Mertz Genealogy - Person Sheet
Mertz Genealogy - Person Sheet
NameElizabeth A Poffenberger 
BirthAugust 1834
Memo(find-a-grave)
Death1887
Memo(find-a-grave)
BurialOak Hill, Mount Carroll, IL
Spouses
Birth1824
Memo(find-a-grave)
Death9 February 1889
Memo(obit on find-a-grave dated 16 Feb says he died “last Saturday”)
BurialOak Hill, Mount Carroll, IL
FatherSamuel Mertz (P5a2) (1802-1871)
MotherMargaret Kessler (1803-1886)
Parent-Proof notes for Elizabeth A Poffenberger
She is said to be the daughter of Samuel and Catharine (Schamel) Poffenberger on find-a-grave.
Birth, Parent-Proof, Designation notes for William Jackson (Spouse 1)
Samuel Mertz had a son he called William Jackson in one place in his will and then Jackson in another. I tried to find him as an adult and having no better candidate, for a long time I thought he might be the William Mertz who just appears in Selinsgrove in 1860 and who I otherwise didn’t know but there were several problems with this theory:
1. From the 1830 and 1840 Census, the only possible tick mark to be William in Samuel’s household was born apparently in the early 1820’s. William of Selinsgrove was born in 1833.
2. There is no indication of William of Selinsgrove ever being named William J or William Jackson or Jackson.
3. Where was William Jackson in 1850?
When I finally gave up on this initial theory and made a serious attempt to find William Jackson, I did indeed find him. The man I found had made it to Mount Carroll in Carroll County, IL by 1850 and lived all his adult life there. The things that make me now confident this is the right man are:
1. He always went by William J.
2.. He was born in 1824.
3. He said consistently in every Census he was born in PA and in 1880 that both his parents were also born there.
4. In 1860, there was a David Mertz age 23 living in his household. Samuel had a son David who I had never been able to find in 1860.
5. And the clincher is that David’s occupation in 1860 was harness maker quite consistent with the occupation he then had once he moved back to PA in time for the 1870 Census.
I found William Jackson, he is designated P5a2a.
1. From the 1830 and 1840 Census, the only possible tick mark to be William in Samuel’s household was born apparently in the early 1820’s. William of Selinsgrove was born in 1833.
2. There is no indication of William of Selinsgrove ever being named William J or William Jackson or Jackson.
3. Where was William Jackson in 1850?
When I finally gave up on this initial theory and made a serious attempt to find William Jackson, I did indeed find him. The man I found had made it to Mount Carroll in Carroll County, IL by 1850 and lived all his adult life there. The things that make me now confident this is the right man are:
1. He always went by William J.
2.. He was born in 1824.
3. He said consistently in every Census he was born in PA and in 1880 that both his parents were also born there.
4. In 1860, there was a David Mertz age 23 living in his household. Samuel had a son David who I had never been able to find in 1860.
5. And the clincher is that David’s occupation in 1860 was harness maker quite consistent with the occupation he then had once he moved back to PA in time for the 1870 Census.
I found William Jackson, he is designated P5a2a.
Relocated and Census Tracking notes for William Jackson (Spouse 1)
William J was consistently listed in 1850-1880 in Mount Carroll always with wife Elizabeth.
In Samuel’s will, while William was to get an equal share of Samuel’s estate with his siblings, he was first to be charged with $200 plus interest that he owed his father for a loan Samuel made him to pay Polly Maurer. That loan dated to 1860 but what was that all about?
In Samuel’s will, while William was to get an equal share of Samuel’s estate with his siblings, he was first to be charged with $200 plus interest that he owed his father for a loan Samuel made him to pay Polly Maurer. That loan dated to 1860 but what was that all about?
Death and Find-a-Grave notes for William Jackson (Spouse 1)
William J Mertz is on find-a-grave, some interesting biographical information is given there. The three things I found of interest are that he came to Carroll County in 1844 and that he married in 1849 and none of his children were born before 1850 (my cutoff date as to whether I track someone’s sons further).