1 William Harry MERKLEE.
Bill lives in New Jersey with his wife and children, where he obsesses about genealogy, short fiction, and the dearth of good songs on the radio.
2 Norman Harold MERKLEE. Born on 19 Aug 1919 in Dumont, Bergen, NJ. Died on 27 Jul 1987 in Teaneck, Bergen, NJ. Buried in Geo. Washington Memorial Cemetery, Paramus, NJ. Occupation: Bus Driver.Norman Merklee was born at his parents' home on Quackenbush Avenue in Dumont, NJ. He and his twin brother, Warren, have different birth dates because they were born on either side of midnight.
Norman served in the US Navy from 1941 to 1946. His first ship was the USS West Point (AP-23), which was the converted ocean liner SS America, and the Navy's largest troop transport ship. One of its first missions was transporting British troops to defend Singapore against the Japanese. While docked at Singapore, the West Point and other ships were attacked by Japanese bombers. This was the only time Norman came under enemy fire during World War II, and he and his shipmates could not return fire because the Japanese flew beyond the range of the West Point's guns. Miraculously, the ship escaped unscathed. (In later years, he would never miss a broadcast of the film The Bridge on the River Kwai, because many of the POWs portrayed in the film were British soldiers captured at the fall of Singapore.) The West Point was a favorite target of Japanese propagandists, who regularly reported the ship as sunk, regularly scaring the hell out of Norman's family.
Upon returning to the U.S., he transferred to a newly commissioned destroyer, the USS Barton (DD-599). During the ship's shakedown cruises off New England, Dad was hospitalized with a severe inner ear infection, probably caused by a fungus he contracted in Singapore (he was deaf in one ear ever since; a New Jersey newspaper article claimed he had been deafened by Japanese bombs). As a result, the Barton left without him, and was sunk at the Battle of Guadalcanal, split in half by two Japanese torpedoes. Norman's good friend, a Midwestern boy named Eugene, was killed in the battle. Many years later, Norman tracked down Eugene's mother, and sent her the only picture he owned of the two of them together.
Norman also participated in the Allied invasion of southern France. He declined to participate in Pacific nuclear tests after the war.
His first marriage to Ruth BAASCH ended in divorce. They had a daughter, Carol Ruth.
After the war, Norman drove buses for Public service (now NJ Transit). He met his second wife, Anna, while she rode his bus to work.
Norman probably acquired his musical talent from his mother. He played the guitar, harmonica, accordion, and organ -- all by ear. He used to play the guitar and sing his kids to sleep.
He second married Anna Karolina BADUM.
They had the following children:
| 1 | i. | William Harry | |
| ii. | Joseph Edward | ||
| iii. | Barbara Maria (1963-1990) | ||
| iv. | Cynthia Anne |
3 Anna Karolina BADUM. Anna is alive and well and surrounded by grandchildren.
4 William Earl MERKLEE. Born on 12 Apr 1891 in West Englewood, Bergen, NJ. Died on 29 May 1952 in Newark, Essex, NJ. Buried in Cypress Hills Cemetery, Brooklyn, NY.William accidentally shot and killed his brother Harry -- with a gun he found in his parents' bedroom -- when he was four years old and Harry was two. He got in trouble when he was a bit older for shooting the weather vane atop the Old North Church in Dumont, NJ. He was an alcoholic, and is buried in an unmarked grave in Brooklyn, NY.
He married Adele Irene FOX, in 1910.
They had the following children:
| i. | Harry Root (1912-1971) | ||
| ii. | William Earl (1917-1933) | ||
| 2 | iii. | Norman Harold (Twin) (1919-1987) | |
| iv. | Warren Fox (Twin) (1919-1998) |
5 Adele Irene FOX. Born on 22 Jul 1891 in New York, NY. Died on 7 Mar 1958 in Weehawken, Hudson, NJ. Buried in Woodside Cemetery, Dumont, NJ.Adele played the piano (her favorite piece was Debussy's "Claire de Lune"). She also painted still lifes.
6 Josef BADUM. Born on 28 Sep 1913 in Höchstadt a.d. Aisch, Bavaria, Germany. Died on 27 Jul 1983 in Erlangen, Bavaria, Germany. Buried in Höchstadt a.d. Aisch, Bavaria, Germany. Occupation: Schlosser (Mechanic).Josef was a member of the German home guard (the SA) during World War II, and was a railroad engineer transporting troops and supplies to the Russian front. He was trapped behind enemy lines several times.
He married Maria WELLER, in Nov 1933.
