His death certificate names his wife as Louella Buck, so this is clearly the right John Mertz who was the father of Edgar. It says he was born in Parryville, PA and that his father was John Mertz. And finally that he was to be buried at Union Cemetery in Northampton County.

The informant was Edith Garra, it would be nice to know if she was family.

I’m pretty sure from Census that this is the John Mertz age 8 living in 1870 with Joseph age 32 in Allen Township. So, the conundrum is John’s death certificate says his father was John but I think his father was Joseph.

I base that on Census but also on the fact that when John died, he was taken from Carbon County to Northampton Count and buried in the same cemetery where Joseph is buried with a tombstone that is remarkably similar.

In 1900, John Herty age 37 lived in Allen Township with Luellan A age 35 and children Alice L 14, Verna 11, Walter W 4 and new-born Mary. Where was Edgar?

This is key because it means John moved to Carbon County and was likely therefore not a descendant of the earliest Carbon County Mertz family.

In 1930, he might be the John A Mertz a boarder in Allentown.

Her death certificate says she was th daughter of Joseph Buck and Lousia Heller.

In 1910, she lived with son Walter in 1920 with brother Josiah Ruch (Buck?).