Mertz Genealogy - Person Sheet
Mertz Genealogy - Person Sheet
Birth5 September 1784, Longswamp Twp, Berks Co, PA
Memo(tombstone)
Death8 July 1851, Germantown, Montgomery Co, OH130
Memo(find-a-grave)
BurialGermantown, Montgomery Co, OH
FatherDavid Mertz (P2) (~1745-<1822)
MotherBarbara Miller (~1758-1834)
Birth, Parent-Proof, Designation notes for David Martz (P2b)
We know this David, son of David, from his baptism at Longswamp Reformed in 1784. He was born 5 Sep 1784 according to his tombstone, consistent with his 15 Oct 1784 baptism.
His story as an adult is intertwined with that of his siblings -- Peter, Susan, Abraham and George. They all moved to Ohio in the 1830’s or so. They ended up a little scattered in Ohio but David and his brothers Peter and George ended up in Germantown, Montgomery County, OH. His sister Susan and her husband lived there for a period of time too, with David. David never married. He is designated P2b.
His story as an adult is intertwined with that of his siblings -- Peter, Susan, Abraham and George. They all moved to Ohio in the 1830’s or so. They ended up a little scattered in Ohio but David and his brothers Peter and George ended up in Germantown, Montgomery County, OH. His sister Susan and her husband lived there for a period of time too, with David. David never married. He is designated P2b.
Relocated and Census Tracking notes for David Martz (P2b)
David was born in Longswamp Township and came to Northumberland County with his parents before 1790.
He is somewhat elusive in Census. I cannot find him in 1830 in Northumberland County (or in Ohio, though I don’t think he had yet moved there) nor in Ohio in 1840 when I do think he was there. However, in 1840, in the household of Peter Marts there are three adult males ages 40-60 and just one adult female so I think David was there. And at first I couldn't find David in 1850, because he was indexed David Merty, but when I looked for his sister Susan and her husband John Richstine, I found them listed right next to David -- in fact apparently with him on his farm.
Allen Tallman was a descendant of David’s sister Susan who married John Richstine. While I think Tallman failed to get things right as it relates to the early Mertzes who moved from Berks to Northumberland County, I think he was very thorough and I trust his research on the children of David and Barbara, including Susan, who moved to Ohio.
"John and Susannah Richstine lived in Northumberland County from their marriage until 1836 when they removed to Butler County, Ohio. John and Susannah then removed to Montgomery County, Ohio about 1844. This move was to Susannah's brother David who was living in German Township, on a farm he had purchased in 1836. Their children went to different areas. Some stayed in other townships in Butler County and others left Ohio for Iowa and Indiana. Margaret, John and Susannah's youngest daughter stayed with them and went to Montgomery County.
David Martz was 60 years old when John and Susannah came to live with him and its a good possibility that he was not able to farm. So John Richtstine could have taken over the responsibility of the farm for David Martz. John was several years younger than David and John Richtstine lived to be over 91 years old. He must have been in much better physical condition than David. David died only 6 or 7 years after John and Susannah Richtstine arrived in German Township in about the year 1844.
David Martz never married so when he died he divided his estate between his brothers and sisters and an item in his will gave Susannah (Martz) Richtstine $1000 to purchase a home. Susan did buy a place in 1853 which they then sold in 1855.
After the sale and because his plans to buy land in Iowa near his son John Jr. fell apart because of his son's death in December 1850, John and Susannah decided to move near their daughter Elizabeth, who had married her cousin John Martz, in Brimfield Township, Peoria County, IL. John and Elizabeth Martz had moved there earlier and John and Susannah Richtstine purchased an 80 acre farm next to John and Elizabeth Martz. John Richtstine built a home on this 80 acres and farmed this land from 1855 until his death in 1881. Although they gave this land by deed to their daughter Margaret, John still farmed it until his death.”
He is somewhat elusive in Census. I cannot find him in 1830 in Northumberland County (or in Ohio, though I don’t think he had yet moved there) nor in Ohio in 1840 when I do think he was there. However, in 1840, in the household of Peter Marts there are three adult males ages 40-60 and just one adult female so I think David was there. And at first I couldn't find David in 1850, because he was indexed David Merty, but when I looked for his sister Susan and her husband John Richstine, I found them listed right next to David -- in fact apparently with him on his farm.
