Mertz Genealogy - Person Sheet
Mertz Genealogy - Person Sheet
Spouses
Birth31 October 1787
Memo(find-a-grave)
Death11 October 1856320
Memo(find-a-grave)
BurialSt David’s Reformed, Killinger, PA
FatherSamuel Jury
MotherHanna
Birth, Parent-Proof, Designation notes for Jacob Martz (U1)
There definitely was a man named Jacob Martz who lived most of his adult life in Dauphin County, whose wife was Sarah (Jury, I believe), and who died and was buried there in 1857 with the birth date of 25 Dec 1777 given on his tombstone.
Jacob said in the 1850 Census that he was born in Pennsylvania. All his sons said, in 1880, that their father had been born in Pennsylvania. I believe Jacob must be a descendant of one of the eight original Mærtz immigrants I have identified and it frustrates me that I am unable to figure out who Jacob’s father was, but I can’t.
I have no idea if he belongs to the Longswamp Mertz line -- descendants of John David Mertz -- or not, though everyone else seems to think so. If he was a descendant of John David, the question then is who was his father? It is an important personal question to me because the Wiests of Sunbury were good friends of my brother and they in fact descend from Jacob of Dauphin County -- so the question is: are they our cousins?
The various sources that covered the early Mertzes and Martzes of Northumberland County were aware of Jacob of Dauphin County but, in my opinion, misidentified him.
J L Floyd tells the story of Jacob Martz who moved from Berks County first to Northumberland County and then moved on to Dauphin County. It reads like this was all the same man and that he was perhaps an adult when he left Berks County. But obviously Floyd has confused him with one or the other of the two older Jacobs who did move from Berks to Northumberland County, as adults, before 1790. One of them moved on to NY State while the other died in Northumberland County in 1803. Both of those two older Jacobs had a son Jacob but I can account for both of them and neither moved to Dauphin County. So Floyd’s version of things is not helpful at determining who was the father of Jacob of Dauphin County.
Meiser/Martz acknowledges that Jacob of Dauphin County was the next generation and places him as the son of Jacob (who died in 1803) and Margaretha. Meiser gives these birth dates for Catharina and Jacob, children of Jacob and Margaretha: Catharina 16 Jun 1781, Jacob 25 Dec 1777. The problem with this version of things is that Catharina's birth was documented at Longswamp and it was 9 Feb 1778, which seems to rule out Jacob, born in 1777, as her brother. Moreover, I believe Jacob and Margaretha did have a son Jacob, born in 1779. He moved to Columbia County not long after 1810 and lived the rest of his life there.
There are a few clues that may suggest a solution. Jacob showed up in Dauphin County at about the same time as two other Martzes — both of which seem to have a Mertz Church connection. However, his religion, seems to point in a different direction.
I have worked closely over the years with a man named Louis Fackler who descends from Daniel Martz (H1d) of Dauphin County and I have helped him conclude (like my Philip, the proof is nonexistent but the logic is overwhelming) that Daniel was a descendant of the other Berks Mertz line -- his father was John Philip (H1) son of John Henry (H).
And there is one more man with some Mertz Church connection who found his way to Dauphin County about the same time as Jacob and Daniel. This was Johannes who died in Mahoning County, OH in 1866. I am not sure who his father was but for now I have designated him H6b, the son of George Heinrich Mertz (H6) of the Mertz Church line.
But note: both Daniel and Johannes were (I think) of the Mertz Church family. Jacob though seems to have associated himself with St. David’s Reformed Church in Dauphin County. The Longswamp Mertzes were Reformed while the Mertz Church Mertzes were Lutheran.
And as of January, 2020, there is one more interesting development. I did the Ancestry.com autosomal DNA test and I have one “cousin” who descends from Jacob of Dauphin County and after investigating the tree he has posted on Ancestry, I can’t see any other possible connection. The problem is, with autosomal tests, we can’t say for sure our Mertz-ness is our connection, our connection may be just beyond a dead-end each of us has run into.
With the help of another descendant of Jacob’s, we have reached out to several male Martz descendants of Jacob’s that we were able to find to request that they do the y-chromosone DNA test, the results of which would be more informative.
But until I get more clues or some inspiration, Jacob of Dauphin County is designated U1, U being Unidentified, and U1 because he is the most important and I know the most about him, of all the other persons designated U.
Jacob said in the 1850 Census that he was born in Pennsylvania. All his sons said, in 1880, that their father had been born in Pennsylvania. I believe Jacob must be a descendant of one of the eight original Mærtz immigrants I have identified and it frustrates me that I am unable to figure out who Jacob’s father was, but I can’t.
I have no idea if he belongs to the Longswamp Mertz line -- descendants of John David Mertz -- or not, though everyone else seems to think so. If he was a descendant of John David, the question then is who was his father? It is an important personal question to me because the Wiests of Sunbury were good friends of my brother and they in fact descend from Jacob of Dauphin County -- so the question is: are they our cousins?
The various sources that covered the early Mertzes and Martzes of Northumberland County were aware of Jacob of Dauphin County but, in my opinion, misidentified him.
J L Floyd tells the story of Jacob Martz who moved from Berks County first to Northumberland County and then moved on to Dauphin County. It reads like this was all the same man and that he was perhaps an adult when he left Berks County. But obviously Floyd has confused him with one or the other of the two older Jacobs who did move from Berks to Northumberland County, as adults, before 1790. One of them moved on to NY State while the other died in Northumberland County in 1803. Both of those two older Jacobs had a son Jacob but I can account for both of them and neither moved to Dauphin County. So Floyd’s version of things is not helpful at determining who was the father of Jacob of Dauphin County.
