Mertz Genealogy - Person Sheet
Mertz Genealogy - Person Sheet
NameSarah (Salome) Mertz 
Birth30 September 18083397
Memo(find-a-grave)
Death23 October 1887
Memo(find-a-grave)
BurialEmerickville Lutheran, Jefferson Co, PA
FatherJohannes Mertz (P3a) (1776-1858)
MotherCatharine Sterner
Parent-Proof notes for Sarah (Salome) Mertz
She was baptized at Howerters, “Salome Mertz d/o Johannes & Catharina nee Stenner b. 30 Sep 1808 bp. 4 Dec 1808”.
Joseph A Meiser said that John’s daughter Sarah (Saloma) (1808-1887) married Johannes Maurer (Mowery) (1806-1852). He said nothing more about this couple, nothing that would give me any confidence he was right. And in truth, he left out the most important part.
But he was right. It was only when Nancy Talbert did editing on Sarah and her ancestors on the LDS Family Tree that I realized Sarah had moved to Jefferson County, a finding I thought was worth investigating further. Here is the evidence that Sarah, daughter of Johannes, married John Mowery, all of which I think is quite compelling.
On find-a-grave, there is a memorial for Sarah Saloma (Martz) Mowrey (spelling on tombstone) buried in Jefferson County and her birth date which I think can be read from her tombstone matches exactly the birth date of Salome from her Howerter’s baptism record. She died 23 Oct 1887. It says on her memorial that she was the wife of John L Mowrey, a German immigrant of 1826, but there is no evidence of him being buried there. Two daughters are linked to her on find-a-grave.
The death certificates of those two daughters — and of several other of her children — all give her maiden name as Martz and one of them says Sarah was born in Northumberland County. The fact of her maiden name Martz and of being in Jefferson County — where John Martz (1801-1888) moved to — adds strong evidence that she was John’s sister.
But the compelling fact to me is this: In June 1837, Johannes Maurer and wife Sarah baptized son Johannes at St Peter’s Lutheran Church in Ralpho Township with Benjamin and Lydia Martz as sponsors. Since my observation is that the most common sponsor at those old German baptisms was a sibling to one of the parents, I find this piece of evidence compelling.
I found John Mowrey in the 1840 Census in Porter Township, Jefferson County, exactly the place John Martz was also living. I think both families moved there about the same time in the late 1830’s.
Joseph A Meiser said that John’s daughter Sarah (Saloma) (1808-1887) married Johannes Maurer (Mowery) (1806-1852). He said nothing more about this couple, nothing that would give me any confidence he was right. And in truth, he left out the most important part.
But he was right. It was only when Nancy Talbert did editing on Sarah and her ancestors on the LDS Family Tree that I realized Sarah had moved to Jefferson County, a finding I thought was worth investigating further. Here is the evidence that Sarah, daughter of Johannes, married John Mowery, all of which I think is quite compelling.
On find-a-grave, there is a memorial for Sarah Saloma (Martz) Mowrey (spelling on tombstone) buried in Jefferson County and her birth date which I think can be read from her tombstone matches exactly the birth date of Salome from her Howerter’s baptism record. She died 23 Oct 1887. It says on her memorial that she was the wife of John L Mowrey, a German immigrant of 1826, but there is no evidence of him being buried there. Two daughters are linked to her on find-a-grave.
The death certificates of those two daughters — and of several other of her children — all give her maiden name as Martz and one of them says Sarah was born in Northumberland County. The fact of her maiden name Martz and of being in Jefferson County — where John Martz (1801-1888) moved to — adds strong evidence that she was John’s sister.
But the compelling fact to me is this: In June 1837, Johannes Maurer and wife Sarah baptized son Johannes at St Peter’s Lutheran Church in Ralpho Township with Benjamin and Lydia Martz as sponsors. Since my observation is that the most common sponsor at those old German baptisms was a sibling to one of the parents, I find this piece of evidence compelling.
I found John Mowrey in the 1840 Census in Porter Township, Jefferson County, exactly the place John Martz was also living. I think both families moved there about the same time in the late 1830’s.