Penn Township, old Northampton County, was eventually divided and became West Penn Township, East Penn Township, most of Lausanne Township.

East Penn and Lausanne became part of Carbon County in 1843 when Carbon was formed (mostly) out of Northampton.

West Penn became part of Schuylkill County on its formation in 1813.

Ben Salem church sits just east of Andreas (West Penn, Schuylkill presently) but the church is on the east side of the county line, which makes it part of East Penn, Carbon County.

Conrad Rehrig was very much a prominent player of the early days of Ben Salem Church, according to both later "histories" and from within the records of the Lutheran side of this "Union" congregation.

Questions:

1) is there any evidence that confirms that Conrad was the son of Lorentz Rehrig?

2) is there any evidence that confirms that Conrad was the brother (probably younger) of Anna Margaretha (Rehrig) Ebener/Ebner, (wife of Johannes Ebener/Ebner of Bern Township, Berks County) whose sons Lorentz and Conrad were also very much part of the Ben Salem scene?

Conrad Rehrig, Margaretha (Rehrig) Ebner, Lorentz Ebner and Conrad Ebner were all very much active participants in the early days of the Ben Salem congregation according to the Lutheran side of the ledger. Which brings up a third question:

3) While the Lutheran records for Ben Salem can be obtained via LDS/FHC microfilm, has anyone found the Reformed records from the church?

Lorentz and Mary Salome (Gehman) Ebner/Ebener are my 4th great grandparents via their daughter Catharine, who married Anthony Bachert.Anthony and Catharine baptized at least 5 of their 7 known children at Ben Salem, with those 5 showing up on the Lutheran side of the ledger.

German naming patterns would suggest that Lorentz Rehrig had a Grandson named Lorentz Ebner, and that Conrad Ebner was also named for a maternal link, with Conrad Rehrig also was named for that same Rehrig progenitor (Lorentz Rehrig's father??)

Or, it also may mean that I'm simply fishing in the wrong creek.

Thanks!

Joe Hittle
skadj@yahoo.com
www.hittle.info

In 2013, I had an interesting exchange with KPerry, a descendant of Conrad’s.

She wished to sort out the various references to Maria Catharina Mertz as possibly the wife of either Lorentz and/or Conrad.

She shared with me the Berks County administration files for Lorentz and Conrad and the baptism records for Conrad and his wife Catharina’s children.

I have concluded, based on the things she sent me:

1. More likely, Lorentz’ wife was Maria Eizabeth, the name she used on her petition stating she was too old to serve as administrator and requesting Henry Mertz of Rockland Township be named in her place. Also the way her name appeared in at least one Mertz Church record where she and Lorentz were baptismal sponsors.

2. Lorentz’ estate was probated in May 1788, so the Henry Mertz named was not John Henry and I believe it was Jost’s son of that name. Conrad Mertz did the estate inventory, I believe Jost’s other son.

3. Conrad Rarick and Maria Catharina Mertzin were baptism sponsors for Jost for his son Conrad. In probably 1760. By 1763, Conrad and wife Catharina were having their own children.

4. John Henry Mertz referred to the Widow Catharina Rarick in his will, written in 1786. Conrad Rarick had died then, Lorentz probably not.

5. Everything points to Conrad’s wife being Maria Catharina, daughter of John Henry Mertz.

6. Clearly though there was a very close relationship between the Rarick’s and Jost Mertz family -- in addition to their association with the John Henry Mertz family.

7. I believe Maria Elizabeth Mertz, second wife of Lorentz, may well have been a sister to Jost.

Their son Henry moved at some point in time to Union County where he died in 1845. Henry had a son John who married Elizabeth Hassinger, daughter of Jacob Hassinger and Mary Krick.

This is interesting because Elizabeth Hassinger was the sister of Radie Diehl’s ancestor John Hassinger. John was Radie’s great-great-grandfather.

She was listed on the Mertz Church monument that honors John Henry and his family. She was the widow named Catharina Roerig in her father’s will.

On the Rarick message board, I found this post by Cheryl Haas.

I have finally been able to find a family for my gg-grandfather, Samuel Rarick, thanks to the help of a "cousin" named Carol Epperly. She sent me a document (a Guardian's release) which pretty much proves that John Rarick/Rearick was the father of Jacob, Samuel and Polly Rarick and that their mother was Elizabeth Hassinger who died when they were still minors. The line of descent is as follows:

Generation No. 1

1. Lorentz Rearick was born 12 May 1708, and died Mar 1788 in Berks Co, PA. He married Maria Elisabeth bef 1739. She was born 20 Oct 1719, and died Feb 1792 in Berks Co, PA.

Children include:
       i.       Conrad Rearick

Generation No. 2

2. Conrad Rearick was born abt 1739; died bef 27 Jul 1781, Alsace Twp, Berks, PA. He married Maria Catharina Merz bef 1763 in Berks Co, PA, daughter of Johan Merz and Anna Rosemann. She was born 20 Aug 1743 in Berks Co, PA and died aft 13 Apr 1789 in Berks Co, PA.

Children include:
       i.       Henry Rearick

Generation No. 3

3. Henry Rearick was born 2 Aug 1768 in Alsace Twp, Berks, PA, and died bef 19 Aug 1845 in Union Co, PA. He married Elzabeth Fies 15 Apr 1787 in Reading, Berks, PA.

Children include:
       i.       John Rarick

Generation No. 4

4. John Rarick was born abt 1788 in PA, and died aft 1855. He married Elizabeth Hassinger abt 1815, daughter of Jacob Hassinger and Mary Krick. She was born abt 1794 in Center Twp, Union Co, PA, and died bef 1836 in Erie Co, NY.

This is interesting because Elizabeth Hassinger is the sister of our ancestor John Hassinger.