck born in Hoboken and Gertrude Kettler born in Brooklyn, age of father 20, occupation, teamster, age of mother, 19, occupation, house wife, first child of the marriage.

   According to the baptismal records of the German Evangelical Church, Heinrette Marie Augusta Blank, address 185 Spring Street, West Hoboken was born on December 25, 1907 in West Hoboken, to Louis and Gertrude, nee, Kettler. The sponsors are Herman Blank, Marie Gavin and Hanna Jensen. Heinrich Blanck's mother and Melusine's mothers were both named Dorothy.

   Dorothy , AKA Aunt Etta, married John Foley and had one daughter, Maureen.

   On September 26, 1952 Dorothy Blanck Foley had a change of name form registered with the state of New Jersey changing the spelling from "Blank" to "Blanck". At that time she said she was baptized at St. Joseph's in Union City. She converted to Roman Catholicism when she married John Foley.

   Dorothy Blanck died in Asbury Park, New Jersey in 1982.

2. Louis James Blank

   According to the civil records for the state of New Jersey, Louis Blank was born on June 30, 1909 at 303 Willow Avenue in Hoboken to Louis Blank, age 22, driver, born in the U.S. and Gertrude Kettler, age 20, born in the U.S, second child of this marriage.

   According to the records of the German Evangelical church, Louis James Blanck, the son of Louis and Gertrude, nee, Kettler was born on June 30, 1909 in Hoboken and baptized on July 18, 1909. Sponsors were, James and May Avon.

   Louis Blanck, Junior, does not appear to have married. According to his, brother, John Blanck, Louis Blanck, Jr. died in the late 1940's or early 1950's of TB.

3. John Frederick Blanck

   According to the civil records for the state of New Jersey, John Fredrick Blanck was born July 4, 1915 at 107 Willow Avenue in Hoboken to Louis Blanck, age 27, laborer, born in Hoboken and Gertrude Kettler, age 26, born in Brooklyn, the third of three children by this marriage.

   According to the baptismal records of the German Evangelical Church, John Fred. Josef Blanck of 107 Willow Avenue was born July 4, 1915 in Hoboken to Louis and Gertrude, nee, Kettler and baptized on July 20, 1915. Sponsors were, Fred. Kettler and Josefine Sullivan.

   John Fredrich Blanck was named for a long line of John Freidrich Blancks.

The 1910 Federal Census

Louis Blanck at 303 Willow Avenue in Hoboken with an interesting household:

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.

Note: The relationships listed are to the head of household, in this case, Louis Blanck. Frederick and Henry Kettler were Gertrude's brothers. Fritz Kettler the father of Gertrude, Frederick and Henry died in 1896. His widow, Hannah Peters/Petersen Kettler, married Johannus Jensen of Denmark in Hoboken in 1898. Herman Jensen was the son of Johannus Jensen by a previous marriage making him technically, a step brother-in-law.

Questions: Why were Frederick, Henry and Herman living with Louie and Gertrude and not with their parents?

The 1915 New Jersey State Census

The 1915 census in New Jersey listed the family of Louis Blanck renting at 107 Willow Avenue, Hoboken as follows:

• Louis, born May 1889, age 26, born New Jersey, laborer
• Gertrude, born April 1890, age 25, born in New Jersey
• Henrietta, born December 1907, age 7, born in New Jersey
• Louis, Jr., born June 1809, age 5, born in New Jersey

Henrietta was listed as enrolled in School No. 5.

Notes

• The census must have been taken before the birth of John on July 4, 1915
• They were listed in the same building as Louie's brother, Herman Blanck, and Gertrude's brother, Frederick Kettler
• Gertrude was born in Brooklyn, New York

Louie Blanck, 1917 Draft Registration

The 1917 draft registration lists Louis Blanck, 107 Willow Avenue, age 30, born May 9, 1887 in Hoboken, occupation, lumber handler at Lawson and Mc Murray, 16 Clinton Street, Hoboken, wife and three children under 12 years, physical description, short, slender, blue eyes, brown hair.

1920 Federal Census

Louis and Gertrude Blanck were listed in the 1920 census at 107 Willow Avenue, Hoboken under the names William Blanck and Clara Blanck. Don't ask me why.

• William Blanck, head of house, age 35, born in NJ, German mother and father, working as a lumberman in a lumberyard.
• Clara, wife, age 33, born in NJ, German mother and father, occupation, janitress.
• Henrietta, daughter , age 12, born in NJ
• Louis, son, age 10 born in NJ
• John, son, age 4, born in NJ.

I am positive that this is Louie, Gertrude et al., even given the problems with the parent's names and ages (which are both off by 2 years. Having looked at lots of census records, this one has more things right with it than wrong with it:

• The limited number of Blancks in the 1920 census in Hoboken and the fact that they are all part of one family.
• The names, ages, and birth order of the children.
• The occupations of the head of household is consistent with Louis's occupation as listed on other records. It is also consistent that the wife is working as a janitress. Gertrude's sister-in-law, Minnie was listed as an "office cleaner" in the same census and her mother-in-law, Minnie, is listed as a janitress in the 1910 census.
• The real clincher is the 107 Willow Street address. Gertrude and Louis Blanck, Fredrick Kettler, and Herman Blanck were all living at this address in the 1915 State Census. 107 Willow Street was also Louie and Gertrude's address at the birth of John Blanck in 1915.
• Gertrude's brother Fredrick Kettler was living at the same address.

Death of Louie Blanck, Senior

Louis Blanck, Jersey City Medical Center, 704 Willow Street Hoboken, wife, Gertrude Kettler, born May 9, 1887, 48 years 0 months and 16 days, laborer, born Hoboken, mother, Melusine Erxmeyer, born Germany, father, Henry Blanck, born Germany, died June 6, 1935 at 12:59 A.M. at Jersey City Medical Center, signed Gertrude Blanck, cause of death, pulmonary tuberculosis and tuberculosis of the larynx, after an illness lasting from March 21, 1935 until his death. He was buried in the Hoboken Cemetery in Hudson County, New Jersey on June 8, 1935.

Death of Gertrude Kettler Blanck

Gerturde (Blank) corrected to Blanck, widow of Louis Blanck, born April 11, 1889, corrected to 1890*, age 49 years 06 months and 25 days, housewife, last worked October 25, 1938, born Brooklyn, New York, to Henry Kettler born Germany and Johanna Peterson born Norway, signed Dorothy Blanck 1122 Hudson Street, Hoboken, 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??. She was buried in the Hoboken Cemetery on November 8, 1938.

* She was born in 1889.

Dorothy (Etta) Blanck married John Foley. For more information on Etta and John, click on the picture of their daughter, Maureen

John Blanck married married Alice Azarian. For more information on John and Alice, click on the picture of John Blanck