Carl and Lillie (Berger) ERTEL of Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio

Born April 3, 1885 in Germany, Carl ERTEL had come to Dayton Ohio with his parents and siblings around 1888. He helped build the Elder Johnston building in Dayton.

Carl and Lillie BERGER, born November 22, 1892, met when Carl had broken his leg and was hospitalized at Bethesda Hospital (Cincinnati, OH) when the only room available was in the maternity ward where Lillie was a nurse.

Lillie studied at the Dorcas Institute in Cincinnati. "1910 - The Dorcas Institute, the present Cincinnati Training School, was organized as a school for religious education, where young women could prepare for the deaconess work and other religious activities. This phase of the curriculum was then removed from the School of Nursing. The school of nursing was reorganized and enlarged to provide for the education of nurses. For the first time, applicants other than deaconess candidates were accepted into the school. " - Bethesda Alumni They married on January 15 1915. Carl was 29 and Lillie was 22.

Dorcas Institute nursing uniform 1898 - 1916

Their first child, Ruth Naomi was born June 26 1916 in Ohio. Dorothy Elizabeth was born December 2 1917 in Ohio.

Carl was a Methodist minister, from sometime in the 1910s to his death in 1952. There had been a family disagreement over whether to be Roman Catholic or Lutheran. I think the BRUNNERs wanted the ERTELs to be Catholic. Carl's older sister Frieda's family remained Catholic, but the others - Mina, Carl, Bertha, Hermon, and Edward - were Protestant.

In 1917, the United States declared war on Germany. Carl was already 32 and was not drafted. One of the effects of first World War on German Americans was to make other Americans question their loyalties. Apparently there were many who, like Wilhelmina, continued to speak German and not English. Also, if Ernst's family was typical, German Americans married other German Americans and went to German speaking churches. [Note: see article about German Methodism and American Methodism - Frankfurt-am-main and Baldwin-Wallace College by F. A. Norwood. He states that by 1840 Germans numbered one-fourth of the population of Cincinnati, and were instrumental in introducing Methodism into Germany.] Carl had begun his ministry preaching in German. Because of the war, it became necessary for him to learn to preach in English.

According to his obituary, at the time of his death (on 2 July 1952), Carl "had been the pastor of the Mulberry, O., Methodist church, near Milford, O., for the last two years. He had held other pastorates in Methodist churches in Indiana and Ohio in the 41 years of his ministerial career." Ed's wife Frances took family history notes at a reunion in the early 1970s which indicated that Carl and Lillie had ministered at several churches as well as a children's home. I don't yet know about his training for the ministry.

Carl and Lillie's third daughter, Grace Alice was born 1923 in Michigan. Their fourth daughter Helen was born in 1926 in Michigan.

Both Grandma Ertel and Grandma Berger died in 1926-1927. Not knowing her first name, Mrs. Berger's death certificate may be here, and Grandma Ertel's is here (30 Dec, 1926, buried in Memorial Park, Dayton).

Carl died of cancer of the stomach on July 2, 1952 at the Bethesda Hospital in Cincinnati, and was buried at Memorial Park Cemetery in Dayton, OH. [See his death certificate on-line (with 1885 birth). Click on name, then on "view image" where you can move the certificate around with your mouse. Several of Ernst's children, including Karl, are here.] Lillie Ertel died in Piqua OH in May 1968 at the age of 75, before her November 22th birthday.

click to enlarge Carl Ertel's death certificate

The Children of Carl and Lillie ERTEL

Ruth Naomi ERTEL b. 26 June 1916 Hannibal, OH d. 11 Dec 1990?	never married lived in Piqua, OH
Dorothy Elizabeth ERTEL b. 2 Dec 1917 Hannibal, OH d. 2 July 1989 OH	15 Jan 1945 - married Donald A. STEINBACH 23 Aug 1923-6 Jan 2000	Donna Lee Dale Albert Robert Lloyd John Patrick
"Dorothy Ertel married Donald Steinbach (Chiropractor) in 1945, and they had four children: Donna Lee (Zobrist), Dale Albert, Robert Lloyd, and John Patrick. Dorothy and Donald met in the Navy in WWII (she was an officer, he was an enlisted man; she was a Methodist minister's daughter, he was Catholic)." - Bob Steinbach Picture of Dorothy in 1944-45 by Frances Ertel
Grace ERTEL b. 16 Oct 1923 Allegan, MI d.	2 Dec 1944 - married Hank VENNON 17 Mar 1925 - Aug 1969 from New Jersey to Ohio	James Douglas Steven Lee
Helen ERTEL b. 30 Sept 1926 Holt, MI d.	6 June 1953 - married Bill JONES	Greg Doug Kathy

Name: Karl
Residence: Brombach, Loerrach, Baden
Christening date: 20 May 1885
Christening place: EVANGELISCH, BROMBACH, LOERRACH, BADEN
Birth date: 22 Apr 1885
Birth place: 
Father name: Ernst Ertel
Father name note: 
Mother name: Wilhelmine Kuebler
Mother name note: 
Gender: Male
Death date: 
Name note: 
UDE batch number: C93486-2
Date range: 1870 - 1901
Record group: Germany-VR
Film number: 1189314
Collection: Germany Baptisms 1700-1900