Mertz Genealogy - Person Sheet
Mertz Genealogy - Person Sheet
Birth17 April 1786
Memo(find-a-grave)
Death20 June 1860
Memo(find-a-grave)
BurialNew Jerusalem, Rockland, Berks, PA
FatherJohann Jacob Mertz (H3) (1741-1811)
MotherCatharina Schoelkopf (1747-1826)
Spouses
Birth30 May 1803
Memo(find-a-grave)
Death22 October 1885
Memo(find-a-grave)
BurialNew Jerusalem, Rockland, Berks, PA
Birth, Parent-Proof, Designation notes for Benjamin Mertz (H3b)
Benjamin was named as his son in Jacob’s estate file. Everything I know about him is consistent with this fact. Benjamin is designated H3b.
Relocated and Census Tracking notes for Benjamin Mertz (H3b)
Benjamin stayed in Rockland Township and was listed there in the 1820-1860 Census.
Death and Find-a-Grave notes for Benjamin Mertz (H3b)
Benjamin is on find-a-grave.
Known Daughters notes for Benjamin Mertz (H3b)
Benjamin and wife Susanna baptized Catharina in 1833 with his brother Jacob and his wife Susanna as sponsors.
In the 1850 Census, his daughters were Catharine 18, Hannah 16, and Susan 10.
His 1860 estate file though listed only Hannah married to Reuben Dear (?) and Susannah.
In the 1850 Census, his daughters were Catharine 18, Hannah 16, and Susan 10.
His 1860 estate file though listed only Hannah married to Reuben Dear (?) and Susannah.
Known Sons notes for Benjamin Mertz (H3b)
In the 1850 Census, his sons were Jacob age 14, Benjamin age 12 and Daniel age 7.
His estate file lists just those three sons in that order, in each case now with the middle initial C. Here is a great example of a point I make in several different places. In the 1700’s, these German boys were typically given two names. Often the first name was Johann and then the middle name, for example Jacob or Philip or Henry, was the name they would actually go by.
By the 1800’s, the convention evolved and quite often most or all of a man’s sons were given a first name, for example Benjamin or Daniel or Samuel, and that was the name they would be called by. And they were given a middle name, often the maiden name of the man’s wife.
H3b1 Jacob C born 1837
H3b2 Benjamin C born 1838
H3b3 Daniel born 1844
His estate file lists just those three sons in that order, in each case now with the middle initial C. Here is a great example of a point I make in several different places. In the 1700’s, these German boys were typically given two names. Often the first name was Johann and then the middle name, for example Jacob or Philip or Henry, was the name they would actually go by.
By the 1800’s, the convention evolved and quite often most or all of a man’s sons were given a first name, for example Benjamin or Daniel or Samuel, and that was the name they would be called by. And they were given a middle name, often the maiden name of the man’s wife.
H3b1 Jacob C born 1837
H3b2 Benjamin C born 1838
H3b3 Daniel born 1844
Parent-Proof notes for Susanna (Spouse 1)
Her name is given as Susanna Christman on find-a-grave. It is interesting that in the 1860 estate file for Benjamin Mertz, all three of his sons have the middle initial C — I would guess Christman in all cases.
This new naming system seems to have caught on with several Berks County Mertzes in the mid-1800’s.
This new naming system seems to have caught on with several Berks County Mertzes in the mid-1800’s.
Census History notes for Susanna (Spouse 1)
After her husband died, Susan is a little hard to find in Census.
In 1870, a candidate was Susanna, age 67, living in New Hanover Towsnhip, Montgomery County. This is where an unidentified Mertz family had lived in the early 1800’s so I had to be careful before just assuming this was Benjamin’s widow.
But the household seems to be the remnants of Benjamin’s family including sons Benjamin and Daniel. Moreover, I have been able to prove that Benjamin indeed lived in 1880 in Montgomery County so I believe that is where he moved bringing, in 1870, the rest of his family with him.
In 1870, a candidate was Susanna, age 67, living in New Hanover Towsnhip, Montgomery County. This is where an unidentified Mertz family had lived in the early 1800’s so I had to be careful before just assuming this was Benjamin’s widow.
But the household seems to be the remnants of Benjamin’s family including sons Benjamin and Daniel. Moreover, I have been able to prove that Benjamin indeed lived in 1880 in Montgomery County so I believe that is where he moved bringing, in 1870, the rest of his family with him.