Ahnentafel

Today we commemorate the death 83 years ago of Samuel Albert Demler, my first cousin three times removed. He was one of seven children of Wilhelm K. and Anna (Keller) Demler and was born 10 March 1881 in Fairbury, Illinois. My great-great-grandmother, Mary (Demler) Slagel, was his paternal aunt. “Sam Demler” appears in the 1900 census, living on Chestnut Street in Fairbury with his parents and 5 surviving siblings (the youngest, Anna, had died in 1889 at the age of two). Sam is listed as a Teamster.

Congregational records for Zion Lutheran Church in Peoria note that on 8 July 1906, 25-year-old Samuel A. Demler married 19-year-old Mary M. Mammen. Both were from Fairbury. By 1910 Samuel and Mary were living on Walnut Street in Fairbury with their children Anna L., aged 1 10/12, and a newborn son Sam A. Samuel’s occupation is listed as lumberman. On his World War I Draft Registration card, Samuel is described as tall with a medium build, brown hair, and brown eyes. His employer is listed as the lumber company at 106 South 1st Street in Fairbury. Information posted by Dale Maley on the “Fairbury, Illinois – Today, Long Ago and Somewhere in between” Facebook group includes photos and history of this lumber operation which began as Jesse Stevens’ lumber yard and was then bought by Alexander Lumber after Jesse’s death. A photo from the Facebook group shows Samuel Albert, his son and his daughter at the lumber yard, ca. 1935.

In 1920, still on West Walnut Street (and now with a house number, 308), Samuel is listed as manager of a lumber company, and two more children have been added to the family: Rose, 7; and Victor, 4. From Google Maps it appears this house no longer stands, though Fairbury residents are welcome to investigate and let me know for sure. It also appears that the house was located just across the street from the lumber yard where Samuel was employed. The Demler family still lived in that same house in 1930, paying $10 a month in rent. The census also confirmed that the family had a radio. Samuel continued as manager of the lumber company, and son Samuel A., Jr., was a yard man there as well. An additional child had been added to the family, son Dewey, 8 years old.

By 1940 only Dewey was still left at home with his parents. He had completed 3 years of high school and was still in school that year at age 18. The enumerator noted that Samuel had completed six years of school, and wife Mary four. Samuel continued as manager of the lumber yard, having earned $1620 the previous year (or possibly $1120; the handwriting is a bit difficult to decipher). This would be roughly equivalent to $25,000-$36,000 in 2024.

Less than a year after the 1940 census was taken, Samuel’s health declined. He had been ill for several months when, following a stroke, he died on 14 April 1941 at the Fairbury Hospital. He was buried at Fairbury’s Graceland Cemetery. Samuel’s obituary in The Pantagraph details not only his management of the Alexander Lumber Company but also his role as Fairbury fire chief for 35 years. The Fairbury Blade of 18 April provides even more color. It notes that Samuel had undergone an operation on 25 February and had been recovering but had a setback and was taken back to the hospital on 13 April, where he died the following day.

The Blade describes Samuel as follows: “Although of a quiet and retiring disposition, Mr. Demler was one of Fairbury’s well liked and highly esteemed citizens and took a keen interest in the affairs of the community.” It also notes how five of his employees at the lumber yard were able to move on to manage lumber yards of their own due to his leadership skills. Two of these employees were his sons Samuel and Victor. Though only 60 years old when he died, it seems Samuel Demler nonetheless succeeded in making a positive impact in the lives of his family and of the whole community in which he took a keen interest.