Franz (also Frank) Mervar was born on October 16, 1876 in the village of Škrjanče, Slovenia to Franciscus Mervar and Marija Šmajdek.

At the age of 23 Franz left his home, Gostilna na Hribu (Inn on the Hill) near Škrjanče, to join his younger brother, Joseph, in the United States of America. Joseph arrived to the USA several days earlier - on February 27, 1900.

According to Ellis Island records, Franz Mervar departed from Havre, France on the ship S.S. L'Aquitaine on March 3, 1900. He arrived at the port of New York on March 11, 1900.

Franz’s final destination in the U.S. was Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he was going to join his brother, Joseph Mervar. Franz’s occupation - laborer. He was single, able to read and write. He was in possession of $16.

Frank Mervar married Mary Bruder on June 3, 1912 in Marion County, Indianapolis. Mary was born on March 2, 1893. Frank was 17 years older than Mary. Mary immigrated to the United States in 1907 per one U.S. Census and in 1905 per another U.S. Census. Both were naturalized in 1912.

After their marriage they lived in Indianapolis for several years. Their daughter Olga was born in approx. 1914 and their son Frank was born in approx. 1915 in Indiana.

By the time the 14th U.S. census was completed on January 3, 1920 Frank and his family lived in Cleveland, Ohio at 14409 Saranac Road (by today’s Conrail railroad tracks) in a rented home. Frank worked as an upholsterer’s helper, most likely at a railroad.

In approx. 1922 their son Walter was born in Ohio.

On April 8, 1930, 15th census of the U.S., the Mervars lived on 707 E 157th Street, Cleveland, OH 44110, in a rented home, not far from their previous home on Saranac Road. Their monthly rental was $25. Their house had a radio set. Frank and Mary were able to read. On that day Frank did not have a job, but his wife Mary was a laborer at an auto accessories factory. At that time they lived with three children: Olga (16), Frank (15) and Walter (8).

Frank and Mary had three children:

1. Olga (1914)
2. Frank Mervar, Jr. (1915)
3. Walter (1922)

Frank Mervar, Sr. died on August 26, 1960 in Cleveland, Cuyahoga County at the age of nearly 84.

Stanley Mervar: Frank worked in Cleveland at the railroad. At one time he broke his leg and some lawyer convinced him to sue the company. He did and he didn’t get a dime. He worked in the roundhouse where train cars would undergo maintenance. Frank was a chain smoker. Frank and Mary had three children: Olga - died at 20-30 yrs., Frank Jr. - became a mailman and eventually moved west to Colorado, and Walter - the youngest. Someone threw something in his eyes and almost blinded him when he was a child. Joe Mervar’s family didn’t see Frank’s family very often - maybe once per year Frank would come by train to Indianapolis. Once in a while the Joe Mervar family would drive to Cleveland to visit.