hiː wʌzðə jˈʌŋɡɪst ʌv fˈoːɹ tʃˈɪldɹən bˈɔːɹn tə lˈuːθɜːɹən mˈɪnɪstɚ wˈɪljəm dʒˈɜːbɜːdɪŋ ænd hɪz wˈaɪf ˈɛstɚ hˈæbɪɡhˌoːɹst.
He was the youngest of four children born to Lutheran minister William Gerberding and  his wife Esther Habighorst.