Mertz Genealogy - Person Sheet
Mertz Genealogy - Person Sheet
Spouses
Death25 November 1823, Union Co, PA
ChildrenHenry (<1755-<1824)
Christian (1784-1848)
John Jacob (1788-1846)
Elizabeth (1786-)
Catharine (1792-)
Susannah (1794-)
Solomon (1795-1861)
Magdalena (Molly) (~1800-)
George Adam (1802-1886)
Benjamin (1803-1866)
Jonathan (1805-)
Parent-Proof notes for George Adam Hummel
It is suggested on find-a-grave he was the son of George Philip, but I don’ think that is accurate.
Hummel was a fairly common name, certainly more common than Mertz. In Pennsylvania, there clearly were a number of different Hummel families who lived in different places. But over time, descendants of some of these other lines found their way to the Snyder County area and co-mingled with our line of Hummels who had come from Berks County — and have come to cause confusion.
The most important of these was a man named George Adam Hummel who, with his growing family, moved to the Middlecreek Township area at about the same time -- the 1790’s -- as our line of Hummels were moving to the area from Berks County. As best I can tell, George Adam was a descendant of an entirely different immigrant and may very well be totally unrelated to our Hummel ancestors.
And there were other “random” Hummels, for example Christian and Henry, who settled in the Snyder County area by 1830, possibly related to George Adam or perhaps descendants of yet other immigrants, but definitely not descended from any of our Berks County extended family.
Initially, all these different families were somewhat separate geographically but over time their descendants moved around to other Snyder County places and these “strays” complicate any research into our pioneer Hummels of Northumberland, Union and Snyder Counties.
For example, a man named Jacob Hummel appeared in Freeburg by 1830, lived the remainder of his life there, and was buried there. Also in Freeburg, at about the same time, we find John Hummel (who married Susan Hilbish). For a long time, I wasn’t sure who this John Hummel was (i.e. who his father was) and I at least had to give consideration to the idea that he and Jacob were brothers. But after much work, I eventually concluded that while the rest of George Adam’s sons stayed in Middlecreek Township, Jacob alone of his sons moved to Freeburg. At the same time, I was able to determine that John of Freeburg had nothing to do with the George Adam line. And eventually I found the proof as to where John fits into our Hummel line.
George Adam and his descendants are mentioned elsewhere in this database not because they are related to us but because they muddy the water when trying to identify and place those Hummels who are related to us.
Hummel was a fairly common name, certainly more common than Mertz. In Pennsylvania, there clearly were a number of different Hummel families who lived in different places. But over time, descendants of some of these other lines found their way to the Snyder County area and co-mingled with our line of Hummels who had come from Berks County — and have come to cause confusion.
The most important of these was a man named George Adam Hummel who, with his growing family, moved to the Middlecreek Township area at about the same time -- the 1790’s -- as our line of Hummels were moving to the area from Berks County. As best I can tell, George Adam was a descendant of an entirely different immigrant and may very well be totally unrelated to our Hummel ancestors.
And there were other “random” Hummels, for example Christian and Henry, who settled in the Snyder County area by 1830, possibly related to George Adam or perhaps descendants of yet other immigrants, but definitely not descended from any of our Berks County extended family.
Initially, all these different families were somewhat separate geographically but over time their descendants moved around to other Snyder County places and these “strays” complicate any research into our pioneer Hummels of Northumberland, Union and Snyder Counties.
For example, a man named Jacob Hummel appeared in Freeburg by 1830, lived the remainder of his life there, and was buried there. Also in Freeburg, at about the same time, we find John Hummel (who married Susan Hilbish). For a long time, I wasn’t sure who this John Hummel was (i.e. who his father was) and I at least had to give consideration to the idea that he and Jacob were brothers. But after much work, I eventually concluded that while the rest of George Adam’s sons stayed in Middlecreek Township, Jacob alone of his sons moved to Freeburg. At the same time, I was able to determine that John of Freeburg had nothing to do with the George Adam line. And eventually I found the proof as to where John fits into our Hummel line.
George Adam and his descendants are mentioned elsewhere in this database not because they are related to us but because they muddy the water when trying to identify and place those Hummels who are related to us.
DNA Evidence notes for George Adam Hummel
I am a DNA cousin of someone who descends from John Henry Hummel (1782-1855) who it seems was the son of George Adam Hummel who a lot of trees say was the son George Philip. These connections may very well be true as there is not any other obvious way I am related to this person.
