The family of John Henry Mersch, Sr. came to Indian Territory from the state of Missouri in the year 1901. The family of George Wilkinson and the Merschs came together by train with stock and farming implements. The wives of Mersch and Wilkinson were sisters.

The Merschs leased some Indian Land from Frances Francis and built a log house where they lived for a short time of 5 or 6 years. When the Merschs settled there, they had 2 small sons, Kirtley and Howard, also a baby named Pansy. The Merschs then rented land with house and moved on the Barger Place. While in the log house, the boys were sent to a subscription school, South Branch and also Center View.

The Merschs then bought land and house from Gib Henry. The boys went to Serouge Out School. With Pansy now of school age. They all went to Good Hope School. Merschs then had two more children, John and Opal. All the children attended school in Bushyhead District, grade and high school.

John Henry Mersch, Sr. was a well-known rancher and stockman. He farmed around 600 acres. He bought the first tractor and gasoline hay-baler from the Chelsea hardware, the first one sold. In 1916 he bought an Overland Automobile.

He bought a player piano. The family was very musical. Mrs. Mersch was a pianist. All the family were good singers. Mrs. Mersch used to let the boys and girls invite friends and neighbors for singing and would let them dance. Kirtley, Howard, John and Dick Ross formed a quartet, and were often asked to sing for pie suppers and gatherings. It has often been said everyone could have a good time at the Merschs. Mr. and Mrs. Mersch were Christian people of the Methodist faith and gave their children Christian training.

In the year 1912 they were completely burned out. Mrs. Mersch had gone to a neighbors to spend the night. The neighbor's daughter smelled smoke at about 2 a.m. called upstairs to Mr. Mersch and the children. The summer kitchen was a mass of flames.

Howard waded snow the next morning to meet his mother on horseback, and told her of the fire. Mr. Mersch loaded the children in the wagon and took them over to his sister's, Mrs. Garrett Scheer Sr., known as Aunt Mary. They soon rented a house and moved. The neighbors all pitched in and helped build a new house. The Merschs were living there until the death of Mr. Mersch in 1936.

John Henry Mersch, Sr., family came from Germany and settled in Missouri. His sister Mary Scheer was a small child when she came to Missouri. Mersch was born at Mt. Zion, Missouri in 1870 and died in 1938. He married Rosa Bird Kirtley in 1894. Rosa Bird was born in 1872 and died in 1956. To this union 5 children were born. Kirtley born 1895 died 1968, Howard Webster born 1898, Pansy Fern born 1900 died 1936, John Henry Jr. born 1903 died 1971 and Opal Gladys born 1906.

Kirtley married Minnie Price. Born to them were Katherine and Grayson. Howard married Verna Youngblood in 1924. Born to them was William Kenneth, Sr. Verna died in 1943. Howard married Cora Bell Talmage in 1944. Pansy married Edgar Tibbs. Born to them was John Calvin. Pansy died in 1936. John Henry Jr. married Fern Scheer in 1935. Fern died in 1970 and John in 1971. Opal Gladys married George Morgan. George died in 1968. Born to them were four children: Dorothy Fern, Lois, Marjorie and Wayne.

By: Mrs. H. W. Mersch (Mrs. H W Mersch was Cora Bell Talmage Mersch, Howard's second wife after Verna died.)

Submitted by: Evelyn Youngblood and Mary Holeman

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