Mertz Genealogy - Person Sheet
Mertz Genealogy - Person Sheet
Birth10 October 1828
Memo(find-a-grave)
Death24 August 1896
Memo(find-a-grave)
BurialMount Carmel, Shelbyville, IL
FatherJohn Martz (Y2b) (1790-1857)
MotherCatherine Hamman
Spouses
Birth1829
Memo(find-a-grave)
Death21 April 1913
Memo(find-a-grave)
BurialMount Carmel, Shelbyville, IL
ChildrenWilliam Henry
Birth, Parent-Proof, Designation notes for John Henry Martz (Y2b2)
John Henry is the presumed son of John who was the son of Conrad. Dennis Martz has traced his ancestry to this John. He says his wife was Amelia Siegrist, they were married in Lebanon County in 1848 or 1849 and moved to Shelby County in about 1863.
This John was only ever called John in Census, not John H nor John Henry, and I might be a little skeptical of his middle name except there are two death certificates in Illinois of two of his sons. For Isaac Martz, it was reported his father was John Henry Martz and his mother was Amelia Secrist while for John J Martz, it was reported his father was John H and his mother Aurelia Secrist — close enough for me.
The fact that he was mainly called John in Census and in church records illustrates how naming conventions had evolved by the 1800’s. In the 1700’s, a boy named Johan Heinrich would have only/mainly be thereafter called Henry but by 1840 those customs had largely broken down..
John Henry is designated Y2b2.
This John was only ever called John in Census, not John H nor John Henry, and I might be a little skeptical of his middle name except there are two death certificates in Illinois of two of his sons. For Isaac Martz, it was reported his father was John Henry Martz and his mother was Amelia Secrist while for John J Martz, it was reported his father was John H and his mother Aurelia Secrist — close enough for me.
The fact that he was mainly called John in Census and in church records illustrates how naming conventions had evolved by the 1800’s. In the 1700’s, a boy named Johan Heinrich would have only/mainly be thereafter called Henry but by 1840 those customs had largely broken down..
John Henry is designated Y2b2.
Relocated and Census Tracking notes for John Henry Martz (Y2b2)
This man first appeared in 1850 in Lebanon County and was still there in 1860. His wife was Amelia and in 1860, their children were Mary, William, John, Isaac and Margaret.
In 1870, he is hard to identify due to mis-spellings and mis-reported ages but I think it is the same intact family now in Shelby County, Illinois. Amelia was Melicia but the names of the children and ages roughly match the 1860 family of Lebanon County. They all say they were born in Ohio but that has to be an error. The youngest daughter was Tilly and Amelia’s obituary referred to a daughter Tilly. It has to be them.
The Owen Martz family was already present in Shelby County in 1860 and the George Martz family who was present in Lebanon County in 1860 was now, like John, also in Shelby County. In fact, George and John were next door neighbors.
So the movement of Owen, John and George from Lebanon to Shelby, I think, makes a strong case that they were brothers.
It would be nice to find a will (I’ve looked with no luck) or a deed or something else to prove they all were sons of the John who appeared in Lebanon in 1840, so this again is a little bit of a weak link in my analysis — but again I use the tick marks of the 1830 and 1840 Census and the geographic coincidence— these are the earliest Martzes in Lebanon County to make my case.
In 1870, he is hard to identify due to mis-spellings and mis-reported ages but I think it is the same intact family now in Shelby County, Illinois. Amelia was Melicia but the names of the children and ages roughly match the 1860 family of Lebanon County. They all say they were born in Ohio but that has to be an error. The youngest daughter was Tilly and Amelia’s obituary referred to a daughter Tilly. It has to be them.
The Owen Martz family was already present in Shelby County in 1860 and the George Martz family who was present in Lebanon County in 1860 was now, like John, also in Shelby County. In fact, George and John were next door neighbors.
So the movement of Owen, John and George from Lebanon to Shelby, I think, makes a strong case that they were brothers.
It would be nice to find a will (I’ve looked with no luck) or a deed or something else to prove they all were sons of the John who appeared in Lebanon in 1840, so this again is a little bit of a weak link in my analysis — but again I use the tick marks of the 1830 and 1840 Census and the geographic coincidence— these are the earliest Martzes in Lebanon County to make my case.
Death and Find-a-Grave notes for John Henry Martz (Y2b2)
John and Amelia are on find-a-grave.
Known Daughters notes for John Henry Martz (Y2b2)
They baptized Mary Elizabeth in 1850 in Lebanon County, followed by Margaret Catherine in 1859 and Sarah Alice in 1862. Others are known from Census.
Known Sons notes for John Henry Martz (Y2b2)
They baptized William Henry in 1852 in Lebanon County followed by John Jacob 1854 and Isaac Siegrist 1857. A few more were born in Illinois.
But none of John Henry’s snd were born before 1850 so none are designated nor tracked further.
But none of John Henry’s snd were born before 1850 so none are designated nor tracked further.
Parent-Proof notes for Amelia (Spouse 1)
An obituary for her is on find-a-grave. It says she was born in Lebanon County, PA and came to Shelby County during the Civil War. She was the mother of eleven children.