Wilda Kathryn Wilhelm

Notes:

I was 6 years old when my mother died, so there was just me, my brother Roy, and my dad, Francis Wilhelm. Daddy was a Lonaconing coal miner. That was a dangerous job for a man whose children did not have a mother. I guess one of my best memories is Daddy coming in to our bedroom early in the morning. He always gave us a kiss before he left for work, because he didn’t know if it would be the last kiss. I can’t remember all the mines he worked in, there were a few. I recall the Koontz Mine, and he worked for Consolidated for a while, but I don’t know where they were. He left early, always walking and carrying a lunch bucket. The bucket was round and had three compartments. The bottom was for his drink, the middle for his sandwich and the top for dessert. His sandwich was made with homemade bread (he wouldn’t eat store-bought bread) and he didn’t take a piece of pie, he took half of a pie every day. I was just a young girl when my aunt taught me how to bake bread and pies to keep his bucket full. He usually got home around 3:30 or 4 o’clock in the afternoon, just when we would be getting out of school. We could hardly wait to look in his bucket to see if he saved us a piece of that pie. He came in the house, got a home-brewed beer and sat at the end of the table. He was as black as the coal mine, but had to have the beer before his bath. The old wooden tub sat in the kitchen and he’d fill it with water and soak the day away.

Daddy never had a lot of time to play with us, but we were always with him. He worked on Grandma’s farm when he wasn’t mining. He did what needed to be done for her, and she repaid him with milk. He also grew a nice vegetable garden, so we had plenty to eat.

On weekends, he gave my brother and me a quarter a piece to go to the theater, and then to Bob Marshall’s for a treat. Daddy was always waiting on the corner to walk us to our home on Douglas Avenue. One time, he walked some of us up the mountain to Koontz Mine and took us into the first gate. That was far enough for me — it was dark in there! There was a brickyard up near Koontz Mine where we would walk when we were kids. Teddy Watson was a guard there after the brickyard closed. He would take us for rides in the cars, which looked like coal cars. Daddy said the cars were pulled by ponies that were in the mines all the time. He said the ponies would go blind from working in the dark. It was a hard life back then, but it was a good life, and the best part was those early morning kisses.
•••
Our committee would like to thank Wilda Wilhelm Walker of Frostburg for her recollections.
Published in Cumberland Times-News, January 29, 2017

FROSTBURG - Wilda K. (Wilhelm) Walker, 95, of Frostburg, passed away Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2020, at WMHS Frostburg Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. Born May 25,1924, in Lonaconing, she was the daughter of the late Francis and Margaret (McKenzie) Wilhelm. She was preceded in death by her husband, Daniel L. Walker in 2004; son-in-law, Rudy Shockey; and brother, Roy Wilhelm. Wilda was a homemaker, attended First English Baptist Church and was a former member of the Classy Chassis Car Club. She thoroughly enjoyed her family and Friday morning breakfast at the Princess Restaurant. Surviving are daughters, Sandy Shockey, Cinda Sue Walker and Crystal Day; grandchildren, Kelly Pennington and husband, Jim, Tammie DeLawder and Michael Shockey and wife, Alison; great-grandchildren, Kaylyn, Krystal, Jarrett, Ryan, Ava and Ella; and numerous special nieces, nephew, cousins and friends. Family and friends will be received at Durst Funeral Home, 57 Frost Ave, Frostburg, on Thursday, Feb. 20, 2020, from 4-7 p.m. Funeral services will be held at the funeral home on Friday, Feb. 21, 2020, at 11 a.m. with Rev. David Sandvick officiating. Interment will follow at Frostburg Memorial Park. Published in Cumberland Times-News on February 19,
2020

Family/Spouse: Daniel L. Walker. Daniel died in 2004. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Sandy Walker was born in Private.
2. Cinda Sue Walker was born in Private.
3. Crystal Walker was born in Private.

