Mertz Genealogy - Person Sheet
Mertz Genealogy - Person Sheet
NameElizabeth Keller 
Birth24 December 1793
Death26 October 1856
BurialSt Peter’s Union, Freeburg, PA
FatherAbraham Keller (1763-1852)
MotherSusannah Maurer
Spouses
Birth23 May 1790, Montgomery Co, PA
Death21 September 1858
BurialSt Peter’s Union, Freeburg, PA
Father4G GF Peter Hilbish (1763-1834)
Mother4G GM Maria Susannah Schell (1768-1857)
Children Names notes for Elizabeth Keller
Henry Hilbish and Elizabeth Keller had four children who together with their descendants warrant further mention here:
Benjamin Hilbish. Benjamin was born in 1826. He married Wilhelmina Smith. They moved to Ohio. Their son John H Hilbish was born in 1864 and was the father of Russel Woods Hilbish. Russel Woods was born in 1899 and was the father of John Allen Hilbish. John Allen was born in 1926 and was the father of Alicia Ann Hilbish.
Throughout this chapter, there is occasional reference to Alicia (Hilbish) Blackman. She saw a message board posting of mine some years back wherein I referred to the original name being Hulpusch and she contacted me to ask how I knew that. I referred her to the Annette K Burgert work and she found it and reported back that it had finally provided her the factual background she had long sought on her family’s origins and cleared up a lot of questions she had about the various “myths” cited elsewhere. She and I then collaborated to learn more about this family and the ancillary families covered in this chapter. Many facts I cite in this chapter are the result of her work and findings moreso than mine.
Susanna Hilbish. Susanna was born in Freeburg in 1818. She married Peter P Mertz, brother of George Peter Mertz.
The lives and descendants of Susanna and Peter P Mertz are covered in the Mertz chapter. But I want to make note here of their son Rev. John Allen Mertz who is also covered there.
Rev John Allen Mertz was an early family historian of the Hilbish family. He helped propagate the Mother Hollowbush story about her coming to America in 1732 with her three sons after her husband was be-headed because of his religious beliefs. He was instrumental, in fact, in the erection of a large memorial monument on a farm in Zieglerville, Montgomery County honoring Mother Hollowbush and her journey. He seems to have been much more interested in his Hilbish ancestry than his Mertz ancestry.
George Hilbish. George was born in Freeburg in 1820. He married Harriet Schoch.
Their daughter Anna Hilbish married George K Moyer. They had a son George Moyer born in 1880. And he was the father of Benjamin T Moyer born on 15 May 1904 and died in Sunbury, PA, on 28 Dec 1994; he was 90.
Henry and Elizabeth had many other children but it was the three above whose descendants are of interest to me.
Jacob Hilbish. His daughter Agnes married Daniel Kleckner making their children my double cousins.
Benjamin Hilbish. Benjamin was born in 1826. He married Wilhelmina Smith. They moved to Ohio. Their son John H Hilbish was born in 1864 and was the father of Russel Woods Hilbish. Russel Woods was born in 1899 and was the father of John Allen Hilbish. John Allen was born in 1926 and was the father of Alicia Ann Hilbish.
Throughout this chapter, there is occasional reference to Alicia (Hilbish) Blackman. She saw a message board posting of mine some years back wherein I referred to the original name being Hulpusch and she contacted me to ask how I knew that. I referred her to the Annette K Burgert work and she found it and reported back that it had finally provided her the factual background she had long sought on her family’s origins and cleared up a lot of questions she had about the various “myths” cited elsewhere. She and I then collaborated to learn more about this family and the ancillary families covered in this chapter. Many facts I cite in this chapter are the result of her work and findings moreso than mine.
Susanna Hilbish. Susanna was born in Freeburg in 1818. She married Peter P Mertz, brother of George Peter Mertz.
The lives and descendants of Susanna and Peter P Mertz are covered in the Mertz chapter. But I want to make note here of their son Rev. John Allen Mertz who is also covered there.
Rev John Allen Mertz was an early family historian of the Hilbish family. He helped propagate the Mother Hollowbush story about her coming to America in 1732 with her three sons after her husband was be-headed because of his religious beliefs. He was instrumental, in fact, in the erection of a large memorial monument on a farm in Zieglerville, Montgomery County honoring Mother Hollowbush and her journey. He seems to have been much more interested in his Hilbish ancestry than his Mertz ancestry.
George Hilbish. George was born in Freeburg in 1820. He married Harriet Schoch.
Their daughter Anna Hilbish married George K Moyer. They had a son George Moyer born in 1880. And he was the father of Benjamin T Moyer born on 15 May 1904 and died in Sunbury, PA, on 28 Dec 1994; he was 90.
Henry and Elizabeth had many other children but it was the three above whose descendants are of interest to me.
Jacob Hilbish. His daughter Agnes married Daniel Kleckner making their children my double cousins.