Census History notes for George Adam Hummel
1790. I don’t know for sure where George Adam is in 1790. An Adam Hummel lives in Nazareth Township, Northampton County with two young males and 3 total females. Also in Northampton County are Elias Hummel and Elias Hummel Jr. Meiser covers Elias Hummel and his two sons: Adam and Elias Jr. Adam apparently stays in Northampton County and dies there in 1823 and Meiser concludes therefore he cannot be the George Adam Hummel of Middlecreek. However, Adam has a son Christian who Meiser says is the Christian Hummel who in fact appears by 1810 in Center Township of which Middlecreek was a part at that time. This seems more than coincidental to me.
1800. Georges Hummel age 45+ lives in Penns Twp, North’d Co. A neighbor is Henry Hummel also age 45+. And also listed in Penns are Jacob Hummel 45+ and Frederick 26-45. Since all the “H” names are grouped together, it may be erroneous to speculate on the small separation between the George/Henry pair and the Jacob/Frederick pair -- but I wonder if already George and Henry might not be in the Middlecreek area while Jacob and Frederick are in the Hummels Wharf area -- all of which would have been Penns in 1800. George has 2 males 16-26, 1 10-16, and 1 under 10.
1810. George Adam has died, leaving a large family that I cannot find in this Census. I’m thinking Middlecreek is now in Centre Twp as there I find Christian and Henry Hummel -- but neither with a big enough family to be all of the original George Adam family. I’m not sure where the widow and the kids are. I mentioned both Christian and Henry above, but Henry is yet another “mystery” Hummel. Meiser speculates he may be related to yet another immigrant Hummel -- this one named Johan Michael Hummel -- who settled in the Tulpehocken area.
1820. Solomon Hummel (known son of George Adam) 26-45 lives in Centre Twp, Union Co with 3 males 16-26 and also with a wife (?) 16-26 and another female 45+. I believe this is the remnants of the George Adam family. Neighbors are Henry 26-45 and Christian 26-45.
1800. Georges Hummel age 45+ lives in Penns Twp, North’d Co. A neighbor is Henry Hummel also age 45+. And also listed in Penns are Jacob Hummel 45+ and Frederick 26-45. Since all the “H” names are grouped together, it may be erroneous to speculate on the small separation between the George/Henry pair and the Jacob/Frederick pair -- but I wonder if already George and Henry might not be in the Middlecreek area while Jacob and Frederick are in the Hummels Wharf area -- all of which would have been Penns in 1800. George has 2 males 16-26, 1 10-16, and 1 under 10.
1810. George Adam has died, leaving a large family that I cannot find in this Census. I’m thinking Middlecreek is now in Centre Twp as there I find Christian and Henry Hummel -- but neither with a big enough family to be all of the original George Adam family. I’m not sure where the widow and the kids are. I mentioned both Christian and Henry above, but Henry is yet another “mystery” Hummel. Meiser speculates he may be related to yet another immigrant Hummel -- this one named Johan Michael Hummel -- who settled in the Tulpehocken area.
1820. Solomon Hummel (known son of George Adam) 26-45 lives in Centre Twp, Union Co with 3 males 16-26 and also with a wife (?) 16-26 and another female 45+. I believe this is the remnants of the George Adam family. Neighbors are Henry 26-45 and Christian 26-45.
Research notes for George Adam Hummel
He died in Center Twp. His will was written 20 Feb 1808 and proved 7 Mar 1808 -- names wife Magdalena and 12 children including sons: Henry, Jacob, Solomon, George, Benjamin, John.
George Adam is listed as a North'd County taxable in 1792.
UPDATE July 2008. Alicia Hilbish Blackman, on a recent visit to the Union County Courthouse, found two releases dated 1823 filed in the deed books there involving the estate of George Adam. She also got a full copy of George Adam’s will.
From the will, and by comparison to the known birthdates of his children, it seems clear that George Adam listed his children in order: Henry, Elizabeth, Jacob, Anamaria, Catarin, Susanna, Solomon, Barbara, Molly, George, Benjamin and John. Based on that, my conclusion is that George was older than Benjamin and since I had two possible dates for George, I have gone with the earlier of the two. Also based on that, it is clear that John was born after Benjamin and that means 1804 or later. He is clearly not the John buried in Freeburg with known birth date of 1799.