Notes:

Wilhelm-McKenzie
Mr. Francis Wilhelm and Miss Margaret McKenzie, both of Avilton, Garrett County, were united in marriage at St. Michael’s rectory on Wednesday morning by Rev. J.J. Donhau, assistant pastor of St. Michael’s. Cumberland Evening Times, Friday, January 28, 1916
Note: this is Mary Margaret McKenzie, d/o Charles L. McKenzie and Lydia Wiland

Lonaconing - Francis C. Wilhelm, 76, died yesterday in Memorial Hospital, Cumberland. Born at Avilton, he was a son of the late Olin and Katherine (Garlitz) Wilhelm. His wife, Margaret (McKenzie) Wilhelm, preceded him in death. A retired miner, he was a member of the United Mine Workers of America. Surviving are a daughter, Mrs. Wilda Walker, RD 3, Meyersdale; five sisters, Mrs. Harry McKenzie, Grantsville; Mrs. Harry Russell, Barton; Mrs. Raymond Seifarth, Frostburg; Mrs. Marshall Broadwater, Avilton; and Mrs. Elizabeth Gurlock, here; six brothers, Harry Wilhelm, here; Julius Wilhelm, Star Route, Frostburg; Asa, Thomas, Floyd and Leonard Wilhelm, all of Avilton, and four grandchildren. The body is at the Eichhorn Funeral Home. Cumberland Evening Times, Friday, February 9, 1962

Francis married Margaret Mary McKenzie on 26 Jan 1916. Margaret (daughter of Charles Lemuel McKenzie and Lydia Wiland) was born on 22 Feb 1886 in Garrett County, Maryland; died on 23 Oct 1930 in Cumberland, Allegany County, Maryland. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Mrs. Margaret Wilhelm, 44, wife of Francis Wilhelm, Douglas avenue, who died Thursday night at Allegany Hospital, will be buried Monday morning at 9 o'clock with services in St. Mary's Catholic Church. The Royal Neighbors of America will hold their services at the home of Mrs. Francis Wilhelm, Douglas avenue, Sunday evening at 7:30 o'clock. Interment will be in Saint Ann's Cemetery, Avilton. Besides her husband she is survived by two children. The Cumberland Evening Times, October 25, 1930

Christened on 17 May 1886, St. Michael's, Frostburg, Maryland.

Wilhelm-McKenzie
Mr. Francis Wilhelm and Miss Margaret McKenzie, both of Avilton, Garrett County, were united in marriage at St. Michael’s rectory on Wednesday morning by Rev. J.J. Donhau, assistant pastor of St. Michael’s. Cumberland Evening Times, Friday, January 28, 1916
Note: this is Mary Margaret McKenzie, d/o Charles L. McKenzie and Lydia Wiland

John married Mary Kathrine Garlitz on 28 Oct 1884. Mary (daughter of Noah Sylvestor Garlitz and Martha Emma McKenzie) was born on 16 Jul 1864; died in 1892 in Avilton, Garrett County, Maryland. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

This is a winner! The reason this might look strange is that Charles McKenzie (b 1849) was the son of Samuel F. McKenzie (b 1805) and his FIRST wife, Catherine Durbin. Catherine died and Samuel married a second wife, Hannah Guslor, in 1857.

In the 1870 census (District 3, Allegany Co) Charles McKinsey age about 21 (bc 1849) was unmarried and living with his father Samuel (b 1805) and Samuel’s wife Hannah.

According to one of the family trees on Ancestry (with an unnamed owner), this Charles McKenzie (b 1849) married Lydia Wiland at St. Michael’s Catholic church in Frostburg MD on 24 January 1883, with witnesses Cletus Thomas McKenzie and Maria Anna McKenzie present.

In the 1930 census Charles L. McKenzie was living in Shaft, Allegany Co, with his son Samuel and Samuel’s wife Emma. This may be the “Samuel Jr” who signed the death certificate. He may have been called “Jr” within the family because his grandfather was also named Samuel. The death certificate was from also Shaft.

Lastly, the death certificate states the place of burial is St. Anne’s in Avilton MD. I’ve been to this cemetery and seen the grave of Samuel F. and Hannah Guslor there. They have a nice big head stone. I don’t remember seeing the stone for Charles, but it makes sense that they would be there together.

Hope this helps. No one else seems to have a death date for this Charles, so this is new information. Thanks to Don Kagle.

Ann Stansbarger June 10, 2011

Charles married Lydia Wiland on 24 Jan 1883 in St. Michael's catholic Church, Frostburg, Allegany County, Maryland. Lydia (daughter of Joel Wiland and Mary Harsburger) was born on 16 Aug 1850 in Maryland; died on 4 Nov 1922 in Avilton, Garrett County, Maryland. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Buried at St. Ann's Cemetery, Avilton, Maryland.

Notes:

Marriage was witnessed by Francis A. Mowry and Maria McKenzie.

Was christened on 5 Apr 1845 in St. Ignatius, Mt. Savage, Maryland. Sponsors: Isadore McKenzie and Lucy Garlitz.