Meiser/Martz acknowledges that Jacob of Dauphin County was the next generation and places him as the son of Jacob (who died in 1803) and Margaretha. Meiser gives these birth dates for Catharina and Jacob, children of Jacob and Margaretha: Catharina 16 Jun 1781, Jacob 25 Dec 1777. The problem with this version of things is that Catharina's birth was documented at Longswamp and it was 9 Feb 1778, which seems to rule out Jacob, born in 1777, as her brother. Moreover, I believe Jacob and Margaretha did have a son Jacob, born in 1779. He moved to Columbia County not long after 1810 and lived the rest of his life there.
There are a few clues that may suggest a solution. Jacob showed up in Dauphin County at about the same time as two other Martzes — both of which seem to have a Mertz Church connection. However, his religion, seems to point in a different direction.
I have worked closely over the years with a man named Louis Fackler who descends from Daniel Martz (H1d) of Dauphin County and I have helped him conclude (like my Philip, the proof is nonexistent but the logic is overwhelming) that Daniel was a descendant of the other Berks Mertz line -- his father was John Philip (H1) son of John Henry (H).
And there is one more man with some Mertz Church connection who found his way to Dauphin County about the same time as Jacob and Daniel. This was Johannes who died in Mahoning County, OH in 1866. I am not sure who his father was but for now I have designated him H6b, the son of George Heinrich Mertz (H6) of the Mertz Church line.
But note: both Daniel and Johannes were (I think) of the Mertz Church family. Jacob though seems to have associated himself with St. David’s Reformed Church in Dauphin County. The Longswamp Mertzes were Reformed while the Mertz Church Mertzes were Lutheran.
And as of January, 2020, there is one more interesting development. I did the Ancestry.com autosomal DNA test and I have one “cousin” who descends from Jacob of Dauphin County and after investigating the tree he has posted on Ancestry, I can’t see any other possible connection. The problem is, with autosomal tests, we can’t say for sure our Mertz-ness is our connection, our connection may be just beyond a dead-end each of us has run into.
With the help of another descendant of Jacob’s, we have reached out to several male Martz descendants of Jacob’s that we were able to find to request that they do the y-chromosone DNA test, the results of which would be more informative.
But until I get more clues or some inspiration, Jacob of Dauphin County is designated U1, U being Unidentified, and U1 because he is the most important and I know the most about him, of all the other persons designated U.
Relocated and Census Tracking notes for Jacob Martz (U1)
Floyd says he settled near Killinger in the Lykens Valley where he died and is buried (at David's Church) and that he was a tailor. His wife was a Jury (sister of John Jury).
From 1820 to 1850, he was always in Upper Paxton Township, Dauphin County.
From 1820 to 1850, he was always in Upper Paxton Township, Dauphin County.
Death and Find-a-Grave notes for Jacob Martz (U1)
I have a transcription of his tombstone from the church records and the same dates are picked up by Tallman and Meiser. And he is on find-a-grave.
Known Daughters notes for Jacob Martz (U1)
From Floyd and/or Meiser, there was Susanna wife of Simon Romberger and Mary or Polly wife of Messerschmidt
The church records where I found the burials of Jacob and Sarah and some of their descendants also had baptism records too. Among those are these two baptisms which are a mystery: Elisabeth Mertz b.4 Nov 1803 baptized by Jacob and Catharina and Juliana Mertz b.26 Feb 1808 baptized by Jacob and wife. Who are these people?
The church records where I found the burials of Jacob and Sarah and some of their descendants also had baptism records too. Among those are these two baptisms which are a mystery: Elisabeth Mertz b.4 Nov 1803 baptized by Jacob and Catharina and Juliana Mertz b.26 Feb 1808 baptized by Jacob and wife. Who are these people?
Known Sons notes for Jacob Martz (U1)
From Meiser and/or Floyd, I believe Jacob’s sons were: Charles (of Killinger), Jonas (died at Millersburg), Daniel (died at Lykens) and Jacob, Amos who moved to Indiana and Christian who moved to Hanover, PA.
Parent-Proof notes for Sarah (Spouse 1)
Samuel Shorah (Jury) of Upper Paxton died 7 Nov. 1816, leaving a wife Hannah and children: Samuel, Abraham, John, Daniel, Adam, Anna deceased (wife of John McClure), Eve (wife of Samuel Willier) and Sarah (wife of Jacob Mertz).
It says on find-a-grave that she was the daughter of Samuel Frederick Jury and Hannah Marie Bretz and that her baptism was at Salem Lutheran (not Reformed!) Church at Killinger.
The significance of this is her religion as well that she was born in Killinger, so Jacob came there as a single man. I believe their oldest child may be Jacob Jr. born in 1812 — which gets Jacob there in the early part of that decade which is when both Daniel and Johannes seem also to have come there.
It says on find-a-grave that she was the daughter of Samuel Frederick Jury and Hannah Marie Bretz and that her baptism was at Salem Lutheran (not Reformed!) Church at Killinger.
The significance of this is her religion as well that she was born in Killinger, so Jacob came there as a single man. I believe their oldest child may be Jacob Jr. born in 1812 — which gets Jacob there in the early part of that decade which is when both Daniel and Johannes seem also to have come there.