Marilyn Merkle

Marshal was probably born in either Craven or Beaufort County, NC. He first appears in the Bearufort County, Chocowinity 1850 Census as Marshall ("Martial") Surls, age 20, Laborer. The Head of Household was Lucretia Surls, age 50. Also a Jamesey Surls, age 18 and Ellen Surls, age 15. Lucretia must have been his mother as she appears as "Litia Searls" on his 1868 Marriage Certificate. Marshall appears in the 1860 Census as a boarder/laborer in the J.M. Carrow home in Chocowinity, Beaufort County, NC. Efforts to find his family in the 1840 and 1830 Censuses still ongoing. His marriage certificate says that his father's name was Coventon. There was a Covington Sirls in Chocowinity, Beaufort County 1830 Census with a male in the household age 0-5. 1840 Beaufort County Census not as helpful. There were 3 Searles, Surles, Sirls households in Chocowinity and Tranter's Creek who had boys age 10-15 or age 5-10, but no Covington or Covenant's. Perhaps the father died after the 1830 Census. No telling where Lucretia and children were living in 1840, maybe even a different county. Craven County's 1840 Census only partially constructed. Cannot find a Lucretia or Lita Surls as head of household in any of the 1840 data. Marshall Surls (Searls) was a soldier in the Civil War, CSA Infantry, 61st Regiment, Company B. On May 31, 1868, he married "Malinda" Rowe (Roe), daughter of Absolam Tuten Rowe and Fariba Rowe of Beaufort County. Marshall and wife (whose first name is spelled differently on every document: Lunida, Luvinda, Linda, Lula) resided in Chocowinity, Beaufort County. The 1870 Census says that Marshall was 44 born abt 1826. Marshal last appears in the 1880 Census born abt 1825. He disappears from records after the 1880 Census. He died they say when his youngest child, born Sept 1878, was very young. Efforts to find when he died and where he is interred are ongoing. The surname was spelled many different ways on different Censuses and other documents. Searls, Searles, Surls. The name evolved to Surles in the early part of the 20th century after Marshall's son John married Leta Jackson of Pitt County, NC. Was able to trace Marshall's maternal Roe (Rowe) and Tuten lines, all English with the exception of one Irish surname, Kennedy. The lines arrived in Virginia in the early to mid 17th century. Searles etc is also of English origin.

Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember John Marshall Surls.

Annie Lee Surls Dail was born in Chocowinity, Beaufort County, North Carolina United States. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Annie Lee Surls Dail.

Mary Elizabeth Surls Jackson was born in Chocowinity, Beaufort County, North Carolina United States to Marshal D. Surls Searls, Searles and Lunida Rowe Surls, and has siblings Annie Lee Surls Dail and John Marshall Surls. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Mary Elizabeth Surls Jackson.

Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Lunida Rowe Surls.

Most of Anthony's children's census information say that he was born in Germany. A possibility that his first name was Anton. Efforts to find him in any census have been unsuccessful. As of the 1910 Census, his wife Rose was a widow. His name does appear on his children's NYC marriage information.

Cecelia married Randolph J. Lennon on January 22, 1899 in Manhattan, NY. The marriage record shows his name as Matthew R. Lennon but all subsequent censuses/death info show him as Randolph J. Ironically it appears through birth records that the couple had a son, Matthew Randolph, on May 18, 1903 in Boston, MA. The boy doesn't seem to have survived as he doesn't show on consequent censuses.

Rose (Walters) Starr was born to Rose (Schmidt) Walters and Anthony ("Anton") Walters, and has siblings Antoinette Walters Simcox Merkle, Geroge F. Walters, Agnes Walters, and Cecelia A. (Walters) Lennon. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Rose (Walters) Starr.

Agnes Walters of Cumberland County, New Jersey United States was born on September 22, 1889 in NY to Rose (Schmidt) Walters and Anthony ("Anton") Walters. She had siblings Antoinette Walters Simcox Merkle, Geroge F. Walters, Rose (Walters) Starr, and Cecelia A. (Walters) Lennon. Agnes Walters died at age 89 years old in October 1978 in Bridgeton, NJ.

Geroge Walters was born on April 1, 1888 to Rose (Schmidt) Walters and Anthony ("Anton") Walters, and had siblings Antoinette Walters Simcox Merkle, Agnes Walters, Rose (Walters) Starr, and Cecelia A. (Walters) Lennon. Geroge Walters died at age 43 years old on October 6, 1931. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Geroge F. Walters.

According to Rose's Census and death information, she was born in Germany, her parents born in Germany. Censuses state her native tongue was German. A maiden name of Schmidt was confirmed on some of her children's marriage records. Although on birth records of 3 of her children her maiden name appears as Bakowitz, Prokofsky and Laboski respectively. One of those records state she was born in Poland as well as that country indicated on 2 of Rose's children's censuses after Rose was deceased. So her natal state, maiden name and ethnic background are still a puzzle. The fact that record keeping was haphazard with gross misspellings in that era contributes to the mystery. In the 1910 Census Rose (age 54) shows as a widow with 3 of her (adult) children still living with her. In NY State 1915 Census she is 62. In the 1920 Census she's 62 and the 1930 Census places her at age 80. In the death records, she was born ca 1848 and was 85 at her death in 1933. Since it says she was 80 in the 1930 Census, this is feasible. Her arrival year showed as 1872 on most data, one saying 1863. One document states she was naturalized in 1880. Don't know if she was already married when she emigrated. Immigration records have turned up nothing for Rose or her husband. Cannot find Rose (or her husband Anthony/Anton) in Censuses prior to 1910. A census states that Rose was married at age 22. The 1910 Census shows that Rose had born 9 children, 5 living at the time. Found out through her son's 1931 obituary that she had 4 surviving daughters, 3 married/widowed, one single. Rose and son George were buried in St John's Cemetery 9718 Flatlands Ave, Canarsie, Brooklyn. Though per research that cemetery is actually in Middle Village, Queens. The latter charges a fee to research burials. Am presuming Find A Grave volunteers not allowed in the cemetery.

Antoinette Walters was born about 1886 in New York, as all her siblings. Per early censuses, her parents were both from Germany. Although in later censuses she indicated her mother was born in Poland. Her mother's name was Rose Schmidt Walters. (Rose's maiden names also possibly Bakowitz, Prokofsky and Laboski). Per some siblings marriage and birth info, her father's name was Anthony (or Anton, anthony in German), Walters. The surname sometimes appears as Walter. As of the 1910 Census, her mother Rose was a widow and the family lived in Brooklyn with 2 other of Rose's children, George and Agnes (the other 2 girls were married, Rose Walters Starr and Cecelia Walters Lennon). Antoinette was a bookbinder. On May 12, 1910 Antoinette married Joseph Simcox. They lived in Manhattan and appear in the 1915 NY State Census. Joseph died 1/8/1928. Am still researching when Antoinette acquired the surname Merkle. She uses it in the 1940 Census (in Manhattan with a boarder) and had widow marital status. Her death certificate stated she died at Bellevue Hospital. Do not know her place of interment.