The records of the Bethany Church from maybe around 1880 show Salome Mertz died in Feb 1874 and Tilghman and Eliza were members. Salome apparently was a descendant of Martin Mechling and is covered in a book of he and his descendants giving her maiden name as Steininger.

At Jerusalem, Charles & Sarah were sponsors in 1830.

The baptism of Carl Mertz 25 Mar 1804, son of Henry and Hannah was recorded at Jordan Church in Whitehall Township. At Jerusalem, Carl and David were confirmed in 1820, Lutheran I think.

On 7 Dec 1815, Henry Mertz petitioned the Lehigh County Orphans Court for a guardian to be appointed for his son, Charles who was under the age of 14. Henry was appointed. My guess would be that it might have something to do with an estate perhaps of Salome’s father.

Charles is designated H6a1.

But then Carl sort of disappears and along comes Charles — I think they are the same person. The Lehigh County history mentions no son Carl, instead they say there was a Charles. Indeed, Charles’ existence is proven in other ways, while there was no later mention, after his birth and then confirmation, of Carl. My suspicion is that Carl and Charles are one and the same guy. I think, to a German, it was the same name.

In 1844, according to a Lehigh and Carbon County History, when Lehigh County wished to establish a Poor House, it purchased the properties of Charles and Solomon Mertz containing 254 acres. No relationship between the two men was stated but presumably they owned contiguous properties and as this was just after Heinrich had died, I think it is evidence that Carl was now Charles.

Charles stayed in South Whitehall.