SELECTED RECORDS OF LONGSWAMP REFORMED CHURCH This is a list of all Longswamp baptisms up to about 1810 where any Mertz is either the infant, parent or sponsor, including married Mertz daughters (those whose married names I know or could conjecture). The obvious point of doing this is to have a record of all relevant birth and/or baptism dates, but it also useful to see when certain persons appear on the scene or disappear from it as clues to their age or removal to Northumberland County. Relationships among people also become apparent as most often it is a parent’s brothers and/or sisters who stand as sponsors. And often, two single people listed as sponsors later marry. It is a little unclear for these earliest births, pre-1764, whether the baptism had been nearer the date of birth or whether there was a catch-up in baptisms that occurred post-1764. This is too bad, as what otherwise would be clues to a sponsor’s age aren’t as clear as they otherwise could be. John David Mertz represents Generation I in America and his children Nicholas, Peter and Christina Generation II. The births of Generation III (in the 1730’s, 1740’s and 1750’s) have gone unrecorded, which is unfortunate. And Generation IV begins (in the records) with the 1760 birth of Conrad, son of John Jacob, son of Nicholas. But the Longswamp records clearly identify a large number of adult Mertzes that have to be Generation III – and since we are fortunate that all of Nicholas’ children were named in Orphans Court filings after his death, the remainder must be children of Peter. Birth Date Baptism Date Infant’s Name Father Mother Sponsors 2-May-1744 Christina Mertz Unknown Philip Heinrich Diehl Hanes Wife Philip Heinrich Diehl The sponsor is Christina, daughter of John David. I believe she marries in about 1750, so this baptism may have occurred in the 1740’s. 10-Dec-1752 Jacob Mertz, Adam Gory Unknown Johannes Litweiler Heinrich Sarah Christina Klein Henry and Sarah Litweiler were obviously close friends of the Mertz family but I do not think Sarah herself was a Mertz. One sponsor is John Jacob, son of Nicholas, but since I don’t know when the baptism occurred, I can’t use this as a clue to his age. And Christina Mertz has now married Peter Klein. 12 Sep 1758 Maria Mertz Unknown Mary Eva Litweiler Heinrich Sarah Adam Zehman, Eva Kleber Nicholas did have a daughter Maria born perhaps about 1750, but depending on the date of this baptism, she may have been too young to stand as sponsor. The sponsor here is more likely someone we know better by her secular name and Maria is her (first or) church name. For example, Nicholas’ daughter Maria Eve is older than Maria, and it would make sense it was her given the name of the infant. 13 Oct 1759 Johannes Mertz, Maria Butz Unknown Mary Magdalena Litweiler Heinrich Sarah Magdalena Mertz The sponsor is no doubt Peter’s son Johannes. And Magdalena is probably Nicholas’ daughter Maria Magdalena or possibly John Jacob’s wife Magdalena. 29 Jan 1760 Conrad Mertz Unknown Conrad Mertz Jacob Magdalena Elisabeth Hammerig John Jacob named a son Conrad and had his brother Conrad as sponsor. The other sponsor, I believe, is a clue to Magdalena’s maiden name, Elisabeth might well be Magdalena’s sister. This birth is the earliest Generation IV Mertz birth recorded. John Jacob’s sister Catherine married Lorentz Kline and their son Bernard was born apparently in 1756 – so he would have been the first Gen IV birth, but it went unrecorded. 28 Apr 1761 Peter Mertz Unknown Peter Bollinger Heinrich Elisabeth (Wohlraber) Catharina Mertz The sponsor is probably the immigrant Peter as his son Peter Jr. is not very old, even in 1764 – though I have only guessed at Peter Jr.’s birth year. But Catharina Mertz is a very curious person. Nicholas did have a daughter named Catherine but she had died before the Orphan’s court filing in 1762. So who is Catharina? Several of Nicholas’ sons marry women named Catharina, but they are too young to be married in 1764. I have always wondered if this might not be Peter’s wife, but I think it then would have said Peter Mertz and Catharina or Peter Mertz and wife Catharina. So I simply do not know who she is. The other possibility is that Peter had a daughter named Catharina. 