There was a Northumberland County Orphans Court record from the July 1804 session wherein John Geist administrator of Jacob Mertz petitioned the court to appoint guardians for Jacob's eight children: Thomas, John, Catharine, Maria, Nancy, Peggy, Elizabeth and Susannah -- all minors.

From the timing, it would seem obvious this must have been Jacob (P6) who died in 1803 but the names of the children never made sense to me nor that he had that many minor children when he died. A follow-up petition in January 1806 to dismiss John Geist as guardian for John and Rebecca spelled the last name March. And indeed, in the 1800 Census in Penns Township, Northumberland County, we find Jacob March. I don’t know who he was but I’m not sure I need to know.

There was a John Martz in Census in Augusta Township in 1820 and 1840 that I also can’t be sure of his identity. It’s possible I suppose he was the son of Jacob March but I have decided he more likely was the son of Jacob Martz (P6).

Since the name Mertz (Martz) was derived from the German word for the third month of the year (März), the surname was sometimes was spelled March in America. I don’t think that’s the case here, this was a family unrelated to any of the early immigrants named Mertz.