Mertz Genealogy - Person Sheet
Mertz Genealogy - Person Sheet
Birth13 September 1815
Memo(find-a-grave)
Death5 December 1883
Memo(find-a-grave)
BurialUnion-West End Cemetery, Allentown, PA
FatherHeinrich Mertz (H6a) (1782-1844)
MotherHannah Dorney (1783-1844)
Spouses
Birth, Parent-Proof, Designation notes for Elias Mertz (H6a4)
Elias was named as a son of Heinrich in the Lehigh County history. He is designated H6a4.
Discrepancies notes for Elias Mertz (H6a4)
In the records of the Jerusalem Union Church in Lehigh County, Elias Mertz married Lydia Roth 7 Sep 1830. This is the church where Elias’ family worshipped and were named in many church records — but I don’t think that marriage was this man.
In the 1850 and later Census his wife was Sophia and death certificates of several children, including his oldest, confirm her name. Besides Elias was only 15 years old in 1830.
So who was the other Elias? He was baptized as Ely Mertz (P7a1) and while he was not otherwise associated with the Jerusalem Church, he was of Lehigh County and there is one record I have found where he was Elias.
In the 1850 and later Census his wife was Sophia and death certificates of several children, including his oldest, confirm her name. Besides Elias was only 15 years old in 1830.
So who was the other Elias? He was baptized as Ely Mertz (P7a1) and while he was not otherwise associated with the Jerusalem Church, he was of Lehigh County and there is one record I have found where he was Elias.
Known Sons notes for Elias Mertz (H6a4)
From the 1850 Census, there were three sons:
H6a4a Lewis 1838
H6a4b Milton 1844
H6a4c Hiram 1846
H6a4a Lewis 1838
H6a4b Milton 1844
H6a4c Hiram 1846
Parent-Proof notes for Sophia (Spouse 1)
Five death certificates of her children give her name as Sophia Bortz in three cases, Sarah Bortz in one and Sophia Gortz in one.
Find-a-Grave notes for Sophia (Spouse 1)
There was an obituary for her on find-a-grave which was posted on a duplicate memorial for her father-in-law and which got lost when that duplicate memorial was deleted. I managed to copy it before it’s deletion. It contains a lot of useful information.
“Mrs. Sophie Mertz, widow of Elias Mertz, died in January, 1911, at the home of her daughter, Mrs. James S. Biery, No 248 North Fourth Street.
The end came peacefully after a long life well spent in doing good. Mrs. Mertz was one of the old residents, having been almost 94 years old. She was very active until July, 1908, and did her house work, visited and received visitors, attended services in her church, Trinity United Evangelical, and was in full possession of all her faculties, her sight and hearing being very good, her memory retentive and her mind clear.
Mrs. Mertz was born August 17, 1817, at Wescoesville, in Lower Macungie Township. Her parents were Christopher and Catharine (Ueberoth) Bortz. She married Elias Mertz 75 years ago. He was a son of general Henry Mertz, whose home was the present poor house property. Their first home was at Dorneysville, where Mr. Mertz conducted a store. Moving to Allentown in the 40's he opened a general store and lived at 725 Hamilton Street, which place was wiped out by the fire of June 1, 1848. Later he conducted a shoe store in Odd Fellows Hall, also at 831, 841, and 819 Hamilton street. Mr. Mertz was the pioneer shoe manufacturer of Allentown. He served three terms as Alderman of the Fourth and Seventh Wards and was secretary of several building associations and a pillar of Salem Evangelical Church. He died Dec. 5, 1883.
They had ten children. Five preceded the mother in death: Jeremiah died in infancy July 16, 1845; Alice, February 15, 1873; Amanda, wife of Peter Hartman, July 10, 1885; Milton H., twelve years ago, and Lewis H., June 8, 1910. The five children surviving are Angelina M. widow of Hon. James S. Biery; Emma, widow of James N. Hersh; Hiram A. and James E. of this city, and Ella wife of Charles A. Horn, of Philadelphia. There are also 18 grandchildren and 36 great-grandchildren. Three of her sons served their country during the Civil War. Lewis was in Company K, Fifty-Fourth Regiment, was captured at Little Cacapon, MD., and held in Libby Prison. Hiram and Milton served under Colonels Good and Gobin in the Fifty-Seventh Regiment in South Carolina, Florida, Louisiana, and the Shenandoah Valley.
Mrs. Mertz was confirmed in the Lutheran faith at the Salisbury Church but soon after moving to Allentown she connected with Salem Evangelical Church, transferring to Trinity United Evangelical after the disruption of 1894. She was a faithful wife, mother and neighbor, and was a Christian in every sense of the word, striving by counsel and deed, by word and example to exemplify the light that shone within her. She exerted a pure, wholesome influence on those who came in contact with her. She leaves to her posterity a rich legacy of life well spent that is well worthy of their emulation.”
“Mrs. Sophie Mertz, widow of Elias Mertz, died in January, 1911, at the home of her daughter, Mrs. James S. Biery, No 248 North Fourth Street.
The end came peacefully after a long life well spent in doing good. Mrs. Mertz was one of the old residents, having been almost 94 years old. She was very active until July, 1908, and did her house work, visited and received visitors, attended services in her church, Trinity United Evangelical, and was in full possession of all her faculties, her sight and hearing being very good, her memory retentive and her mind clear.
Mrs. Mertz was born August 17, 1817, at Wescoesville, in Lower Macungie Township. Her parents were Christopher and Catharine (Ueberoth) Bortz. She married Elias Mertz 75 years ago. He was a son of general Henry Mertz, whose home was the present poor house property. Their first home was at Dorneysville, where Mr. Mertz conducted a store. Moving to Allentown in the 40's he opened a general store and lived at 725 Hamilton Street, which place was wiped out by the fire of June 1, 1848. Later he conducted a shoe store in Odd Fellows Hall, also at 831, 841, and 819 Hamilton street. Mr. Mertz was the pioneer shoe manufacturer of Allentown. He served three terms as Alderman of the Fourth and Seventh Wards and was secretary of several building associations and a pillar of Salem Evangelical Church. He died Dec. 5, 1883.
They had ten children. Five preceded the mother in death: Jeremiah died in infancy July 16, 1845; Alice, February 15, 1873; Amanda, wife of Peter Hartman, July 10, 1885; Milton H., twelve years ago, and Lewis H., June 8, 1910. The five children surviving are Angelina M. widow of Hon. James S. Biery; Emma, widow of James N. Hersh; Hiram A. and James E. of this city, and Ella wife of Charles A. Horn, of Philadelphia. There are also 18 grandchildren and 36 great-grandchildren. Three of her sons served their country during the Civil War. Lewis was in Company K, Fifty-Fourth Regiment, was captured at Little Cacapon, MD., and held in Libby Prison. Hiram and Milton served under Colonels Good and Gobin in the Fifty-Seventh Regiment in South Carolina, Florida, Louisiana, and the Shenandoah Valley.
Mrs. Mertz was confirmed in the Lutheran faith at the Salisbury Church but soon after moving to Allentown she connected with Salem Evangelical Church, transferring to Trinity United Evangelical after the disruption of 1894. She was a faithful wife, mother and neighbor, and was a Christian in every sense of the word, striving by counsel and deed, by word and example to exemplify the light that shone within her. She exerted a pure, wholesome influence on those who came in contact with her. She leaves to her posterity a rich legacy of life well spent that is well worthy of their emulation.”