16 Apr 1762 Peter Mertz Unknown Elisabeth Mertz Jacob Magdalena Elizabeth Mertz The new born is Elisabeth. The sponsor, Peter, may be Jacob’s uncle. We will see Elizabeth Mertz as sponsor many, many times and eventually it will seem that she will have two different husbands (at the same time). I know that Nicholas had a daughter Elizabeth and so I have concluded that Peter also had a daughter of that name too. 22 Oct 1763 Philip Mertz Unknown Anna Catharina Mertz Jacob Magdalena Catharina Braun The new born is Catharina. Jacob’s cousin Philip is the sponsor. Philip’s brother will marry Susanna Braun, this record may show that Philip “dated” Susanna’s sister at some point. Unknown David Mertz 8 Apr 1764 David Hener Adam Wife Catharina Sasseman I believe that the sponsor may be the immigrant John David – if so I believe this is his last appearance in any record, as we know he is not listed in the 1767 tax records. There is also the David who wrote his will in 1820 in North’d County and said he was 75, thus born 1745 – and who begins to have his own children in 1781. Unknown Peter Mertz 26 Feb 1769 Peter Schwartz Daniel Wife Maria Schwartz The sponsor is either the immigrant Peter or else his son Peter Jr. Unknown David Mertz 7 Jun 1772 Anna Maria Berger Nicklaus Wife Elisabeth Carl The immigrant, John David, was not listed in the tax records for Longswamp in 1767 which makes me believe that he dies sometime between his appearance at the 1764 baptism and 1767. So, I believe this is the David who was born in 1745 and has a child in 1781. I believe he is the son of the immigrant Peter, but that is not totally proven. Unknown Elizabeth Mertz 8 May 1774 Elisabeth Danckel Johannes Wife Jacob Miller The sponsor is one of the Elizabeth’s. Unknown David Mertz 12 May 1774 Maria Barbara Mertz Johannes Wife Barbara Drasser The new born is Maria Barbara, named Barbara in her father’s will. The sponsor is the ever popular David, brother, I believe, of Johannes. Unknown David Mertz 2 Oct 1774 David Mertz Jacob Wife Barbara Muller This is a very interesting record. It is interesting because the wife is not named. Up until now, when we have seen Jacob it was John Jacob with wife Magdalena. In 1776, we will start to see a different wife with Jacob, Margaretha (maiden name Miller), and the possibilities are that John Jacob remarries or that there is another Jacob on the scene. Since in the 1790 Census, we have two adult males named Jacob Mertz, I believe we can keep track of them somewhat by the names of their wives. And the presence of Barbara Muller as a sponsor I think indicates this is the younger Jacob. I believe the sponsor is his brother David and I believe both Jacob and David are sons of the immigrant Peter. This record is interesting too because of the supposed relationship between Jacob and David, the sons of Peter, who both married supposedly Miller sisters. David is said to have married Barbara Miller. And Jacob married Margaret Miller. (One of my theories is that baptisms were the late 1700’s singles bars – two single people named as sponsors often later married. So David Mertz has stood as sponsor with Elisabeth Carl, Barbara Drescher and now finally Barbara Miller.) 10 Mar 1775 Elisabeth Mertz 16 Apr 1775 Elisabeth Voegele Heinrich Barbara Peter Voegele The mother is Peter’s daughter, Barbara, who predeceases him. The sponsor is one of the Elizabeth’s and one or the other of them later marries Peter Voegele, I believe. 28 Jan 1776 Elisabeth Mertz (single) 25 Feb 1776 Johannes Mertz Johannes Margaretha Conrad Drescher The new born is Johannes, identified later in his father’s will. The sponsor is one of the Elizabeth’s and one or the other of them later marries Conrad Drescher, I believe. 24 Aug 1775 David Mertz 26 Mar 1776 Maria Magdalena Dormeyer Peter Catharina Magdalena Klein (single) The sponsor is the ever popular David. 19 Nov 1775 Elisabeth Mertz 26 Mar 1776 Johan Heinrich Mertz Jacob Margaretha Heinrich Muller The new born is John Henry and the father is the younger Jacob, married to Margaretha. I believe the sponsors are his sister and her brother. 