Jacob Mertz married Polly Licklitner (sic) 21 Feb 1849 in Clinton County. She is identified as the daughter of Moses in The History of Clinton County, Indiana. Her sister Sarah was the second wife of Jacob’s brother John.

We know Jacob from his baptism at Mertz Church though the transcription I have gives his birth date as 10 Nov 1819. But that may not be right since it is too close to his sister Judith who was born, supposedly, 19 May 1819.

I noticed Jacob as early as the 1850 Census right where the family of the older Jacob who had come out from Berks County was in Madison Township, Clinton County, so it was an obvious guess that he must be Jacob’s son. Through Census, I could then track him to Tippicanoe, IN by 1880 and then his son to Carroll County by 1900. And from Census, I knew the names of his wife and children.

It is the 1892 court filing naming Jacob’s children and, if deceased, their children, which proves Jacob, indeed, was Jacob’s son. He had died but his wife Polly and three children: David, Joseph and Julia Reddenbaugh were named. Jacob is designated H1b5.

He is on find-a-grave in Carroll County, IN. The tombstone photo says died 27 Jan 1887 age 66y, 3m, 24d which computes to a birth date of 3 Oct 1820. Inexplicably, the find-a-grave memorial for him says birth date 5 May 1820.