Caroline Paquinett

John Henry Martin Dirks (Henry Dirks) came to the USA from Ohra, Prussia in August 1892 on the Rhaetia out of Hamburg and settled in Toledo with his son Richard Henry. Later William, also from Ohra, joined them and appears on only one census. Henry married Clara Helen Mohran/Moran and raised his family: (1) Henry William Martin Dirks, who worked for American Radiator & Standard Sanitary Corp. in Toledo. (2) Leone/Leona who married Otto Buhrandt of Toledo. (3) Etta/Ethel A., who married Ernst Sprengel. The family was a member of St. Lucas Lutheran Church in Toledo.

Picture taken in Los Angeles where Richard worked on buildings and bridges. Richard Dirk(s) was from Ohra, Prussia but stated on all legal papers that he was born in Palmyra, MI. His family visited frequently with the Dr. Samuel Turbett family in Palmyra, MI. Clara Helen Morhan Dirks, Richard's stepmother, was friends with Anna Mohr Turbett. Richard's father was John Henry Martin Dirks, he was a carpenter for the railroad in Toledo. He probably built the house on Baden Street where he raised his family. Richard left home in 1902, dropped the "s" from his name, joined the Navy and served on several tall ships in the Pacific. Later he worked building bridges from Washington state to South America.