25 Jul 1776 Abraham Mertz, 20 Oct 1776 Abraham Voegele Heinrich Barbara Barbara Drescher Another very interesting record. When the immigrant Peter dies, Henry Fegely (Voegele) files documents so that the two children of his deceased wife would be known to be heirs of Peter – their names were Philip and Elisabeth. So, the mother in this record is Peter’s daughter Barbara. But since Abraham Fegley is not one of the named heirs, he must die as an infant. But who is the sponsor Abraham Mertz? I’ll hold off on speculating as he reappears soon. 19 Sep 1776 20 Oct 1776 Jonathan Mertz Peter Susanna Conrad Drescher and Elisabetha The newborn is Jonathan and his father is Peter Jr. I believe the sponsor is Peter’s sister Elisabetha who has now married Conrad Drescher. 16 Jun 1776 David Mertz 17 Nov 1776 Susanna Mertz Philip Eva Barbara Muller (single) The new born is Susanna (identified later in her father’s will). The sponsor is Philip’s brother David and (fiance?) Barbara Miller again. They’re making the rounds. 22 Nov 1776 Abraham Mertz 15 Dec 1776 Anna Barbara Mertz Jacob Margaretha Barbara Muller (single) The new born is Anna Barbara. And here we have Abraham again as sponsor and Barbara Miller, presumably Margaret’s sister. 10 Mar 1777 8 May 1777 Isaac Mertz Niclaus Catharina Peter Klein, Christina Klein The new born is Isaac and his father is Nicolas (son of the immigrant Nicholas). The sponsors are most certainly Nicholas’ aunt Christina and her husband Peter, but note if this is true then the names are listed in similar fashion to Peter Mertz, Catharina Mertz on the 1761 baptism of Peter Bollinger. It leaves open the possibility that Peter’s wife was Catharina. 19 Mar 1777 19 May 1777 Susanna Drescher Conrad Elisabetha Johannes Mertz and Margaretha Elisabeth Drescher must be a maiden name Mertz. She also was a sponsor previously. It strikes me that since her appearances are generally with the sons of Peter and here her sponsor is a son of Peter, therefore I believe it was Peter’s daughter Elizabeth who married Conrad Drescher. 7 Sep 1777 23 Nov 1777 Ester Mertz Peter Susanna Johannes Mertz and Margaretha The new born is Ester and her father is Peter Jr. The sponsor is his brother John and his wife. 9 Nov 1777 21 Dec 1777 Anna Eva Mertz Philip Eva Johannes Mertz and wife Margaretha The new born is Anna Eva (identified from her father’s will) and the father is Philip. The sponsor is his brother John and his wife. 9 Feb 1778 15 Mar 1778 Catharina Mertz Jacob Margretha Niclaus Mertz and Catharina The new born is Catharina. The sponsor is, I believe, Jacob’s cousin Nicholas and his wife. 24 Sep 1778 Abraham Mertz 25 Oct 1778 Abraham Drescher Conrad Elisabetha Christina Drescher (single) Abraham as sponsor again. Remember, Elisabetha is nee Mertz. 9 Oct 1778 6 Dec 1778 Anna Maria Mertz Peter Susanna Heinrich Voegele and wife Barbara The new born is Anna Maria and her father, Peter Jr. The sponsor is his sister Barbara. 10 Feb 1779 28 Mar 1779 Maria Catharina Voegele Henrich Barbara Christian Voegele and Anna Maria Here is another child of Barbara (Mertz) Voegele who must die young. 12 Apr 1779 23 May 1779 Elisabeth Mertz Philip Eva Peter Voegele and wife Elisabetha The new born is Elisabeth and her father is my ancestor Philip. I think the sponsor is the other Elizabeth, who married Peter Voegele. 15 Sep 1779 7 Nov 1779 Joh Peter Diehl Phillip Sophia Peter Voegele and wife Elisabetha I think the sponsor is the other Elizabeth, who married Peter Voegele. My grandfather, John Oakley Mertz, married Radie Diehl, but I don’t think Radie had any connection to this Diehl family of Longswamp. 9 Nov 1779 17 Dec 1779 Daniel Mertz Peter Susanna Peter Klein and wife Christina The new born is Daniel and his father is Peter Jr. The sponsor is Peter’s Aunt Christina. 19 Nov 1779 17 Dec 1779 Johan Heinrich Niederauer Michael Magdalena Heinrich Mertz and wife Catharina Another interesting record. This is one of four appearances Henry makes in these records, always as a sponsor, never a father. Nicholas had a son Henry and this is probably him. 27 Jan 1780 Niclaus Mertz 26 Mar 1780 Susanna Siebert Conrad Magdalena Elisabeth Braun, single We know from Orphan’s Court records filed after Nicholas’death that he had a daughter Maria Magdalena who married Conrad Siebert. The sponsor is her brother Nicholas. 3 Feb 1780 26 Mar 1780 Abraham Mertz Niclaus Catharina Johannes Mertz and Margretha The new born is Abraham and his father is the younger Nicholas. The sponsors are Nicholas’ cousin John and his wife. 14 Feb 1780 20 Oct 1780 (Unnamed) Mertz Niclaus Catharina John Volck and Marilisa The father is Nicholas. 