Mertz Genealogy - Person Sheet
Mertz Genealogy - Person Sheet
Spouses
Birth13 October 1790
Memo(find-a-grave)
Death16 January 1857
Memo(find-a-grave)
BurialSolomon’s UCC, Macungie Twp, Lehigh Co, PA
Birth, Parent-Proof, Designation notes for Henry Mertz (Y2a)
We know Henry from his baptism at Mertz Church and from being named on the petition after his father’s death as one of Conrad’s three sons.
There was a Mertz Church baptism on 9 Jan 1785 for Heinrich born 20 May 1784, son of Conrad & Margaret with Hener & Maria Elisabeth Mertz sponsors. Then there was another baptism of Hener Maerz son of Conrad and Margaret born 3 Apr 1786 baptized 7 May [1786 assumed] with Hener & Maria Elizabeth Maerz sponsors.
Apparently the first Heinrich died young and Conrad and Margaret named their next son Heinrich as well. I believe the sponsor at both baptisms was Conrad’s brother Henry, not his cousin Henry, though I should note there were examples where Mertz cousins stood as sponsors at several baptisms at Mertz Church in that period. I also believe that the other Henry had already moved to Northampton County by 1786 and moreover that his wife’s name was Anna Elizabeth.
Henry is designated Y2a.
There was a Mertz Church baptism on 9 Jan 1785 for Heinrich born 20 May 1784, son of Conrad & Margaret with Hener & Maria Elisabeth Mertz sponsors. Then there was another baptism of Hener Maerz son of Conrad and Margaret born 3 Apr 1786 baptized 7 May [1786 assumed] with Hener & Maria Elizabeth Maerz sponsors.
Apparently the first Heinrich died young and Conrad and Margaret named their next son Heinrich as well. I believe the sponsor at both baptisms was Conrad’s brother Henry, not his cousin Henry, though I should note there were examples where Mertz cousins stood as sponsors at several baptisms at Mertz Church in that period. I also believe that the other Henry had already moved to Northampton County by 1786 and moreover that his wife’s name was Anna Elizabeth.
Henry is designated Y2a.
Relocated and Census Tracking notes for Henry Mertz (Y2a)
Conrad Mertz was in Macungie Township in the 1800 Census, and was joined there in 1810 by John and then in 1820 by Henry.
So it seems clear that these four Census listings are Henry, son of Conrad.
1820 Henry Martz Jr., Macungie, Lehigh, age 26-45
1830 Henry Morth, Upper Milford, Lehigh, age 40-49 (his brothers John and George were also in Upper Milford)
1840 Henry Martz, Lower Macungie, Lehigh, age 50-59
In 1850, Henry born 1785 (corrected to 1786 in 1860) lived still in Lower Macungie, Lehigh, PA with Elizabeth 59 and Henrietta 35.
So it seems clear that these four Census listings are Henry, son of Conrad.
1820 Henry Martz Jr., Macungie, Lehigh, age 26-45
1830 Henry Morth, Upper Milford, Lehigh, age 40-49 (his brothers John and George were also in Upper Milford)
1840 Henry Martz, Lower Macungie, Lehigh, age 50-59
In 1850, Henry born 1785 (corrected to 1786 in 1860) lived still in Lower Macungie, Lehigh, PA with Elizabeth 59 and Henrietta 35.
Death and Find-a-Grave notes for Henry Mertz (Y2a)
Heinrich Mertz is buried at Solomons UCC in Macungie Township. His find-a-grave memorial says he was born 3 Aug 1786 and died 22 Jul 1861. Such a tombstone discrepancy between 3 Aug 1786 and the Mertz Church record of his birth 3 Apr 1786 normally wouldn’t concern me at all, the date ”resonates”, and I’ve seen other examples of such discrepancies. There are any number of ways to explain it — a transcription error or Henry himself perhaps misreading his own birth date in an old family bible.
But in this case, there is no need to do such a rationalization. There is a photo of his tombstone on find-a-grave, it is quite legible. It does clearly say he was born 3 Aug 1786 and died 22 Jul 1861. And it clearly gives his age 75y 3m 19d. That age apparently was also given in the records of Grace Lutheran Church (the new name of what was Solomons). But if you calculate his birth date from his date of death and age, the result is actually 3 Apr 1786, exactly in agreement with his baptism record at Mertz Church.
Three memorials on find-a-grave tell the story.
Mertz, Heinrich 3 Aug 1786-22 Jul 1861 75.3.19
Mertz, Elisabeth 13 Oct 1790-16 Jan 1857 66.3.3 w/o Heinrich
Mertz, Henrietta 18 Jul 1817-6 Aug 1880 63.0.18 d/o Heinrich & Elisabeth
This is Henry’s wife Elisabeth and his daughter Henrietta from the 1850 Census.
But in this case, there is no need to do such a rationalization. There is a photo of his tombstone on find-a-grave, it is quite legible. It does clearly say he was born 3 Aug 1786 and died 22 Jul 1861. And it clearly gives his age 75y 3m 19d. That age apparently was also given in the records of Grace Lutheran Church (the new name of what was Solomons). But if you calculate his birth date from his date of death and age, the result is actually 3 Apr 1786, exactly in agreement with his baptism record at Mertz Church.
