Philip is known from his baptism at Mertz Church by his parents Philip and Catharina. That birth record says he was born 19 Oct 1772. He is designated H1c.

I first find Philip in Census in 1840 in Maxatawny Township where his father had lived. He was there too in 1850. I would have thought he would have shown up earlier but I cannot find him.

In the 1800 Census, Philip Sr’s household included several younger males: one age 10-16, 3 age 16-26 and 1 26-45. I would bet Philip Jr was one of them as well his other sons, none of whom had yet married.

But the 1810 Census may be more informative. In addition to Philip Sr, and Catharina, there was a younger male and female both age 26-45 present and also two females age 0-9. In 1810, I can find Philip Sr’s others sons elsewhere in Census, only Philip Jr cannot be found. We know he was married and had at least one daughter by 1810 so my conclusion is Philip Jr and his now growing family were living with his father in 1810.

There is a memorial for him at Mertz Church, though the photo is of his wife Sara’s tombstone. Somewhere I saw that he had been buried at Zion’s (aka Ziegel’s) Church in Windsor Township. I don’t know where I got that information. Patty Mertz said he was buried at Mertz Church and it certainly would be logical that he was there. But why no photo?

In any event, he is on find-a-grave — at Mertz Church. The birth date given there is 8 Oct 1772, slightly off from the church record.

Louis Fackler found this: “The German Reformed Church Archives in Lancaster, Pennsylvania were searched and a card, marked Taufschein Heffner Collection, had the following information: Catharina Mertz was born to Philip Mertz, Jr. (Philip Heinrich Mertz, born in 1772) and Sarah Loscher Mertz on 23 February 1803 in Maxatawny. She was baptized on 4 March 1803 by Reverend Daniel Lehman. The sponsors were Philip Mertz and his wife Catharina, the grandparents.” Louis concludes “the baby, Catharina, was named for her grandmother, Catharina Quierin.”

There may have been other daughters. For example, I found a Wiki profile for Judith (Mertz) Kutz born in 1815 and one for Elizabeth Ann (Mertz) Kutz born in 1807 (her find-a-grave memorial says 1804). Judith was the wife of Nathan Kutz and Elizabeth the wife of Joseph Kutz. How Nathan was related to Joseph has not yet been determined.

About Judith, I found an Ancestry Family Tree that says her father was Philip Heinrich Mertz with no source given of how that fact is known. Nonetheless, it makes perfect sense. Her birth date fits nicely with those of PHM's known sons. Moreover, Judith is a name that was used in this family. For example, PHM's brother, John Jacob Mertz, baptized a daughter Judith in 1819.

About Elizabeth, she is buried at Fairview Cemetery in Kutztown where another of PHM's granddaughters, Sara Ann, is also buried. Philip’s whole family lived in or near that place. Her birth date, too, whether 1804 or 1807, is in the right range.

Several death certificates of children of Joseph and Elizabeth Kutz name her as Elizabeth Mertz so there is no question in my mind that was indeed her maiden name. And a descendant of this couple has done research on the Kutz family and knows that Joseph was likely living in Maxatawney Township when he met and married Elizabeth.

There is a discrepancy as to her name, though. Her find-a-grave memorial says her name was Elizabeth Mary Mertz, there is a photo of her tombstone there but it is totally unreadable. Her Wiki profile says she was Elizabeth Ann. I don’t know which is true.

So I believe a good guess, until further information comes along, is that both of these women were Philip’s daughters.

From Patty Mertz. “Philip Heinrich, born 8 Oct. 1772, died 15 Jun 1854.  He shows up in the 1850 Census in Maxatawny, with land valued at $8,000. His wife, Sarah Lefeber or Loescher, had died in 1844 and is buried at Mertz Church, where Philip H and their two sons will also RIP.  The sons are Benjamin who died in 1826, and John who farmed his father's land and died the year after his father, at age 40. John Mertz, born 1815, was the father of William Mertz, born in 1848.”

I agree that his son Benjamin was born 7 Nov 1811 and died 2 Jul 1826 and is buried at Mertz Church.

I agree that his son John was born 4 Oct 1813 and died 24 Jan 1855. It is the issue of John’s children where things get confusing.

The will of her mother, Barbara, written in 1803 and proved in 1818, mentioned her daughter Sarah Mertz and the inventory in her estate file included a bond from Philip Mertz.