13 Nov 1780 19 Nov 1780 (Unnamed) Fogle Heinrich Barbara John Mertz and Margaretha The mother is Barbara nee Mertz. The sponsor is her brother John. When Peter Mertz dies in 1787, Henry Fegely only claims two children: Philip and Elisabeth but so far they have baptized Maria Catharina, Elizabeth, Abraham and now unnamed. You’d think if this was the birth of her son Philip that she would have had her brother Philip as sponsor. Unknown Abraham Mertz 4 Jun 1781 Daughter Mertz David Wife Maria Muller It is this record that proves there is an extra David floating around different than John David and the David born in 1774. I believe he is the David who writes his will in 1820 saying he is 75 years old. And here is Abraham again. Maria Miller may be the sister of David’s wife Barbara. Unknown 27 Jun 1781 Daughter Mertz Jacob Wife John Mertz and wife Margaretha The father is Jacob Jr. The sponsor is his bother John. 30 Mar 1782? 30 Mar 1782 Jacob Mertz Niclaus Wife Jacob Mertz and wife Margretha I believe this is the Jacob who is buried in Lewisburg Cemetery and whose tombstone says he was born 4 Dec 1781. I have checked this record in the original German and while I am not an expert on interpreting these records, I believe it does say he was born 30 Mar 1782 and does not give a baptism date. However, it immediately follows three other records that represent baptisms on 30 Mar 1782 with no birth date given. And the records immediately following this one are written in a different hand and perhaps represent a skip in time. So I believe this indeed is Jacob born 4 Dec 1781 and that he was baptized on this date. We know that the father Nicholas moves to Middleburg, PA a few years after this and we know that Jacob who dies in Lewisburg marries a girl from Middleburg – it all adds up. Unknown 30 Mar 1782 Anna Maria Voegele Peter Wife Philip Mertz and wife Eva The sponsor is Philip and the mother Elizabeth nee Mertz. Unknown 30 Mar 1782 Catharina Siebert Conrad Wife Heinrich Mertz and wife Catharina The mother is Magdalena nee Mertz, the sponsor is her brother Henry. 29 May 1782 Conrad Drescher Unknown Daughter Mertz John Wife Gertraut Sassman The father is Johannes. 1 Jun 1782 Unknown Son Mertz David Wife Jacob Miller and wife The father is David. Jacob Miller is David’s father-in-law, I would guess. Unknown 2 Jun 1782 Maria Eva Mertz Jacob Wife Eva Mertz The new born is Maria Eva and the father is Jacob Jr. The sponsor is his brother Philip’s wife. 8 Oct 1782 17 Nov 1782 Anna Maria Drescher Conrad Elisabetha Christian Voegele and wife Anna Maria The mother is Elizabeth (nee Mertz). 11 Dec 1782 Unknown Christian Klein Peter Wife Peter Klein Sr. and wife The sponsor is Christina (nee Mertz). Unknown 21 Apr 1783 Magdalena Mertz Jacob Wife Jacob Muller and wife Magdalena The new born is Magdalena and the father is Jacob Jr. Jacob Miller is the father-in-law, I believe, of Jacob Mertz. 26 Feb 1783 25 May 1783 Abraham Mertz Philip Wife Abraham Mertz and wife Catharina The new born is Abraham, named in his father Philip’s will and here we have Abraham again. I’m beginning to think that Peter may have had another son Abraham. 21 Aug 1782 Henrich Muller 7 Sep 1783 Susanna Voegele Henrich Wife Elisabetha Drescher Another child of Barbara Voegele who died young? 17 Apr 1784 Conrad Mertz Unknown Maria Catharina Welsch Jacob Catrina Catrina Holleberger The mother, I believe, is Catherine, daughter of Jacob Mertz, whose 1763 birth is noted earlier in this document. She marries Jacob Welsh who is listed with Jacob Mertz and Conrad Mertz as early settlers of Steuben County, NY. I think the sponsor, Conrad, is Catrina’s borther. 20 May 1784 Unknown Philip Mertz Johannes Wife Philip Mertz and wife Eva The new born is Philip – he is the Philip, son of John referred to in the immigrant Peter’s 1787 will. The sponsor is John’s brother Philip. Unknown Henrich Muller 18 Jul 1784 Elisabetha Voegele Peter Wife Sybilla Borkhart The mother is Elizabeth (nee Mertz). 15 Oct 1784 Unknown David Mertz David Wife Christian Miller and wife Barbara The new born is David Jr. Christian Miller may be the brother-in-law of David Mertz. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Note – this is the last appearance in these records of David, Jacob, Philip, Nicholas, Peter and Conrad Mertz – the exact five names known to appear in Northumberland County starting in 1785 and all present there before 1790. (There is a Peter Mertz listed as father in 1808 in the records that follow but I believe he was a son of one of the few Mertzes that stayed on in Longswamp.) 