It's rare for me to say that I love someone when I never knew them, but it is true that I love this woman because she was a survivor who continued through difficult odds. Look at her beautiful smile; though she had cause to show it, you see no trace of bitterness.

Mary E. Merkert (Kimpel Fullerton) Turvey was my great great grandma, that is, my mother's father's mother's mother. No doubt there is a genealogical term for this, but since I don't know it yet, this is as clear as I can be.

It was not until 2009 that I saw any pictures of Mary, and I knew little about her. Mary was widowed three times, having kids with all her husbands, so I could only assume she was reasonably attractive, fertile, and had faith in the future. Though I have learned more, she is still just coming into focus. May God bless you, Mary. I hope to learn more about you.

In her marriage (March 26, 1883) with Valentine Kimpel, her first, she had at least my great grandma Rosena, and a baby who did not live long, Valentina. She also reportedly had John, Frank, and Mary (whose birth is verified by city records as occurring August 23, 1886).

Her second marriage with Aaron Fullerton in 1893 produced Laurence, George and Lavinia, the last of whom was probably named for Mary's mother. Recently, a death certificate was found for yet another child with Aaron, a daughter Jane, who did not live out the year of her birth, 1896.

And supposedly there was also daughter Florence Madge Fullerton, born 1899. She is a puzzler because her brother Lawrence was born in February that year, and two kids in a calendar year is unusual. He has a city birth certificate, but she doesn't. She's not on the 1900 census with the family, but she is there in 1910 - when Lawrence is not. In 1920 when she'd be about 20, Lawrence is there and Florence is not. She could have married by this time, but I don't think so. I think the 1910 census taker goofed and recorded Lawrence as Florence, and indeed, Florence's middle initial is the same as Lawrence's - M. I have tried very hard to track this person and think she may not have existed. There's tons of family trees out there recording her with a Burkert husband, but if you check into her background, it's not her.

Mary's last marriage (December 13, 1902) with J. T. Turvey was blessed with John Thomas Jr., Anna Mae, and Charles Roy.

On the 1910 census she reported having borne 15 children, of whom 10 were alive, so clearly there were more.

Once I knew about her life, I was simply in awe of her ability to move forward. What does it say about a person who experiences the loss of husbands and children to keep trusting, keep loving, and keep having children? She must have been quite something.

There was a family tale about Mary that said she enjoyed listening to serial stories on the radio. One show she followed featured a woman who had been widowed three times like herself. Spurred by the show, one of Mary's daughters supposedly asked her when she got to heaven which husband she would choose to be with there. Mary is said to have replied "I'll pick the first one, because I know damn well the other two won't be there."

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Odds and ends:

Mary appears as a young girl in the 1880 census with her parents and siblings in Philadelphia's 21st ward (Manayunk/Roxborough) thusly:

Name
Relation to head of household
Marital Status
Gender
Race
Age
Birthplace
Occupation
Father's Birthplace
Mother's Birthplace

John W. MERKERT Self M Male W 47 BADEN Works In Paper Mill BADEN BADEN

Levina MERKERT Wife M Female W 37 PA Keeping House PA PA

Frank L. MERKERT Son S Male W 18 PA
Works In Cotton Mill BADEN PA

Mary MERKERT Dau S Female W 16 PA
Works In Woolen Mill BADEN PA

Annie MERKERT Dau S Female W 12 PA
Works In Cotton Mill BADEN PA

Julie A. MERKERT Dau S Female W 10 PA
Works In Cotton Mill BADEN PA

Katie MERKERT Dau S Female W 8 PA
At School BADEN PA

Johanna MERKERT Dau S Female W 5 PA BADEN PA

Josephine MERKERT Dau S Female W 3 PA BADEN PA

Maggie MERKERT Dau S Female W 2 PA BADEN PA