Mertz Genealogy - Person Sheet
Mertz Genealogy - Person Sheet
Name8G GM Veronica Hoffman 
Father9G GF Johann Hoffman
Parent-Proof notes for 8G GM Veronica Hoffman
There is a church record documented in “Westerwald Kinship Book, Hachenburg and Surroundings” by Karl Heinz Bierbruaer that shows Henrich Hülpüsch son of Gerhardt Hülpüsch of Reufelbach from the parish of Altenkirchen married Freychgen daughter of Johann Hoffmann from Welkenbach 22 July 1672 in Höchstenachthe. (Freychgen means Veronica.)
The referenced book was found by a very distant German cousin named Dieter Hülpüsch who has become interested in the American descendants of his German forbears.
The referenced book was found by a very distant German cousin named Dieter Hülpüsch who has become interested in the American descendants of his German forbears.
Parent-Proof notes for Henrich (Spouse 1)
The name of his father comes from the citation of his marriage in a German book. The Hulpusch family lived in or near Wiedt, Germany.
My Comments notes for Henrich (Spouse 1)
The Hulpush/Hilbish (at times Hollenbusch, etc.) story really starts with Henrich who is known because of the fine work of Annette K Burgert who studied early German church records in the places immigrants were known to have come from and matched names found there to passenger lists of American immigrant ships in the early-mid 1700’s and finally to their appearance in American (German Reformed usually) church records.
Burgert’s book “From Westerwald to America” is so authoritative and well documented that, when I first saw it, I knew immediately that this was proof that the family tradition about the immigrant ancestors of this family -- when they arrived, why they came and even which family members made the trip and their relationship to each other -- was totally debunked.
That family tradition -- accepted as fact by everyone until I came along was:
✧ The immigrants in this line were three brothers named Peter, Christian and Yost. [Fact -- there were just two brothers, Peter and Christian -- Yost was Peter’s son.]
✧ The brothers fled to America with their mother after their father was beheaded for refusing to disavow his religious beliefs. [Fact -- the mother died long before the brothers came to America; all evidence suggests the father died of natural causes, in any event it was years before the family emigrated.]
✧ They came to America in 1732 on the ship Queen Anne. [Fact -- they came in 1749 on the ship Two Brothers, there never was a ship Queen Anne.]
✧ Christian had a son Adam and he was the man who moved to Northumberland County well before 1800. [Fact -- Adam was our ancestor and he did move to Northumberland County, in 1802. But he was the son of Peter as Christian had no sons (that survived).]
✧ In some places, Mother Hollenbush was said to be Barbara Bickhart and in some places the wife of Christian was said to be Margaret Bickhart. [Fact -- Barbara Bickhart is our ancestor as she was Adam’s wife. Christian’s wife was Anna Maria Reifner.]
The spelling of this surname evolved, first upon their settlement in Montgomery County, PA and then evolved further as the family moved to other PA counties.
Burgert’s book “From Westerwald to America” is so authoritative and well documented that, when I first saw it, I knew immediately that this was proof that the family tradition about the immigrant ancestors of this family -- when they arrived, why they came and even which family members made the trip and their relationship to each other -- was totally debunked.
That family tradition -- accepted as fact by everyone until I came along was:
✧ The immigrants in this line were three brothers named Peter, Christian and Yost. [Fact -- there were just two brothers, Peter and Christian -- Yost was Peter’s son.]
✧ The brothers fled to America with their mother after their father was beheaded for refusing to disavow his religious beliefs. [Fact -- the mother died long before the brothers came to America; all evidence suggests the father died of natural causes, in any event it was years before the family emigrated.]
✧ They came to America in 1732 on the ship Queen Anne. [Fact -- they came in 1749 on the ship Two Brothers, there never was a ship Queen Anne.]
✧ Christian had a son Adam and he was the man who moved to Northumberland County well before 1800. [Fact -- Adam was our ancestor and he did move to Northumberland County, in 1802. But he was the son of Peter as Christian had no sons (that survived).]
✧ In some places, Mother Hollenbush was said to be Barbara Bickhart and in some places the wife of Christian was said to be Margaret Bickhart. [Fact -- Barbara Bickhart is our ancestor as she was Adam’s wife. Christian’s wife was Anna Maria Reifner.]
The spelling of this surname evolved, first upon their settlement in Montgomery County, PA and then evolved further as the family moved to other PA counties.
Children Names notes for Henrich (Spouse 1)
In addition to his son Johann Henrich, a 1698 marriage record was found in the church records of Hackenberg/Alstadt for Johann George, son of Henrich.