Pleased to say that after a long search I’ve finally been able to trace the living descendants of Max Stork Gerlach, the man that author F. Scott Fitzgerald used as a partial basis for his most famous character, Jay Gatsby. I have found through them through following the family line of Max’s half-brother Alfred Andrew Stork, born August 4, 1896 in Yonkers to Max’s mother Elizabeth Gerlach and her second husband, Andrew Stork (b. 1847 in Berlin, Germany – died 1902 New York, immigrated to America 1894). The first glimpse of Alfred is in the 1900 census featuring his mother Elizabeth, his father Andrew and his brothers Max (b.1885 Germany), Bruno (b.1884 Germany) and Alfred — all living on Herriott Street Yonkers. We next see Alfred and Max in the 1910 census, having moved to Second Avenue with their mother Elizabeth and her third husband, Thomas J Reilly (b. 1884 to Irish stock in England). Henry Stork (b.1901) is also living with them.
A US Army draft registration card in 1918 sees him married to Alice Williams (b.1897 New York). They married on March 23 1917 shortly ahead of the draft. According to the draft card they are living at 119 East 92nd Street New York. Alfred says he is employed by the railroad at a Second Avenue address.
In 1920 Alfred and Alice are living in an apartment with their son Alfred Andrew (b. Sept 6, 1918) in an apartment at 1341 Third Avenue. The same address was used by anarchists, Frank Abarno and Carmine Carbone, the members of the Bresci Group who were charged with planting a bomb in St. Patricks Cathedral, NYC on March 2, 1915 (it failed to detonate). Alfred lists his occupation as partner in a ‘liquor store’. The census was taken on January 10 1920, just a week before the new Prohibition law (Volstead Act) came into effect.
Henry Stork, Max and Alfred brother dies at the Perth Amboy City Hospital leaving his widow Clara and daughter, also called Clara. He had been living in Oak Tree New Jersey. Their mother Elizabeth is living with Thomas J. Reilly on Brunswick Avenue, Metuchen. His obituary mentions his brother Max Stork of New York and brother Alfred of Oak Tree. [1]
In the 1930 census we find Alfred, Alice and Aldred A. Stork jr now living at Tingley Lane in Oak Tree, New Jersey. Also living with them is their son Walter (b. 1921, NY) and their niece Clara (b.1926, NJ)
In 1935 Max’s brother Alfred Andrew Stork Sr of Tingley Lane New Jersey dies at Muhlenberg Hospital in Plainfield. It mention he was born in Yonkers, the son of Elizabeth Stork and stepfather Thomas J Reilly. His obituary mentions his sons Alfred Jr and Walter. [2]
In February 1938, Max’s nephew, Alfred A. Stork Jr announces his marriage to Frances Jane Hulling in the Courier News. His mother Alice of Oak Tree and his late father are both mentioned. His occupation is listed as engineer. During WW II Alfred enlists in the US Navy under the name, Charles Alfred Stork.
In November 1938 Max and Alfred’s mother Elizabeth Stork Reilly, now of Harding Avenue, Iselin, New Jersey, dies leaving her husband Thomas J Reilly a widow. Her obituary mentions her son Max Gerlach. [3]
In Aug 1946 Alfred jr’s brother Walter, Of Tingley Lane, Oak Tree, is killed in a car accident. His obituary mentions that he had served overseas during the war. It also mentions that his mother Alice had married Thomas J Reilly, the widow of Max’s mother Elizabeth Stork (this means that Thomas married the wife of his step son Alfred A. Stork snr). While in High School, the sports-loving Walter had been known as ‘the Iron Man’ of the Metuchen Football Team. He had served with Company C of the 852nd Engineers and Ninth Air Force Engineers. He was a veteran of the Battle of the Bulge and had helped build the Templehof Airfield in Berlin. A report suggest his car had left the road and hit a tree. [4]
In July 1955 Alfred A Stork jr aka Charles A Stork dies of a heart attack at his home on Tingley Lane, Oak Tree, NJ. The news reports lists him as a veteran of the US Navy. He was 36 years old. It says he leaves his mother Alice, his sons Charles A and Walter G and daughter Beverley. [5] The children would have been 16-18 years old at the time of the death of Great Uncle Max in October 1958. Thankfully the family’s 25 year residence at Tingley Lane made it possible to get a postive ID on Max’s brother Alfred.
I have since been to identify his living descendants in Xenia, Ohio and Hertford & Gates, NC and have passed the details to the producers of the American Dreamer podcast, Poppy Damon and Joe Nocera who had spent such an awful lot of time hammering away at numbers on the phone trying to trace his bloodline.
[1] ‘Bury Harry Stork, Metuchen Monday’, Courier News, (NJ) March 29, 1930, p.6
[2] ‘Alfred A. Stork Funeral Is Held’, Courier News (NJ), April 5, 1935, p.13; ‘Alfred A Stork’, Central New Jersey Home News, April 2, 1935, p.2
[3] ‘Elizabeth Reilly, Fords Beacon, November 23, 1938, p.8
[4] ‘Accident Fatal To W.H Stork’, Courier News, August 19, 1946, p.12
[5] ‘Charles A Stork, Navy Veteran’, Courier News, July 15, 1955, p.14