Ancestor of the Week : George Eger

This week's ancestor biography of the week is on one of my great great grandfathers, George Eger. George was born in Trausnitz, Bayern on 29 January 1865. According to my grandmother he had a twin sister, Maria. Their parents were Johann Eger (1825-1904) and Anna Katharina Meindl (1827-1883). George had the following siblings.

• Maria (1865- 1944) married Benedict App
• Josef (1870-1954) married Anna Simon
• Johann (circa 1871-1959)

Josef and Johann remained in Trausnitz. 

Ancestral Eger home in Trausnitz

Not much about George is known while he was living in Germany aside from that he was in the German army for a stint. Below is a photo of him in his military uniform.

George Eger

George and his future bride Katharina Schuster (1870-1935) immigrated from Antwerp, Belgium to the United States and landed at Castle Garden in New York City on 26 May 1891 aboard the Ship Waesland. The next day they were married in Manhattan on 27 May. 

The newly weds headed North to Albany and settled and raised their family. George and Katharina had the following children.

• Margaret Eger (1891-1892)
• Mary Frances Eger (1893-1985) married John Joseph Kane
• Catherine Madeleine Eger (1895-1949) married John Joseph Aloyisus Gannon
• Michael G. Eger (1897-1942)
• Louise Eger (1899-1960) married William Herrington
• George (1902-1968) married Mildred Elmer Smith
• Joseph (1906-1906)

L to R, Louise, Mary, Michael, Catherine, George, George, & Katharina

George received his naturalization papers to become an American citizen on 07 May 1900. Below is his naturalization paper.

George and Katharina became members of the German Catholic parish of Our Lady of Angels where their children were baptized. George was a blacksmith for the New York Central Railroad at the West Albany shops for many years. The family lived in Arbor Hill for many years until land was purchased on Mereline Avenue circa 1914. Mereline Avenue is now know as Tremont Street. Their home which appeared to also be a farm was in the vicinity of what became Public School #26 on Tremont Street. Below are three views of the Eger homestead.

Mereline Street

George Eger & son Michael

George became a member of the German Gun Club located off Central Avenue and his wife Katharina became involved in numerous religious societies in Our Lady of Angels parish. 

George, wife Katharina, & daughter Louise

In 1922 George returned to his former home in Germany to visit his family. Below is a scan of his US passport and passport photo.

On 05 October 1935 George tragically lost his wife Katharina when she was struck by a car while attempting to cross Central Avenue. She was buried in the family plot at Our Lady of Angels Cemetery. George joined her on 21 March 1940.