Carl Adam Semler

Born in either Prussian Germany or Russia ("Kharkoo"?). Immigrated to the U.S. arriving in 1886 and was naturalized in 1896. Had one sister, name unknown, who lived in Germany and three brothers, August Semler, who lived in Germany, Albert Semler, who owned a hotel on Staaten Island, NY and Alex Semler, who settled in Jersey City, NJ.

In 1984, Elsie Starke wrote to her niece, Phyllis Powell-Sarsey (Kathryn's daughter):

"They lived in Germany. However, in later years that part of Germany was conquered in a war with Russia, and from that time was under Russian rule. I don’t know what part of Germany or Russia. I only remember Dad mentioning “Kharkoo.”

There were no churches in the village, and Grandpa Semler took over the duties of a pastor, teaching the Bible in his house on Sunday morning, baptizing, marrying and burying people. The whole family were Lutheran, very Christian family.

As the sons grew older, they left home and came to this country, because they didn’t want to be taken in the Russian army: Only one, August, stayed home. Perhaps he was too old or married at that time. He had children, but I never knew their names or anything about them!

Alex left and settled in Jersey City, NJ. Then Albert came to Staten Island, NY. He married and had August, Emma, Tony, Buster, William and Louise! He was quite a businessman. He owned a hotel. I visited them a couple of times. Their daughter, Louise, stayed with us about nine months. She attended Spencesian School. His wife’s name was Emma.

Then my father, Carl, came all alone at age 16, to this country and worked for his brother Albert in his hotel. After a while he worked for Dr Adams on a big farm in Massachusetts. Dr Adams had two daughters and a wife. They were very good to my father, who stayed with them two or three years. Then Dad decided he wanted to learn a trade; building machinery or whatever. So, he wrote to Mr & Mrs E(l)manthaler, old friends of his family, and asked them about it. They replied there were many opportunities in Cleveland, and told him to come and stay with them. So, Dad decided to go to them.

When he told Dr Admans, he and his whole family were upset. He told Dad, please don’t leave. Both my girls are in love with you. Marry either one of them, and when my wife and I die you will own one-half of everything I have. But, Dad decided to leave and came to Cleveland, and learned the machinist trade. He boarded with his friends and joined Zion Lutheran Church. There he met my mother, Johanna Samuel, and were married.

They had five children, William, Elsie, Bertha, Mildred and Kathryn. Two children in infancy died. I believe you know the history of our family.

My Dad’s sister married Mr Lawson. I believe they had four children. Their daughter Emma came to Cleveland and stayed a while with us. She became a trained nurse. Later she married and moved to California.