But back to those releases. The releases seem to be predicated on the death of Magdalena, wife of George Adam. As part of disposing of the original estate upon that event, apparently Solomon has stepped in and bought the original plantation. The releases are from two of his married sisters: Magdalena (Molly) Duck wife of George and Elizabeth Trutt wife of Philip. They refer to some mortgage owed to George Adam by John Hummel of Schuylkill County formerly of Berks County (and apparently unlikely to be paid).
A check of the 1820 Census for Schuylkill County shows John, Henry and Adam Hummel of Pine Grove Twp. John and Henry are 26-45, Adam is 45+. Meiser, in his biography of George Adam says it is possible that George Adam of Middlecreek was formerly of Pine Grove Twp (then Berks County) and the forbear of that line was Johan Michael Hummel and he had a son John Adam. I think the evidence is that George Adam is related to the Pine Grove Hummels somehow and it is beyond my interest to try to figure it out any further.
George Adam is listed as a North'd County taxable in 1792.
UPDATE July 2008. Alicia Hilbish Blackman, on a recent visit to the Union County Courthouse, found two releases dated 1823 filed in the deed books there involving the estate of George Adam. She also got a full copy of George Adam’s will.
From the will, and by comparison to the known birthdates of his children, it seems clear that George Adam listed his children in order: Henry, Elizabeth, Jacob, Anamaria, Catarin, Susanna, Solomon, Barbara, Molly, George, Benjamin and John. Based on that, my conclusion is that George was older than Benjamin and since I had two possible dates for George, I have gone with the earlier of the two. Also based on that, it is clear that John was born after Benjamin and that means 1804 or later. He is clearly not the John buried in Freeburg with known birth date of 1799.
But back to those releases. The releases seem to be predicated on the death of Magdalena, wife of George Adam. As part of disposing of the original estate upon that event, apparently Solomon has stepped in and bought the original plantation. The releases are from two of his married sisters: Magdalena (Molly) Duck wife of George and Elizabeth Trutt wife of Philip. They refer to some mortgage owed to George Adam by John Hummel of Schuylkill County formerly of Berks County (and apparently unlikely to be paid).
A check of the 1820 Census for Schuylkill County shows John, Henry and Adam Hummel of Pine Grove Twp. John and Henry are 26-45, Adam is 45+. Meiser, in his biography of George Adam says it is possible that George Adam of Middlecreek was formerly of Pine Grove Twp (then Berks County) and the forbear of that line was Johan Michael Hummel and he had a son John Adam. I think the evidence is that George Adam is related to the Pine Grove Hummels somehow and it is beyond my interest to try to figure it out any further.
My Comments notes for George Adam Hummel
This is the Middlecreek Township Hummel line, founded I believe by George Adam Hummel and possibly his brother Henry. Meiser et al says in one place that George Adam Hummel was the son of George Philip -- but it simply cannot be true. When George Philip died -- 13 years after his marriage -- a petition was filed to provide guardians for his children under the age of 14 and only 4 were named. These same four were all baptized -- and no others -- at Moselem Church.
In another place, though, Meiser discusses that very issue and concludes that George Adam may be related to the Pine Grove and Tulpehocken line of Hummels; the immigrant of that line was Johan Michael Hummel. I have reason to believe this is in fact correct.
So I am totally convinced that George Adam is not part of the family of the immigrant Johannes and should be dropped entirely from my database. But since he apparently moved from Pine Grove to Middlecreek and plopped himself down right in the middle of my Hummels, and I encounter him or his descendants from time to time while researching my own Hummel line, I have kept him in my database, unconnected to any other Hummels (except of course his own descendants).
In another place, though, Meiser discusses that very issue and concludes that George Adam may be related to the Pine Grove and Tulpehocken line of Hummels; the immigrant of that line was Johan Michael Hummel. I have reason to believe this is in fact correct.
So I am totally convinced that George Adam is not part of the family of the immigrant Johannes and should be dropped entirely from my database. But since he apparently moved from Pine Grove to Middlecreek and plopped himself down right in the middle of my Hummels, and I encounter him or his descendants from time to time while researching my own Hummel line, I have kept him in my database, unconnected to any other Hummels (except of course his own descendants).
Children Names notes for Magdalena (Spouse 1)
His will names his children: Henry, Jacob, Elisabeth, Anna Maria, Catherine, Susan, Solomon, Barbara, Mollie, George, Benjamin and John. I have added Christian to the list of his sons only to keep him visible in my database. I don’t think he was part of this family but he came and lived near them.