Noah H. Garlitz, Civil War veteran, aged 83 years, 7 months and 11 days, died at the home of his son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. William Broadwater, of Avilton, Md., on Saturday morning, June 30, after an illness of about two weeks. His death was due to the infirmities of old age. Mr. Garlitz was born in 1845, the eldest son of the late Israel and Ellen Garlitz, the pioneer settlers of Pea Ridge, now Avilton, where he was born and spent his entire life. When at the age of 22, he married Miss Martha Emma McKenzie, the daughter of Leo and Johanna McKenzie, and to them were born the following children: Mary Catherine Shaderick, Sylvester and Clara Cecelia, who preceded him to the grave some years ago; Mrs. Peter Bittner of Cleveland, Ohio, Mrs. William Broadwater, Mrs. Olen Wilhelm, Mrs. Peter Broadwater, Freeman Garlitz, all of Avilton, Md.; Mrs. Edward Miller of near Garrett, Pa., who survives. His wife preceded him to the grave three years ago. He is also survived by 74 grandchildren and 89 great-grandchildren, who will all miss Grandfather. He bore all his afflictions bravely, and almost to the end of his life journey remained active in mind and jovial in his disposition. He was a great hunter, loved reading, and was a miller by trade and could laugh and joke with his fellow men and knew everybody up until the very last. Mr. Garlitz was an honest, upright, kind husband and father, and a good citizen; also, a faithful member of St. Anne's Roman Catholic Church of Avilton, Md. His funeral on Monday, July 2, was largely attended, and the floral tributes were among the most beautiful and profuse ever seen at a funeral in Avilton. 1928 - Betty Smith transcription notes

“Another son of Israel Garlitz and Ellen Robeson was Noah, their oldest son. He lived on Blue Lick and had one of the first grist mills in the area. You can still see where it stood if you know where to look. His cousin Zack had a sawmill nearby. There was a shingle mill here too. This area was a jumping place then. Now it is as deep a forest as it was in colonial days. He served in the Civil War too. Noah loved to hunt and I suppose everyone hunted then for their meat, but one day when he was going hunting his daughter Annie wanted to go along. This Noah refused. After Noah's departure, Annie decided to follow, so loading a gun she went after him. Meantime Noah encountered a mean old mommy bear with two cubs, and she charged him full force. When Noah raised his gun to fire, a tree branch whipped back and hit him across the eyes, blinding him for a time, making him helpless. Annie following, came across this scene, so bravely she raised her gun and fired at the bear, killing it. Needless to say Noah was grateful this one time for Annie's disobedience. The cubs being too small to fend for themselves, they took them home and kept them in pens, and they became quite tame. One day a circus man bought one for a traveling circus. I often heard mom talk of this dancing bear. Without its companion the other bear became mean, so Noah had a bright idea. He invited all his neighbors to a get-together, thus disposing of the bear in a good old fashion bear roast." Garlitz and Hetz History. 1981. Madeline McKenzie Maust from the Tom Garlitz website

Noah married Martha Emma McKenzie on 2 Jul 1866 in St. Michael's Roman Catholic Church, Frostburg, Maryland. Martha (daughter of Leo McKenzie and Johanna (Anna\Anastasia) Garlitz) was born on 19 Dec 1843 in Pea Ridge, Garrett County, Maryland; died on 11 Jun 1925 in Avilton, Garrett County, Maryland. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Birth is refereced in Western Maryland Catholics by Koch and Davidson at p. 154: 19 Dec 1843 and christened 0n 14 Apr 1844 in St. Ignatius, Mt. Savage, Maryland. Sponsors: Augustine Brailer and Mary Arnold.

Notes:

Samuel F. and his wife, Hannah Guslor are buried in St. Ann's Cemetery, Avilton, Garrett Co., Maryland.

Samuel married Catherine Durbin on 11 Sep 1828 in St. Ignatius Church, Mt. Savage, Maryland. Catherine was born on 21 Jan 1809 in Mt. Savage, Maryland; died on 27 Nov 1851 in Allegany County, Maryland. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Catherine was buried in the old Catholic cemetery, St. Ignatius, located northeast of Mt. Savage, MD. The church was moved into town in the 1860's and named St. Patrick's.

Some of the information pertaining to Catherine was obtained from the research of Tom Lancaster via Bobbie McKenzie by Michael A. McKenzie April, 2013.

Joel + Mary Harsburger. Mary died in UNKNOWN. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]