Moment in Time Revisited

William J. and Ada Boyle Merkle were the third owners of the former Our Lady of Victory convent house at 1539 Roxbury, which was torn down in 2004. Mr. Merkle was the owner of a series of Merkle's shops (founded by his father) which operated in railroad terminals throughout the Midwest. Mrs. Merkle was a Cincinnati debutante whose father was secretary to Ohio Governor and U.S. President William McKinley. The Merkles lived with their three daughters and three sons and at least two servants in the house from 1910 to 1922. In the photo compilation (clockwise) are William Merkle; Ada Boyle Merkle; one of the sons and two daughters in the Merkle car, which they shipped to Palm Beach on a flatbed railroad car each spring; two daughters in a donkey cart on the Roxbury property; daughter Jessie on her favorite horse; the family water tower, which stood in what is now the OLV parking lot; and a young Ada Boyle.

NOTE: Originally submitted to ThisWeek News for publication February 23, 2005.