Johann Philip Mertz

• Military service: Apr 18 1782 - Northampton, Pennsylvania, United States
• Residence: 1790 - Maxatawny, Berks, Pennsylvania, United States
• Residence: 1810 - Heidelberg, Pennsylvania, United States
  • Reference: FamilySearch Family Tree - SmartCopy: Feb 8 2021, 1:05:16 UTC

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• Residence: Berks County, Pennsylvania, USA - Sep 17 1769
• Residence: Maxatawny, Berks, Pennsylvania, USA - 1779
• Residence: Maxatawny, Berks, Pennsylvania, USA - 1781
• Residence: Maxatawny, Berks, Pennsylvania, USA - 1783
• Residence: Berks County, Pennsylvania, USA - Apr 4 1784
• Residence: Maxatawny, Berks, Pennsylvania, USA - 1785
• Residence: Maxatawny, Berks, Pennsylvania, USA - 1786
• Residence: Maxatawny, Berks, Pennsylvania, USA - 1787
• Residence: Maxatawny, Berks, Pennsylvania, USA - 1788
• Residence: Maxatawny, Berks, Pennsylvania, USA - 1789
• Residence: Maxatawny, Berks, Pennsylvania, USA - 1790
• Residence: Maxatawny, Berks, Pennsylvania, USA - 1800
• Residence: Maxatawny, Berks, Pennsylvania, USA - 1810
  • Reference: MyHeritage Family Trees - SmartCopy: May 3 2022, 11:26:49 UTC

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Biography

Johann (John) Philip Mertz was baptized at Mertz Church 25 Oct 1738 by his parents Johann Heinrich (John Henry) and Anna Maria (Rosemann) Mertz. His baptism record gave his birth date as 14 Oct 1738.

On 29 May 1764, his marriage to Catharina Elisabetha Quirin, daughter of Nicholas, was recorded at Mertz Church. Philip and Catharina then baptized many children at Mertz Church starting with Catherine in 1765 and ending with Hana in 1783. Later, Philip and Catharina stood as sponsors at baptisms of several of their grandchildren in 1796, 1803 and 1812.

Philip was listed in the 1790, 1800 and 1810 Census in Maxatawney Township, Berks County.

It is not known exactly when Philip died, after that 1812 baptism and before the 1820 Census brackets it, so 1815 is just a ballpark estimate.

It is not known for sure where Philip was buried, but his life-long association with Mertz Church strongly suggests that is where he must have been buried. He is named on the cenotaph at Mertz Church honoring his father John Henry.

So Philip lived his entire life in or near Mertz Church in Berks County. But that has not kept early genealogists (and those who now copy their mistake) from giving his birth date to an entirely different Philip Mertz who was born and lived until about age 40 in Longswamp Township, Berks County and then moved to and died in (then) Northumberland County, PA in about 1803.

PARENTS: I have debated whether to actually link Philip to his parents who have memorials in this same cemetery based on the presence of that very large cenotaph placed there in their honor (but may or may not actually be buried here).

My reluctance comes from the inaccuracies on the memorial of Philip's father, Johann Heinrich. The person who maintains his memorial has been unresponsive in the past on another memorial so I've not tried to get the record corrected.

It says there he was born in Baden-Württemberg, Germany but he wasn't. He was born and emigrated from the small village of Frankenhausen which is in Hesse, Germany.

It says he died 07 Jul 1788 in Berks County. But he died earlier than that and likely in Northampton County. His will proved 31 Mar 1788 in Northampton County where he had moved some years before and likely was living at the time of his death.

It says he married his wife Anna Maria abt 1737 in Berks County. That may well be true but there is no documented evidence of the date or place. She too came from near Frankenhausen and was on the same ship as Heinrich as well as her brother. The point is they might well have married before they left Germany.

And it gives an exact date of birth and date of death for Anna Maria, both of which could be correct but I know of no source documenting either. The 12 Jun 1786 date especially is interesting since he wrote his will 20 Jun 1786 with no mention of her, but it's just that I don't think that date is really documented anywhere. Too many things in genealogy are just made up and then passed from one person to another with not enough fact checking.

Heinrich's and Anna Maria's children are listed on his memorial with birth dates for most of them. It is curious why only the year is given for Heinrich and George when exact dates are known from their baptisms. And the birth date given for Maria Elizabeth is actually her baptism date.

Finally, a note there says about Johann Heinrich -- parents unknown. But they can be easily identified on my website: mertzgenealogy.com.

Still, despite the errors, they are his parents and so I have decided I will link Philip to them.

CHILDREN:
John Philip and Catharina baptized six daughters at Mertz Church: Catharina, Maria Elizabeth, Anna Maria, Christina, Hana and Ester. It is strange that we cannot track any of them to their marriage and eventual burial. Some may have died young, but all of them? Where are they?

John Philip and Catharina baptized two sons at Mertz Church: Jacob and Philip Heinrich. But from Census, there were others and I believe there is strong evidence for two others: Daniel and William. Here is what I know and/or believe true about these four.

Philip Heinrich is the easiest to document. He lived out his life near Mertz Church, last reported in the 1850 Census in Maxatawney Township where his father had lived all his adult life. Philip Heinrich's wife is buried at Mertz Church and while only her tombstone can be found today, it is highly likely he is there too. I have submitted an edit to link his find-a-grave memorial to his parents.

Jacob moved to Clinton County, Indiana in about 1831 and is buried there. Like many Mertzes who left Berks County in the 1700's or early 1800's, his name came to be spelled Martz in the new place. The evidence that Jacob of Clinton County was the son of Philip and Catharina is the many documented connections between the family of his son William (who stayed in Berks County) and the remainder of Jacob's family who moved with him. As but one example, William's son Jairus (like his brothers Benjamin and Alfred) later in life moved to Clinton County and is buried in the same cemetery as his grandfather and several uncles. Jairus and all his brothers are named in an 1892 court filing in Clinton County that listed almost 50 of Jacob's heirs. I have submitted edits to link Jacob to his parents.

William moved to Columbia County, PA in about 1811 after he was married and with his young family. I have linked him to his parents and I give a full biography for him on his memorial which sets out the case that he was the son of Philip and Catharina. Briefly, he was closely associated with Mertz Church before moving, DNA proves he descends from one of the Mertz Church family and Philip and Catharina sponsored the baptism of a child of William's. William too became Martz upon his arrival in Columbia County.

Daniel moved to Dauphin County, PA in about 1812 and he too became Martz thereafter. In 1810, he lived in Maxatawney Township where his father lived and a Berks County tax record from 1810 shows that Daniel paid the tax on both his land and Philip's land that year. I am unable to link Daniel directly to his parents Philip and Catharina using the normal find-a-grave tools, since the person known as "Gerblady" refuses to allow that linkage so I instead place a link to Daniel's memorial here. Daniel Martz (1777)

Oakey Mertz (FAG ID: 48523401)