Mertz Genealogy - Person Sheet
Mertz Genealogy - Person Sheet
Spouses
Birth3 May 1787
Memo(find-a-grave)
Death19 September 1870
Memo(find-a-grave)
BurialEastview Union Cemetery, Westmoreland Co, PA
FatherBoaz Walton (1739-1825)
MotherMary Ashton (1752-1833)
ChildrenGeorge (1812-1894)
William (1816-1886)
Joseph (1818-1880)
Benjamin Walton (1822-1885)
Josiah B (1828-1878)
Birth, Parent-Proof, Designation notes for William Martz (G1a2)
William Martz or Marts and Nicholas Martz or Marts are the two most obvious and easiest to document pioneers of their family in Westmoreland County. Their presence on find-a-grave and in Census from 1810 (William) or 1820 (Nicholas) to 1860 make them easy to identify and learn something about. One was born in 1784, the other in 1786 — both somewhere in Pennsylvania.
They married sisters — according to a book on Boaz Walton and his descendants — and this seems to be accepted as absolute truth by descendants of both men so I never had any reason to worry that it was fiction. And then when going through Westmoreland deeds, I found this fact confirmed by the releases the heirs of Boaz signed in 1832.
The question is what was their relationship to each other, if any, and to an older George Mertz, born 1761, who I believe moved from Northampton County to Westmoreland County in 1818.
On an 1808 tax list of Penn Township, Northampton County, both George and Nicholas Mertz were named (Nicholas, a single freeman). I believe for sure it was the George Mertz who arrived Westmoreland in 1818. I strongly suspect too, it was the same Nicholas Mertz in Penn Township who is found later in Westmoreland. I also note that Boaz Walton, father-in-law to William and Nicholas, came to Westmoreland County from that same area of Northampton County.
I cannot though point to any mention of this William Mertz back in Northampton County (I think he had an uncle named William but there is no mention of this younger William). But I note that he and Nicholas seemed to both be first mentioned in Westmoreland in 1809 or 1810 and from the fact that often brothers married sisters back then and William named a son George, my theory is that Willam and Nicholas were brothers, sons of George.
The order of things seems to be that Willam and Nicholas were in Westmoreland several years prior to George’s arrival. It is possible both of them came at the same time Boaz did and then their father, George, followed a few years later.
In any event, for now, William the younger is designated G1a2.
They married sisters — according to a book on Boaz Walton and his descendants — and this seems to be accepted as absolute truth by descendants of both men so I never had any reason to worry that it was fiction. And then when going through Westmoreland deeds, I found this fact confirmed by the releases the heirs of Boaz signed in 1832.
The question is what was their relationship to each other, if any, and to an older George Mertz, born 1761, who I believe moved from Northampton County to Westmoreland County in 1818.
On an 1808 tax list of Penn Township, Northampton County, both George and Nicholas Mertz were named (Nicholas, a single freeman). I believe for sure it was the George Mertz who arrived Westmoreland in 1818. I strongly suspect too, it was the same Nicholas Mertz in Penn Township who is found later in Westmoreland. I also note that Boaz Walton, father-in-law to William and Nicholas, came to Westmoreland County from that same area of Northampton County.
I cannot though point to any mention of this William Mertz back in Northampton County (I think he had an uncle named William but there is no mention of this younger William). But I note that he and Nicholas seemed to both be first mentioned in Westmoreland in 1809 or 1810 and from the fact that often brothers married sisters back then and William named a son George, my theory is that Willam and Nicholas were brothers, sons of George.
The order of things seems to be that Willam and Nicholas were in Westmoreland several years prior to George’s arrival. It is possible both of them came at the same time Boaz did and then their father, George, followed a few years later.
In any event, for now, William the younger is designated G1a2.
Relocated and Census Tracking notes for William Martz (G1a2)
William was most certainly in the 1830-1860 Census in Westmoreland County. For awhile I thought the William Marts listed in Westmoreland in 1810 was his uncle of that name but I have reconsidered based on the belief that his Uncle William died in 1808 and never moved to Westmoreland County.
The issue is this Westmoreland household has two couples (apparently), one age 26-45 and the other age 45+. Typically the head of household is the oldest male present in the household but in this case I think the named head of household was William, the younger of the two males. I wonder if the other couple was Mary’s parents, Boaz and Mary Walton who are otherwise unaccounted for in the 1810 Census.
The issue is this Westmoreland household has two couples (apparently), one age 26-45 and the other age 45+. Typically the head of household is the oldest male present in the household but in this case I think the named head of household was William, the younger of the two males. I wonder if the other couple was Mary’s parents, Boaz and Mary Walton who are otherwise unaccounted for in the 1810 Census.
Death and Find-a-Grave notes for William Martz (G1a2)
William and his wife are on find-a-grave.
William’s will was written 14 Nov 1862 and proved 2 Jan 1866. He mentioned son Josiah B and left him basically everything with instructions that he was to look out for his mother. He named his son George as Executor. No other children were named.
But since no one interested in this family had ever really seemed to have done much work on it, I undertook a review of all Westmoreland deeds up to about 1885 where a Martz was either the grantor or grantee. And in Deed Book 68, page 216, I found a key document dated 1871 naming all of William’s heirs, basically they were giving up any claim on the land then being deeded to Josiah as specified in William’s will.
