Today’s tale begins in Perry County, but it makes a journey through Lafayette County in this state and then on to the state of Michigan. As it turns out, today’s birthday girl is only included in the early part of this story.

Hulda Maria Julia Demetrio was born on February 7, 1880, so today would be her 146th birthday. Hulda was the daughter of Rev. Charles and Emma (Kruse) Demetrio. Her father was the pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Perryville from 1869-1886. We find Hulda’s baptism record in that congregation’s books.

Since Rev. Demetrio left Perryville in 1886, we never find Hulda in a Perry County census. Her father had taken a call to Emma, Missouri, so when the 1900 census was taken, that is where we find Hulda at the age of 20. Her father was called a minister, and Hulda is called an invalid for some unknown reason.

Next, we find Hulda in the 1910 census still living in Emma. At that time, she was 30 years old and still single. However, that would also be the year that she would get married. Also, if you look at the bottom of this census entry, you will see a young parochial school teacher named Martin Merz. That would be Hulda’s husband in a matter of months from when this census was taken.

Let’s take a look at the early life of Martin Merz. He was born on January 1, 1889, the son of Samuel and Wilhelmine (Brase) Merz. He was born in Worden, Illinois, and there is a Lutheran church located there, but I am not able to display a baptism record for him. Martin is found in the 1900 census when he was 11 years old. His father was a wagon maker in Worden.

During the next decade, Martin attended Concordia College in Addison, Illinois to be trained as a Lutheran teacher. He graduated from there in 1909. We have already seen how Martin had become a teacher in Emma, Missouri by the time of the 1910 census. Then on December 28, 1910, Martin Merz married Hulda Demetrio in Emma. The Missouri marriage license for this pair is pictured here. It says that their wedding was performed by Rev. Johannes Andred from Flora, Missouri, not Hulda’s father. Not long ago, in a story about Hulda’s sister, it was also the case that another local pastor had performed the marriage ceremony for Pastor Demetrio’s daughter.

We can also view this marriage certificate for this couple.

Martin had his World War I draft registration completed in 1917. He is given a Jackson, Michigan address and was said to be a school teacher at Trinity Lutheran School.

The Merz/Demetrio marriage did not last long because Hulda died about a month after the draft registration was completed in 1917. She was only 36 years old at the time of her death. There were no children born to Martin and Hulda. We can view Hulda’s Michigan death certificate below. It says she died on the Fourth of July.

Hulda Merz is buried in the Woodland Cemetery in Jackson.

Martin got married again. Let’s take a look at his second wife. He found her near his hometown in Illinois. Her name was Amanda Walter, who was born on June 26, 1896. She was the daughter of Phillip and Wilhelmine (Ulrich) Walter and born in New Douglas, Illinois, which was just down the road from Worden, where Martin was born. She was baptized at Immanuel Lutheran Church in New Douglas. We can see her baptism record below.

Amanda was 3 years old when the 1900 census was taken. Her father was a blacksmith in New Douglas.

In the 1910 census, we find an entry that is a bit puzzling. Amanda Walter is found living with Minnie Behme (Bohme) in Worden. She is called a foster child and is given no age. I know that Amanda’s parents were still alive and together living in New Douglas in 1910, but Amanda was not with them. However, if you look at Amanda’s baptism sponsors in the image above, you will see W. Bohme. Amanda is also given a middle name of Wilhelmine, and back in those days, girls were often given the name of their female sponsor. I think Amanda was living with her widowed godmother in the 1910 census.

Martin Merz married Amanda Walter on August 28, 1918. Martin’s later obituary states that this wedding took place in Worden, Illinois. When the 1920 census was taken, the Merz’s had one baby in their family, and Martin was a Lutheran teacher in Jackson, Michigan.

Martin Merz’s Family Search entry says that there were 9 children born to Martin and Amanda. When the 1930 census was taken, there were 6 children in the Merz household. This time, Martin was a teacher in the Chester Township in Ottawa County, Michigan.

The Merz family was still living in the same location when the 1940 census was taken. Once again, there were 6 children in their household, but two of them had been born during the previous decade. Martin was still teaching.

I think it must have been at about this time that the Merz’s had this family photo taken. The young girl in the photo had been born in 1933. Eight children are see in this photo. Another child had been born in 1935, but died as an infant.

Martin had his World War II draft card completed when America entered that war. This document identifies the fact that Martin was teaching at Trinity Lutheran School in Conklin, Michigan.

When the 1950 census was taken, we see that the Merz family had relocated. They were still living in Michigan, but this time, they were living in Bridgman, which is found in the southwest corner of that state. At the age of 61, Martin was still teaching. Amanda was a telephone operator. Only their youngest daughter, Eunice, was still living with them.

Martin Merz died in 1965 at the age of 76. I am able to display his obituary below in two clickable images. It indicates that Martin had been teaching and also principal at Immanuel Lutheran School in Bridgman.

Amanda Merz died in 1985 at the age of 89. We can also read her obituary below.

Martin and Amanda Merz are buried together in the Graceland Cemetery in Bridgman.

This story qualifies, at least in part, to be one in which a daughter of a full-time church worker marries a full-time church worker. In this case, the daughter of a pastor marries a Lutheran teacher. It was even a Lutheran teacher who the bride met when he was a boarder in her own home.

On a personal note, my cousin, Marie Schlimpert found a husband who was born and raised in New Douglas, Illinois by the name name of Harold Mohme. Harold and Marie are now buried in the New Douglas Cemetery.