Mertz Genealogy - Person Sheet
Mertz Genealogy - Person Sheet
NameLydia P Messerly 
Birth5 April 1818
Memo(find-a-grave, age 71y 2m 9d at death)
Death14 June 1889
Memo(Sebastian’s obituary & find-a-grave)
BurialBarnard American Legion Cemetery, Barnard, MO
Spouses
Birth17 June 1817
Memo(obituary & find-a-grave)
Death27 August 1899
Memo(obituary & find-a-grave)
BurialBarnard American Legion Cemetery, Barnard, MO
FatherJacob Martz (S1b) (1793-1873)
MotherElizabeth Smith (1793-1883)
Marriage5 December 1839
Marr Memo(Sebastian’s obituary)
ChildrenHenry Alexander (~1841-)
Harvey J (1848-1904)
Parent-Proof notes for Lydia P Messerly
Her maiden name was given in her husband’s obituary.
Birth, Parent-Proof, Designation notes for Sebastian (Spouse 1)
Kathleen Fite’s Family Group Sheet shows eleven children for Jacob and Elizabeth Martz including son Sebastian who it says was born 16 Jun 1817 and married Lydia Messerly 2 Dec 1839.
There was indeed a Sebastian Martz whose wife was Lydia and I never had any better idea of who his father might have been but until 2019 had no direct proof. Then, a correspondent sent me a “fraktur” documenting Sebastian’s 17 Jun 1817 birth to parents Jacob and Elizabeth (Schmidin) Martz.
A study of the tick marks in Census shows that Jacob had two sons under 10 in 1820 — one was most certainly Sebastian.
The 1830 Census, though, is a bit of a problem. Jacob had two sons under 5 and two 5-9. The total count is not a problem, but where was Sebastian who would have been 13? Was he misreported as only 5-9 or was he off working on someone else’s farm? Either is possible.
In any event, the fraktur proves that Sebastian was indeed a son of Jacob and he is designated S1b1 — this ignores Jonathan, supposedly older than Sebastian, but about whom there is no further information available.
There was indeed a Sebastian Martz whose wife was Lydia and I never had any better idea of who his father might have been but until 2019 had no direct proof. Then, a correspondent sent me a “fraktur” documenting Sebastian’s 17 Jun 1817 birth to parents Jacob and Elizabeth (Schmidin) Martz.
A study of the tick marks in Census shows that Jacob had two sons under 10 in 1820 — one was most certainly Sebastian.
The 1830 Census, though, is a bit of a problem. Jacob had two sons under 5 and two 5-9. The total count is not a problem, but where was Sebastian who would have been 13? Was he misreported as only 5-9 or was he off working on someone else’s farm? Either is possible.
In any event, the fraktur proves that Sebastian was indeed a son of Jacob and he is designated S1b1 — this ignores Jonathan, supposedly older than Sebastian, but about whom there is no further information available.
Relocated and Census Tracking notes for Sebastian (Spouse 1)
The original Sebastian had a grandson named Sebastian, the son of John. The grandson Sebastian was born in 1791 and died in 1824. But there is clear evidence of an even younger Sebastian who I believe was a great-grandson of the original and was the son of Jacob, another son of John.
I believe this great-grandson Sebastian was the Sebastian Mantz listed in Rockingham in the 1840 Census. The problem is there was a male age 50-59 — who typically would be the one named as head of household — and a younger male age 20-29. So I believe that Sebastian in this household was the one age 20-29. I do not know who the older male was but perhaps his father-in-law.
Sebastian and Lydia were listed in Rockingham in the 1850 Census along with seven children. And by comparing the names and ages of all family members, we can be certain that the Sylvester Marte with wife Lyelin (the way Ancestry.com has transcribed their names) in the 1860 Census, then living in Illinois, was indeed Sebastian of Rockingham.
Similarly, he can be tracked to Fulton County, IL in 1870 then Holt County, MO in 1880.
I believe this great-grandson Sebastian was the Sebastian Mantz listed in Rockingham in the 1840 Census. The problem is there was a male age 50-59 — who typically would be the one named as head of household — and a younger male age 20-29. So I believe that Sebastian in this household was the one age 20-29. I do not know who the older male was but perhaps his father-in-law.
Sebastian and Lydia were listed in Rockingham in the 1850 Census along with seven children. And by comparing the names and ages of all family members, we can be certain that the Sylvester Marte with wife Lyelin (the way Ancestry.com has transcribed their names) in the 1860 Census, then living in Illinois, was indeed Sebastian of Rockingham.
Similarly, he can be tracked to Fulton County, IL in 1870 then Holt County, MO in 1880.
Death and Find-a-Grave notes for Sebastian (Spouse 1)
As of summer 2016, there is no evidence of Sebastian on find-a-grave. His obituary from the Nodaway Democrat of Maryville, MO dated 7 Sep 1899 gave some important details of his life and said he was to be buried at the Barnard Cemetery there. His birth date and marriage date are, in both cases, one or a few days off from the Kathleen Fite record but not enough to cause any concern.