16 Aug 1784 Adam Klein Unknown Peter Klein Peter Wife Barbara Lichtel I think this must be Peter Klein III, grandson of Christina, daughter of John David. 22 Jan 1786 19 Mar 1786 Johan Georg Mertz Abraham Catharina Leon Grismer and wife Elisabeth The new born is John George and now I must attempt to identify the father Abraham. He first appears in 1776 as a sponsor and now by 1786 he is married. So, he was born, let’s say, in the early 1760’s. And the only one we know having children about then was John Jacob. So it is an educated guess that this Abraham is the son of John Jacob. Abraham married Catharina Griesemer, daughter of Leonard. 3 Mar 1786 Unknown Abraham Voegele Henrich Barbara Lorentz Trescher and wife This is the second son Abraham that Barbara (Mertz) Fegley baptizes. Since she pre-deceases her father, this is the last child she will have. 8 Jan 1787 Adam Klein Unknown Johannes Mertz Abraham Catharina Elisabetha Mertz The new born is Johannes and his father is Abraham. The sponsor is yet another Elizabeth, from the next generation, I suspect. 17 Nov 1787 Unknown Elisabeth Klein Peter Eva Margaretha Joseph Keiser and wife I’m listing the Klein children since they are descendants of Christina Mertz. 4 Aug 1787 Unknown Christian Voegele Peter Elisabetha Christian Voegele and Anna Maria The mother is Elizabeth (nee Mertz). 9 Feb 1788 Unknown Peter Volck Peter Wife Heinrich Mertz and wife Catharina The sponsor is Henry. 11 Mar 1790 Unknown Goerg Borger Daniel Sybilla Peter Voegele and wife Elisabetha The sponsor is Elizabeth (nee Mertz). 4 Mar 1790 Unknown Henrich Borger Heinrich Catharina Heinrich Mertz and wife Catharina The sponsor is Henry again. I believe he and Abraham are but the two Mertzes who stayed on in Longswamp after the others departed for Northumberland County. 13 Oct 1790 Unknown Barbara Drescher Samuel Anna Maria Conrad Drescher and Elisabetha The sponsor is Elizabeth (nee Mertz). 3 Mar 1791 Unknown Benjamin Harmony Philip Barbara Peter Klein Jr. and wife Margaretha I’m listing the Klein children since they are descendants of Christina Mertz. 21 Jun 1799 19 Sep 1802 Jacob Mertz Abraham Catharina Johannes and Margretha Weiler The father is Abraham again. It is clear evidence that Abraham also stayed on in Longswamp. I suspect that those Mertzes staying on did so because their wives did not want to leave their family. 6 Jun 1801 Jacob Trexler 26 Jul 1801 Johannes Mertz Johannes Catharina Maria Drescher, single The father is Johannes born 1776, son of Johannes who died in 1786, another segment of the family that stayed on in Longswamp. It is interesting that the name Harmony appears in these records, listed just above. A John Mertz, supposedly born 4 Jun 1801, surfaces in Ohio about 1850 and he is said to have married Sarah Harmony and that they lived for a while in Middleburg, PA. It is my theory that it is this John, that his mother stayed on in Longswamp when her deceased husband’s family left, but that later this John came and lived in Middleburg for a time in search of his aunts, uncles and cousins. 4 Jun 1802 19 Sep 1802 Anna Mertz Abraham Catharina Georg and Margretha Reber The father is Abraham again. 29 Feb 1804 1 Apr 1804 David Voegele Peter Elisabeth David Voegele and Susanna The mother is Elizabeth (nee Mertz). 14 Aug 1806 Philip Drescher 14 Sep 1806 Reuben Voegele Peter Elisabetha Catharina Gest, single The mother is Elizabeth (nee Mertz). 30 Sep 1806 8 Nov 1806 Maria Ritschert Friederich Catharina Heinrich Mertz and Catharina The sponsor is Henry. 24 Mar 1808 24 Apr 1808 Ely Mertz Peter Rhinney Nicolaus Keyser and Salome I’m not sure who the father is, a son of one of the Mertzes who stayed behind in Longswamp when the others moved to Northumberland County. Unknown 22 May 1808 Elisabeth Mertz Abraham Wife The father I guess is the Abraham identified above, or it could be a younger Abraham. Unknown 11 Sep 1808 Lydia Mertz Phillip Wife The father is Phillip, son of Johannes who died. 11 Mar 1810 23 Apr 1810 Elisabeth Mertz Phillip Elisabeth Heinrich and Margretha Voegele The father is Phillip, son of Johannes who died. Page 2 5/26/2006 2