Like his brother John, Jesse Martz of Le Roy, Minnesota also wrote a letter to Rev. George Jacob Martz: "My brother John Martz from Venango County, PA [contacted me]...Our parents moved away from the relations when I was young. I am the oldest in my family. I was born in Sunbury, PA in 1832. My father was David and he was born in Skinohen [Shamokin] Valley in 1806. His father died when he was eight years old. He was the oldest child. He died in 1863. I know little about my grandfather. I think his name was John. From Penna three brothers moved to Southern Ohio near a place called Germantown where one of my grandfather’s brothers was still living, though blind, in 1855. Another brother had died a bachelor a short time before and left some property to be divided among his brothers. My grandfather was one of them now being deceased, the estate fell to his children.”

So Jesse was quite alive in 1881 when he wrote that letter, he clearly was talking about his father David of Venango County who died in 1863. So why wasn’t he mentioned in his of other’s will? It would give me pause but there are too many other facts that prove the relationship. Jesse is designated P2a1a.

His reference to the blind brother is interesting. The only one of the Germantown brothers still alive in 1855 was George, who I have observed never seemed to have lived alone.

Jesse lived still in Venango in 1860 and then moved to LeRoy, Mower County, MN by 1870. I also found him in the Minnesota Territorial Census.

As of summer 2015, Jesse does not appear to be on find-a-grave.