Mertz Genealogy - Person Sheet
Mertz Genealogy - Person Sheet
Birth5 September 1817
Memo(find-a-grave)
Death29 August 1856
Memo(find-a-grave)
BurialZions Red Church, Orwigsburg, PA
FatherPeter Mertz (J3) (1769-1833)
MotherCatherine Phillips (1770-1853)
Birth, Parent-Proof, Designation notes for Samuel Mertz (J3c)
It is said in any number of places that Peter had a son Samuel. He is designated J3c.
Whether I have for sure identified the correct Samuel is open for discussion. I picked this one because he too is buried in Orwigsburg. His 1817 birth date seems a little late to me, but Peter married in 1793 so there is not room for another generation.
Whether I have for sure identified the correct Samuel is open for discussion. I picked this one because he too is buried in Orwigsburg. His 1817 birth date seems a little late to me, but Peter married in 1793 so there is not room for another generation.
Relocated and Census Tracking notes for Samuel Mertz (J3c)
The Samuel buried in Orwigsburg is definitely the Samuel age 33 listed in North Manheim Township in 1850 with wife Ala (Abigail I assume) and daughter Catharine age 9. Also present in the household is Jacob Deibert age 18. The Dauphin County history says Samuel’s sister Rosina married Jacob Deibert - I have found them in the 1850 Census living in Orwigsburg, Jacob age 42, his wife Rosina 41 — so the 18-year old Jacob living with Samuel was no doubt their son).
This little fact, Jacob Diebert living with this particular Samuel in 1850, gives credibility to the Dauphin County history and is very strong evidence that I have correctly identified this particular Samuel as Peter’s son.
This little fact, Jacob Diebert living with this particular Samuel in 1850, gives credibility to the Dauphin County history and is very strong evidence that I have correctly identified this particular Samuel as Peter’s son.
Death and Find-a-Grave notes for Samuel Mertz (J3c)
His find-a-grave memorial says he was the husband of Abigail Ketner, they had been married 17 years and he was the father of two daughters.
Known Daughters notes for Samuel Mertz (J3c)
Both of those daughters are buried in Orwigsburg: Mary Elisabeth (1848-1849) who’s tombstone says daughter of Samuel and Abigail Mertz and Catherine (Mertz) Deibert (1841-1881) whose tombstone also says she was the daughter of Samuel and Abigail Mertz. We know Catherine too from her presence in her mother’s household in 1860.
In 2020, I realized that there appeared to be two find-a-grave memorials for Samuel’s daughter Catherine who married Daniel D Deibert — though the dates of birth and death were different on the two memorials. It took me awhile to sort it out. I believe Daniel married first Catharine Mertz and she died in 1881 and then in 1887, Daniel married Catherine Kepner.
The correct memorial for Catherine (Mertz) Deibert has her buried at Zions Red Church where her father is buried. But there is no sign of her husband, Daniel D Deibert in that cemetery. Instead he is at St John’s in Auburn with second wife Catherine (Kepner) Deibert. So I believe there is only one Daniel D Deibert and I will try to get this sorted out on find-a-grave.
In 2020, I realized that there appeared to be two find-a-grave memorials for Samuel’s daughter Catherine who married Daniel D Deibert — though the dates of birth and death were different on the two memorials. It took me awhile to sort it out. I believe Daniel married first Catharine Mertz and she died in 1881 and then in 1887, Daniel married Catherine Kepner.
The correct memorial for Catherine (Mertz) Deibert has her buried at Zions Red Church where her father is buried. But there is no sign of her husband, Daniel D Deibert in that cemetery. Instead he is at St John’s in Auburn with second wife Catherine (Kepner) Deibert. So I believe there is only one Daniel D Deibert and I will try to get this sorted out on find-a-grave.