They had the following children:
| i. | Betty (Died as Infant) (1933-1933) | ||
| 3 | ii. | Anna Karolina (1935-) | |
| iii. | Hilmar Josef (1938-) | ||
| iv. | Wilhelm "Willi" (1941-1977) | ||
| v. | Georg (1949-) |
7 Maria WELLER. Born on 13 Dec 1914 in Höchstadt a.d. Aisch, Bavaria, Germany. Died on 5 Aug 1998 in Höchstadt a.d. Aisch, Bavaria, Germany. Buried on 7 Aug 1998 in Höchstadt a.d. Aisch, Bavaria, Germany. Occupation: Seamstress. Born on 6 Feb 1863 in probably New York, NY. Died on 8 Oct 1941 in Burlington Twp., Burlington, NJ. Buried in Cypress Hills Cemetery, Brooklyn, NY. Occupation: News agent.William Henry Merklee was a pillar of his church; he used to hold Bible readings at his home in Dumont, NJ. He was a Mason and a member of the Dumont Board of Education. He died at the Mason's retirement home in Burlington, NJ.
He married Susan Hoyt TREMPER, on 8 May 1890. They were divorced abt 1916.
They had the following children:
| 4 | i. | William Earl (1891-1952) | |
| ii. | Harry I. (1893-1896) | ||
| iii. | Helen A. (1895-1976) | ||
| iv. | Harold Edward (1897-1952) | ||
| v. | Anna Dorothy (1899-) | ||
| vi. | Ellsworth Holman (1905-1969) |
9 Susan Hoyt TREMPER.
Born on 15 Feb 1872 in CT. Baptized on 28 Aug 1875 in Rhinecliff, Dutchess, NY. Died on 30 Jan 1952. Buried in Old South Church, Bergenfield, NJ.Susan Tremper has been described as something of a free spirit. She used to brag about her family having come to America on the Mayflower (currently there is no evidence to support her claim). After divorcing William Merklee, she lived in Washington Heights, NY (NYC) with her children. She married Charlie Hummers in 1935 and moved to Helen Merklee Rivers' farm in PA. She is buried with Charlie at the Old South Church in Bergenfield, NJ, along with her brother, Harry, and his family, and her grandson, William E. Merklee, Jr.
10 Capt. George T. FOX.
Born in Nov 1868 in Elizabeth Port, NJ. Died in probably Staten Island, NY. Occupation: Oysterman, Boatbuilder, Sailor.He married Emma Edna ROOT, on 3 Jun 1890 in New York, NY.
They had one child:
| 5 | i. | Adele Irene (1891-1958) |
11 Emma Edna ROOT.
Born on 29 Aug 1870 in New York, NY. Died in 1936 in Bergenfield, Bergen, NJ.In all census records checked, Emma uses the name Edna as her given name. Based on these records and recollections of stories from Norman Merklee, it is highly likely that she first married George Fox and second married George BuBois.
12 Georg BADUM. Born on 6 Oct 1870. Died abt 1942. Buried in Höchstadt a.d. Aisch, Bavaria, Germany.He married Barbara SPANNER, on 29 May 1899.
They had the following children:
| i. | Karolina (1899-1985) | ||
| ii. | Konrad (1908-1988) | ||
| 6 | iii. | Josef (1913-1983) | |
| iv. | Georg (1918-1982) | ||
| v. | Johan "John" | ||
| vi. | Matilda |
13 Barbara SPANNER. Born on 20 Aug 1875 in Höchstadt a.d. Aisch, Bavaria, Germany. Died on 26 Dec 1958. Buried in Höchstadt a.d. Aisch, Bavaria, Germany.
14 Wilhelm WELLER. Born on 9 Sep 1878 in Höchstadt a.d. Aisch, Bavaria, Germany. Died on 27 Apr 1938 in Höchstadt a.d. Aisch, Bavaria, Germany. Buried in Höchstadt a.d. Aisch, Bavaria, Germany.The earliest record of the Weller family in Höchstadt is that of Konrad, a master baker who was born in Erlangen and who came to Höchstadt from Büchenbach in 1840. A connection to Konrad has yet to be established.
He married Maria LORZ.
They had the following children:
| i. | Anna (1904-1996) | ||
| ii. | Hans (1908-1968) | ||
| iii. | Kaspar (1912-1991) | ||
| 7 | iv. | Maria (1914-1998) | |
| v. | Margaret "Gretel" (1919-) |
15 Maria LORZ. Born on 31 Jul 1879 in Höchstadt a.d. Aisch, Bavaria, Germany. Died on 19 Aug 1971 in Höchstadt a.d. Aisch, Bavaria, Germany.Original content © 1997-2004 W. H. Merklee. All rights reserved.