Ferdinand Erschen

In memoriam

Vereint im Tod wie einst im Leben Hat euch die treue Gotteshand Wo sel'ge Geister euch umschweben. Weilt ihr im ew'gen Heimatland. Der Kinderdank beweint das Scheiden Die Liebe blickt zu Sternenhöh'n Und glaubt und hoft Nach Trennungsleiden Entzückt ein frohes Wiederseh'n! United in death as you once were in life The faithful hand of God holds you Where blessed spirits float around you. You reside in the eternal homeland. Your grateful children weep at this parting Their love looks to the starry heights And believes and hopes, after the sorrow of separation, With joy in a happy reunion!

Ferdinand Erschen, was born in 1853 in Gorači, Croatia (then Hungary), in the parish of Čabar, just a few kilometers from the Gottschee border. His parents were Jakob Eržen and Maria Križ. The Eržen family lived in house #5. Jakob Eržen is the son of Joannes (Ivan) Eržen, who died in 1831. Maria is the daughter of Antonius Križ from Tropeti. Gorači and Tropeti are neighboring villages in Croatia. Jakob and Maria were married in 1828. Both of their fathers attended the wedding, but neither mother, so they had probably both died. Jakob and Maria had about a dozen children. Ferdinand was the youngest, and was born almost 25 years after his parents' wedding. Pauline's daughter Heddy was told that Ferdinand was a French architect and bridge builder, and that a small town in France was named for him. I have not been able to find any information that corroborates this. Ferdinand died in 1936 at age 83. His death record says he was a "gostač" which means wage laborer in Slovene. He did own land (5/8 of a hube, which is just over 31 acres), but it may not have been enough to support his family, so he may have worked as a hired hand. He died of "old age and weakness." He is buried in the Mozelj cemetery.

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