William’s will was written 14 Nov 1862 and proved 2 Jan 1866. He mentioned son Josiah B and left him basically everything with instructions that he was to look out for his mother. He named his son George as Executor. No other children were named.
But since no one interested in this family had ever really seemed to have done much work on it, I undertook a review of all Westmoreland deeds up to about 1885 where a Martz was either the grantor or grantee. And in Deed Book 68, page 216, I found a key document dated 1871 naming all of William’s heirs, basically they were giving up any claim on the land then being deeded to Josiah as specified in William’s will.
Known Sons notes for William Martz (G1a2)
Before I found this definitive land record, my basic theory was that William and Nicholas were closely related and their sons were the next generation of Martzes in Westmoreland County born in the 1812-1829 period and they could be sorted out and linked to either William or Nicholas based on where they lived and where they were buried.
If they lived in Salem Township and are buried in Delmont, I believed them to be the sons of William, if they lived in Franklin Township and are buried in Export, I believed them to be the sons of Nicholas. It was a good way of doing it but the land record I found naming William’s heirs and a similar one naming Nicholas’ heirs are authoritative.
William’s sons were:
George whose wife was Maria, he is designated G1a2a
William whose wife was Julia Ann, he is designated G1a2b
Joseph whose wife was Lydia, he is designated G1a2c
Benjamin W whose wife was Ellen, he is designated G1a2d
Josiah B whose wife was Amanda, he is designated G1a2e.
If they lived in Salem Township and are buried in Delmont, I believed them to be the sons of William, if they lived in Franklin Township and are buried in Export, I believed them to be the sons of Nicholas. It was a good way of doing it but the land record I found naming William’s heirs and a similar one naming Nicholas’ heirs are authoritative.
William’s sons were:
George whose wife was Maria, he is designated G1a2a
William whose wife was Julia Ann, he is designated G1a2b
Joseph whose wife was Lydia, he is designated G1a2c
Benjamin W whose wife was Ellen, he is designated G1a2d
Josiah B whose wife was Amanda, he is designated G1a2e.
Known Daughters notes for William Martz (G1a2)
Wilhelm and Anna Maria Mertz were named four times in the records of the First Lutheran Church in Greensburg, PA. They stood as sponsors at the 1811 baptism of Balthasar Walden and they baptized three daughters there: Elizabeth born 19 Jan 1811 baptized 12 Apr 1811, Magdalena born 27 Oct 1814 baptized 4 Jun 1815 and Sarah born 10 Feb 1815 baptized 4 Jun 1815. A Walton stood as sponsor for two of those baptisms.
The land record names these daughters: Sarah, wife of Robert Job, Hannah wife of William Job, Elisa wife of Jesse Polsen (?), Matilda wife of Joseph Johnston and Mary Dewalt.
His daughter Eliza, mentioned on the deed as wife of “Jesse” Poulsen (as I read his last name) is on find-a-grave as Elizabeth married to Joshua Polster (in agreement with a county history I found) and her tombstone says 19 Jan 1810 to 29 Sep 1888. I think the 1811 birth date from her baptism is more accurate than an 1810 birth on her tombstone since her parents in the 1810 Census had no young daughters.
I also found the death certificate of Matilda Jane Johnson (1826-1906) which says she was the daughter of Wm Marts and Mary Walton.
The land record names these daughters: Sarah, wife of Robert Job, Hannah wife of William Job, Elisa wife of Jesse Polsen (?), Matilda wife of Joseph Johnston and Mary Dewalt.
His daughter Eliza, mentioned on the deed as wife of “Jesse” Poulsen (as I read his last name) is on find-a-grave as Elizabeth married to Joshua Polster (in agreement with a county history I found) and her tombstone says 19 Jan 1810 to 29 Sep 1888. I think the 1811 birth date from her baptism is more accurate than an 1810 birth on her tombstone since her parents in the 1810 Census had no young daughters.
I also found the death certificate of Matilda Jane Johnson (1826-1906) which says she was the daughter of Wm Marts and Mary Walton.
Parent-Proof notes for Mary (Spouse 1)
Byberry Waltons tells the story of Boaz Walton who moved from the part of Northampton County that later became Carbon County to Westmoreland County, PA and that two of his daughters married men named Martz.
On 14 Jan 1832, Mary Walton, widow of Boaz, and Samuel Walton, Peter Waugaman and wife Rachel, George Amint (?) and wife Elizabeth, Nicholas Martz and wife Amy, William Martz and wife Mary, George Blose and wife Sarah, Daniel Blose and wife Martha — heirs of the late Boaz Walton state they have been satisfied with the settlement of his estate by his administrators, Boaz Walton Jr. and Joseph Walton. [Westmoreland Deed Book 19, page 326.]
On 14 Jan 1832, Mary Walton, widow of Boaz, and Samuel Walton, Peter Waugaman and wife Rachel, George Amint (?) and wife Elizabeth, Nicholas Martz and wife Amy, William Martz and wife Mary, George Blose and wife Sarah, Daniel Blose and wife Martha — heirs of the late Boaz Walton state they have been satisfied with the settlement of his estate by his administrators, Boaz Walton Jr. and Joseph Walton. [Westmoreland Deed Book 19, page 326.]