Mertz Genealogy - Person Sheet
Mertz Genealogy - Person Sheet
NameCatharina Elizabeth Harmon 
125
125Birth8 April 1782
Memo(tombstone)
Death5 April 1842
Memo(DAR cemetery transcription)
BurialOld Cemetery, Zane's Trace, Salt Creek Twp, Pickaway Co, OH
Spouses
Birth3 February 1780, Longswamp Twp, Berks Co, PA
Memo(Longswamp baptism record)
Memo(DAR cemetery transcription)
BurialOld Cemetery, Zane's Trace, Salt Creek Twp, Pickaway Co, OH
FatherNicholas Mertz (P5) (1748-1801)
MotherCatharina Cleaver (1754-1825)
Parent-Proof notes for Catharina Elizabeth Harmon
I found a biography of Daniel R Shoemaker in Portrait and Biographical Record of Allen and Van Wert Counties, OH.
It says his wife Sophia was the daughter of Abraham (of Pickaway County) and wife Kate (Harmon) Martz. Kate was the daughter of John who lived to 104.
It says his wife Sophia was the daughter of Abraham (of Pickaway County) and wife Kate (Harmon) Martz. Kate was the daughter of John who lived to 104.
Find-a-Grave notes for Catharina Elizabeth Harmon
Her birth and death dates are known from a cemetery transcription of Pickaway County cemeteries. As of winter 2016, she is not on find-a-grave.
Birth, Parent-Proof, Designation notes for Abraham (Spouse 1)
Abraham is known as the son of Nicholas and Catharina from his 26 Mar 1780 baptism at Longswamp Reformed which said he was born 3 Feb 1780. He was mentioned too in Orphans Court records after his father’s death.
But then for awhile I couldn’t account for him. There was an Abraham in early Census listings in the Snyder County area but I always assumed that was Philip's son of the same name.
But then, while doing research on Abraham’s brother, Peter, who I had begun to suspect had ended up in Indiana, I learned there was evidence of an Abraham Martz living in Pickaway County, Ohio in 1830, the very place that Indiana Peter was said to have married. Could it be that both Abraham and Peter went to Pickaway, Peter moved on and Abraham stayed? My conclusion was, indeed, that is what happened -- Abraham, son of Nicholas, must have moved to Ohio.
And then my conclusion was confirmed when I met an email cousin, Mary Lou Clegg, who tipped me off that there is a cemetery transcription of Pickaway County which gives Abraham's birth date exactly matching the known birth date for Abraham of Longswamp, son of Nicholas.
Abraham is designated P5b.
But then for awhile I couldn’t account for him. There was an Abraham in early Census listings in the Snyder County area but I always assumed that was Philip's son of the same name.
But then, while doing research on Abraham’s brother, Peter, who I had begun to suspect had ended up in Indiana, I learned there was evidence of an Abraham Martz living in Pickaway County, Ohio in 1830, the very place that Indiana Peter was said to have married. Could it be that both Abraham and Peter went to Pickaway, Peter moved on and Abraham stayed? My conclusion was, indeed, that is what happened -- Abraham, son of Nicholas, must have moved to Ohio.
And then my conclusion was confirmed when I met an email cousin, Mary Lou Clegg, who tipped me off that there is a cemetery transcription of Pickaway County which gives Abraham's birth date exactly matching the known birth date for Abraham of Longswamp, son of Nicholas.
Abraham is designated P5b.
Relocated and Census Tracking notes for Abraham (Spouse 1)
THE PICKAWAY COUNTY MERTZES. Even though I knew him as a son of Nicholas, he never showed up in Census in or near Middleburg.
I first found Abraham in Census in 1830 in Salt Creek Township, Pickaway County. He was age 50-60. An immediate neighbor was John Martz age 20-30, his son.
Hannah Marts, wife of Eric, a descendent of Peter of Indiana, though, brought to my attention that Abraham was in the same place in 1820, indexed as Abraham March. She has examined the names of some of his neighbors and finds a commonality between them from 1820 to 1830.
Peter married in Pickaway County in 1809 so my strong suspicion is both Abraham and Peter were listed in the 1810 Census in Pickaway County -- but most of Ohio has been lost for 1810.
I first found Abraham in Census in 1830 in Salt Creek Township, Pickaway County. He was age 50-60. An immediate neighbor was John Martz age 20-30, his son.
Hannah Marts, wife of Eric, a descendent of Peter of Indiana, though, brought to my attention that Abraham was in the same place in 1820, indexed as Abraham March. She has examined the names of some of his neighbors and finds a commonality between them from 1820 to 1830.
Peter married in Pickaway County in 1809 so my strong suspicion is both Abraham and Peter were listed in the 1810 Census in Pickaway County -- but most of Ohio has been lost for 1810.
Death and Find-a-Grave notes for Abraham (Spouse 1)
On LDS film 1859782 there are several Pickaway County cemetery transcriptions. The tombstones for Abraham Merts and wife Catharina are listed twice in this collection. In one place it is transcribed born Feb 3, 1780 died May 31, 1838 age 58-3-10. In a different place, it is transcribed born Feb 1780 died May 31, 1838 age 58-3-10. The problem is that the arithmetic using the date of death and age indicates a birth date of 21 Feb 1780. The best solution in my mind, given that I believe we can confirm 3 Feb 1780 as his birth date (from church records) is to think the date of death was transcribed in error and was in fact 13 May 1838. I have gone with that.
Abraham is on find-a-grave — 3 Feb 1780 - 31 May (no year given).
Abraham is on find-a-grave — 3 Feb 1780 - 31 May (no year given).