Allen Tallman was a descendant of David’s sister Susan who married John Richstine. While I think Tallman failed to get things right as it relates to the early Mertzes who moved from Berks to Northumberland County, I think he was very thorough and I trust his research on the children of David and Barbara, including Susan, who moved to Ohio.
"John and Susannah Richstine lived in Northumberland County from their marriage until 1836 when they removed to Butler County, Ohio. John and Susannah then removed to Montgomery County, Ohio about 1844. This move was to Susannah's brother David who was living in German Township, on a farm he had purchased in 1836. Their children went to different areas. Some stayed in other townships in Butler County and others left Ohio for Iowa and Indiana. Margaret, John and Susannah's youngest daughter stayed with them and went to Montgomery County.
David Martz was 60 years old when John and Susannah came to live with him and its a good possibility that he was not able to farm. So John Richtstine could have taken over the responsibility of the farm for David Martz. John was several years younger than David and John Richtstine lived to be over 91 years old. He must have been in much better physical condition than David. David died only 6 or 7 years after John and Susannah Richtstine arrived in German Township in about the year 1844.
David Martz never married so when he died he divided his estate between his brothers and sisters and an item in his will gave Susannah (Martz) Richtstine $1000 to purchase a home. Susan did buy a place in 1853 which they then sold in 1855.
After the sale and because his plans to buy land in Iowa near his son John Jr. fell apart because of his son's death in December 1850, John and Susannah decided to move near their daughter Elizabeth, who had married her cousin John Martz, in Brimfield Township, Peoria County, IL. John and Elizabeth Martz had moved there earlier and John and Susannah Richtstine purchased an 80 acre farm next to John and Elizabeth Martz. John Richtstine built a home on this 80 acres and farmed this land from 1855 until his death in 1881. Although they gave this land by deed to their daughter Margaret, John still farmed it until his death.”
Death and Find-a-Grave notes for David Martz (P2b)
David died in Montgomery County, OH and between his very detailed will and the court records which document how the proceeds from the sale of his land were divided amongst his heirs, he left us very complete documentation of the surviving members of the family of David and Barbara Mertz -- his siblings or their heirs. We owe David Jr. a debt of gratitude for documenting his family so well. It would be great if there was an unmarried uncle in every family.
David’s will was written 9 Jun 1851 and proved 13 Aug 1851. He was of German Township, Montgomery County, OH. He made several specific cash bequests to certain people, then the residue of his estate was to be sold and split into seven shares: 1. Rebecca Shisler (married daughter of his deceased sister Elizabeth), 2. the heirs of his deceased brother John, 3. the heirs of his deceased brother Henry, 4. the heirs of his deceased brother Abraham, 5. Susannah Richstine, 6. Peter and 7. George.
I also made a point to order LDS Fiche 6125493, Chancery Court Records 1824-1854, Montgomery County, Ohio. There I found a petition to sell David's German Township land which was left to his brothers and sisters. It listed out the nieces and nephews only referred to as heirs in his will. It took some effort to properly identify who was who but they were: David Mertz, Maria Raup and Elizabeth Snyder — children of John plus Susanna and Elizabeth daughters of John’s deceased son Jesse, Catherine, Solomon and Nathan — children of Henry and Daniel and Sarah Eckhart — children of Abraham.
David’s will was written 9 Jun 1851 and proved 13 Aug 1851. He was of German Township, Montgomery County, OH. He made several specific cash bequests to certain people, then the residue of his estate was to be sold and split into seven shares: 1. Rebecca Shisler (married daughter of his deceased sister Elizabeth), 2. the heirs of his deceased brother John, 3. the heirs of his deceased brother Henry, 4. the heirs of his deceased brother Abraham, 5. Susannah Richstine, 6. Peter and 7. George.
I also made a point to order LDS Fiche 6125493, Chancery Court Records 1824-1854, Montgomery County, Ohio. There I found a petition to sell David's German Township land which was left to his brothers and sisters. It listed out the nieces and nephews only referred to as heirs in his will. It took some effort to properly identify who was who but they were: David Mertz, Maria Raup and Elizabeth Snyder — children of John plus Susanna and Elizabeth daughters of John’s deceased son Jesse, Catherine, Solomon and Nathan — children of Henry and Daniel and Sarah Eckhart — children of Abraham.