Three memorials on find-a-grave tell the story.
Mertz, Heinrich 3 Aug 1786-22 Jul 1861 75.3.19
Mertz, Elisabeth 13 Oct 1790-16 Jan 1857 66.3.3 w/o Heinrich
Mertz, Henrietta 18 Jul 1817-6 Aug 1880 63.0.18 d/o Heinrich & Elisabeth
This is Henry’s wife Elisabeth and his daughter Henrietta from the 1850 Census.
Known Daughters notes for Henry Mertz (Y2a)
I think there is compelling evidence that Henry had three daughters.
We know of Henrietta who died apparently unmarried. She is buried in the same cemetery as Henry and Elisabeth, her tombstone says she was their daughter and she lived with Henry in 1850 and 1860.
In the History of Lehigh County there is mention of Elizabeth Mertz who married Samuel Moyer and it says she was the daughter of Henry of Upper Milford.
Finally, there was a widow named Mary Loras who lived with Henry in 1850 and 1860.
Additional evidence that these were his three daughters comes from a land record (Lehigh County deed book 50, page 228) dated 27 Nov 1862. It says that Henry of Lower Macungie has lately died seized of 10 acres in Lower Macungie leaving no widow and three daughters — Elizabeth wife of Samuel Moyer, Henrietta and Mary Mertz who now partition his land.
Why Mary Loras was named Mary Mertz in this deed I don’t know but it doesn’t concern me.
There is also a Caroline Mertz Meitzler 1821-1885 at Solomons. I might have considered that she was yet another daughter of Henry’s but the property division rules that out. I don’t know who she was.
We know of Henrietta who died apparently unmarried. She is buried in the same cemetery as Henry and Elisabeth, her tombstone says she was their daughter and she lived with Henry in 1850 and 1860.
In the History of Lehigh County there is mention of Elizabeth Mertz who married Samuel Moyer and it says she was the daughter of Henry of Upper Milford.
Finally, there was a widow named Mary Loras who lived with Henry in 1850 and 1860.
Additional evidence that these were his three daughters comes from a land record (Lehigh County deed book 50, page 228) dated 27 Nov 1862. It says that Henry of Lower Macungie has lately died seized of 10 acres in Lower Macungie leaving no widow and three daughters — Elizabeth wife of Samuel Moyer, Henrietta and Mary Mertz who now partition his land.
Why Mary Loras was named Mary Mertz in this deed I don’t know but it doesn’t concern me.
There is also a Caroline Mertz Meitzler 1821-1885 at Solomons. I might have considered that she was yet another daughter of Henry’s but the property division rules that out. I don’t know who she was.
Known Sons notes for Henry Mertz (Y2a)
Henry had one young male in his 1820 household, he was age 10-15. He could well be the male age 20-29 in Henry’s 1830 household. But the property division strongly implies that if Henry had a son, he died before 1862.
There is a Hannah (Christman) Mertz (1812-1858) buried at Solomons and her tombstone says wife of Peter Mertz. She must be Hannah Mertz, age 37, wife of Peter living in Lower Macungie Township in 1850 who then disappears from his 1860 household. So who is Peter, and, if not buried at Solomons, where was he buried?
I think the answer is he lived to 1888 and was buried at Neffs Cemetery in Lehigh County where a son of his was also buried, the son having moved to that area of the county between 1880 and 1900. But Peter’s earlier association with Macungie Township and Solomons UCC Cemetery I have always thought must place him somewhere in Jost’s family and the best candidate to be his father, in my opinion, always was Henry Y2a. I have had to rethink that conclusion in light of the property division.
There is a Hannah (Christman) Mertz (1812-1858) buried at Solomons and her tombstone says wife of Peter Mertz. She must be Hannah Mertz, age 37, wife of Peter living in Lower Macungie Township in 1850 who then disappears from his 1860 household. So who is Peter, and, if not buried at Solomons, where was he buried?
I think the answer is he lived to 1888 and was buried at Neffs Cemetery in Lehigh County where a son of his was also buried, the son having moved to that area of the county between 1880 and 1900. But Peter’s earlier association with Macungie Township and Solomons UCC Cemetery I have always thought must place him somewhere in Jost’s family and the best candidate to be his father, in my opinion, always was Henry Y2a. I have had to rethink that conclusion in light of the property division.
Parent-Proof notes for Elisabeth (Spouse 1)
She was the daughter of John Zeisloff and Catherine according to The Ancestors of Margery Ruth Howe.
The presence of 65 year-old Magdalena Zeiskopy in Henry’s and Elizabeth’s 1850 household lends some credence to this. As does what seems to be some property dispute between Philip Zeisloff a large number of persons named Zeisloff or married females, one of which was Elizabeth wife of Henry Mertz.
The presence of 65 year-old Magdalena Zeiskopy in Henry’s and Elizabeth’s 1850 household lends some credence to this. As does what seems to be some property dispute between Philip Zeisloff a large number of persons named Zeisloff or married females, one of which was Elizabeth wife of Henry Mertz.