Philadelphia Latvian Baptist Youth Society
Ferdinand Liecke
Ferdinand Liecke (Lieke, Leike, Lihkis) was born Oct. 23, 1898, in Pennsylvania, a son of Otto and Minnie Lieke. His parents and older sister, Tillie (Otilija), immigrated to the U.S. in 1888, becoming among the first Latvians to settle in Philadelphia. In 1900, the family lived at 2128 S. Philip St. in Philadelphia. In addition to the parents and Tillie, the family included Alfred (born in Pennsylvania), Clara (born in Pennsylvania), Edward, and young Ferdinand. Also in the household was Philomena's mother, Anna Robert, who had immigrated in 1889.1 (The six-member Martin and Matilda Upmal family lived nearby at 2136 S. Philip St. in Philadelphia. Martin Upmal also had immigrated in 1888, while Matilda had arrived in 1890.)
At the time of the 1910 U.S. census, the family lived at 846 Union St. in Philadelphia. Besides their parents and Ferdinand, Clara, and Alfred, the family in 1910 included son Otto Jr. (born in Virginia) and daughter Minnie (born in Virginia).2 (Edward had died, as had another daughter, Erna.) In 1917, Ferdinand lived at 3924 Parrish St. in Philadelphia and worked as a wenchman on a dredge, according to his 1917 draft registration card.3 Ferdinand enlisted in the U.S. Army in December 1942 during World War II. At the time, he was listed as separated from his wife and with no dependents.4
Notes
1. Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.
2. "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MGWJ-YFV : accessed 21 January 2017), Fernand Lieke in household of Otto Lieke, Philadelphia Ward 24, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 504, sheet 3A, family 59, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 1397; FHL microfilm 1,375,410.
3. "United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K6K7-PB4 : 12 December 2014), Ferdinand Lieke, 1917-1918; citing Philadelphia City no 20, Pennsylvania, United States, NARA microfilm publication M1509 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,907,639.
4. "United States World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K8T4-4T2 : 5 December 2014), Ferdinand Lieke, enlisted 05 Dec 1942, Allentown, Pennsylvania, United States; citing "Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, ca. 1938-1946," database, The National Archives: Access to Archival Databases (AAD) (http://aad.archives.gov : National Archives and Records Administration, 2002); NARA NAID 126323, National Archives at College Park, Maryland.