Jacob Vertin was the fifth child of Mathais and Katarina (Stariha) Vertin. He was born on July 4, 1875 in Yugoslavia. It is believed they lived in the Semic area.
There is not a lot of information known about this side of the family. I have been able to find some information in the California death records, but my attempts to locate any obituaries have come up short. It does not appear that any were written, or placed in the paper in the cities they died. I am still trying to accumulate any information I can find.
Jacob Vertin
Jacob Vertin was the fifth child (fourth son) born to Jakob and Katarina (Stariha) Vertin on July 4, 1875 in Yugoslavia. He married a Katherine Shutte, born January 1, 1877 in Yugoslavia. The date of the marriage is unknown.
It is not known exactly when Jacob (Jack) came to the United States. He must have brought his wife with him. An inventory check of the Ellis Island records showed two potential Jack Vertin came thought the island. A Janes Vertin from Crnombl, Austria arrived May 11, 1899 age 20. It shows him as married but the age is not correct. There is also a listing for a Janez Vertin from Breznik (Ethnicity is Krain) came to Ellis Island April 5, 1901 age 26 and married. This would be the correct age but I am not sure of the location where he was from. This doesn't match the area where our ancestory's came from. One problem is the records do not indicate a wife. Maybe neither of these names is the correct name. It is possible Jacob came into a different port.
They first went to the Eveleth, Minnesota area to work in the iron mines. They were in Minnesota when their first daughter, Anna, was born (Data from Census records). Sometime around 1904 to 1906, they moved to the Bearcreek area, near Red Lodge, Montana to work in the coal mines. During their time in Montana, they have 5 children, Jack, Jr in 1908, Francis in 1911, Evangline in 1914, and Lillian and Violet (twins) in 1916. They stayed in this area for awhile as they show up in the 1910 and 1920 Census as in Montana, Carbon County, Bearcreek or Washoe area. Sometime between 1920 and 1929, they move to San Francisco, California. The family shows up in the 1930 Census. I do not know what he did for a profession.
Jacob Vertin shows up in the Billings (Yellowstone County) and Red Lodge (Carbon County) city directory beginning in 1912. He is shown as a miner for the Bearcreek Coal Company in Bearcreek. His name also appears in the city directories 1913, 1916, 1917, 1919, and 1922. The library did not have directories for all years between 1913 and 1922. He does not appear in the 1903, 1905 and 1907 directories.
He did get a patent for 120 acres south of Washoe. The patent was issued on June 17, 1918 from the Bozeman land office. The land was located in the NE1/4, NW1/4 and the N1/2, NE1/4 of Section 14, Township 8 South, Range 20 East, Montana Principal Meridian, Carbon County, Montana. The land was located along Ruler Bench and included a portion of Bear Creek. It appears form the records that he owned the mineral rights to the land. The authority of the Patent was the Homestead Act of 1862, passed by Congress on May 20, 1862.
He died on February 15, 1952 in San Francisco, California. I attempted to find an obituary from the SF Genealogical Society but none was to be found. I am going to get a copy of the death certificate.
Jacob and Katarina had six children:
Anna Vertin
Anna Vertin was born September 29, 1902 in Minnesota. She married a Carl Miller. Do not know the date or the place. She died on April 23, 1983 in Marin County, California. Not sure of the exact city.
Jack Vertin, Jr
Jack was born on September 17, 1908 in Bearcreek, Montana. He had no middle name. He also never married. Like his two sisters, they lived together in a house at 714 Rhode Island Street in San Francisco, California.
When we went to California on vacation, we would occasionally stop in San Francisco to visit these people. I remembered the very steep street they lived on that looked out over the ocean. You would have to climb some very steep stairs to get to their living area. They had a mechanical arm at the top of the stairs that they would move and it would open the door at the bottom of the stairs. Mom would always call these people, her "crazy cousins". Don't know the reason behind that story.
Sometime in the 1980's or early 1990's, they sold the house in San Francisco and move to Reno, Nevada. I remember Dad telling me that they sold the house in California for a large sum of money.
On October 29, 1995, Jack dies from pneumonia. Jack was a tile distributor (from his death certificate). His body was cremated. He lived at 5545 Wedekind, Reno, NV at the time of his death. The information shown on the death certificate was provided by a Sharon Tipton of the same address. I am not sure who this person is. I have written to the Nevada Genealogical Society to see if they could find anything. They searched both the Reno and Sparks paper and were unable to find anything. This follows the true spirit of this side of the family in not placing any obituaries in the papers.
Francis Vertin
Evangline Vertin
Evangline was born in 1914 in Montana, probably Bearcreek. Francis told me that she married and her husband enlisted in the military during World War II. He evidently lost his life during a battle. Evangline moved in with her brother and sister. She evidently lived off her pension. I believe she moved to Reno/Sparks with the family and may have died there. I do not know her married name.
Lillian Vertin
Lillian Vertin was one of twins, with Violet. She was born September 22, 1916 in Bearcreek, Montana
Lillian never married. She, her brother Jack (who also never married) and another sister (??) all lived together in San Francisco, California. They lived at 714 Rhode Island Street.
When we went to California on vacation, we would occasionally stop in San Francisco to visit these people. I remembered the very steep street they lived on that looked out over the ocean. You would have to climb some very steep stairs to get to their living area. They had a mechanical arm at the top of the stairs that they would move and it would open the door at the bottom of the stairs. Mom would always call these people, her "crazy cousins". Don't know the reason behind that story.
Lillian died on November 24, 1981 in San Francisco of ovarian cancer at the Presbyterian Hospital. She was cremated. Her death certificate says she was Salesperson, who worked at Cosgraves. At some time, the remaining relatives sell the house and they move to Reno, Nevada. I remember Dad telling me they received a lot of money for this house.
I attempted to find an obituary but none was found in the San Francisco papers.
Violet Vertin
Violet Vertin was one of twins, with Lillian. She was born September 22, 1916 in Bearcreek, Montana.
The Family Line of Katarina Vertin
This side of the family is also a mystery. I know very little about it and have not had much luck finding anything to date.
Katarina Vertin
Katarina Vertin was the eighth and last child born to Mathais and Katarina (Stariha) Vertin. She was born on October 30, 1881 in Yugoslavia, most likely in the Semic area. She married John Shukle, date not known. John was born in 1880.
Katarina and John had eight children:
In the 1920 US Census, the Shukle family is located in Nez Perez, Idaho. His occupation is listed as a Laborer. In the 1930 US Census, the family is located in Spokane, Washington. His occupation is listed as a farmer.
A number of years ago, a Cindy Savage, she is the daughter of William Shukle, wrote Mom looking for data about the family for a classroom project. I contacted her and she did provide some data about the family, but not many dates. What she provided is listed below.
Ann Shukle
Ann married a Mr. Reed and had one adopted son.
Catherine Shukle
Catherine married a Mr. Ritter, had one stillborn child
William Shukle
Married – 2 daughters Sandra Kay Shukle Schiffner (born August 23, 1951) and Cynthia Lynn Shukle Savage (born August 24, 1954)
Edward Shukle
Married to Laura – no children
Anthony Shukle
Married to Vera, one daughter Toni Joy and one son Jimmy
Joseph Shukle
Married to Francis, two sons, Randy and Kevin and a daughter Joette
Albert Shukle
Married to ??? had 6 children Bob, Gary, Kay, Karen, Beverly and Ann
John Shukle
Born in 1908 in Montana and died at age 16 of pneumonia, probably in 1924 or so. The family would have been in Idaho.