In response to the article on this family in our last newsletter (#50), Charlene Kolterman has located a few more records on the David and Ellen Wertz family of Poweshiek County, Iowa.
There are two listings on Ancestry.com that appear to both be for this David Wertz:
First, Linda Kincaid Adams posted the following: “David Wertz, born 1864 in Missouri, wife Helen; son of David Wertz, born 1826 in Pennsylvania, and Ellen, born 2 January 1833 in Ohio.”
Second, Joy Roos posted: “David W. Wertz, born 6 January 1826 in PA; died 26 December 1910 in Jefferson twp., Poweshiek County, Iowa; married 4 March 1852 in Fairfield twp., Butler County, Ohio to Ellen Revelle, born 2 January 1833 in Butler County, Ohio. Nine children: (1) Sarah E. “Bell” Wertz, born 1855, married in Marengo, Iowa Co., Iowa… (there is more on her we did not copy); (2) William A. Wertz; (3) Lydia Ann Wertz; (4) Mollie J. Wertz; (5) David Wertz; (6) Peter Albert Wertz; (7) Emma M. Wertz; (8) Maggie Wertz; (9) Charles Wertz.”
Charlene also looked a bit closer at the 1880 census listing for this David and Ellen Wertz family, found in Franklin township, Franklin County, Nebraska; page 578B. Charlene noted that NEXT DOOR to David and Ellen Wertz is a William Mills family, listed as follows:
“William Mills, age 31, born IL, farming, father born OH, mother born MD; wife Marley Mills, age 21, born MO, both parents born Ohio; son William Mills, age 2, born NE; son Charles Mills,
age 1, born NE.”
NEXT DOOR:
“David Wertz, age 53, born PA, farming, both parents born PA; wife Ellen, age 47, born OH,
both parents born NY; son Peter Wertz, age 14, born Iowa; daughter Emma Wertz, age 12, born
Iowa; daughter Maggy Wertz, age 8, born Iowa; and son Charles Wertz, age 2, born Iowa.”
First, these listings give us the ages of the last two children of David and Ellen Wertz, those born after the 1870 census we recorded in Newsletter #50, page 6.
Second, it raises the question as to which daughter married a Mills. Is this “Marley Mills”, age 21 in 1880, the same person as the Mollie J. Wertz, age 9 in 1870? Richard Metteer told us that the daughter of David and Ellen Revelle Wertz named Mollie married a Jacob Mills. Is Richard’s Jacob Mills the same person as the “William Mills, age 31, born Illinois” on this 1880 Census?
If David Wertz and Ellen Revelle married in Butler County, Ohio, could there be Revelle family records there; or a newspaper marriage notice, that would give the names of David’s parents? I could not find their marriage listed in the IGI or the GRS indexes. Is it recorded in Butler County records?
Next Charlene rechecked the writing of Laura Johnston, and found recorded on page 424, that one of the daughters of Peter and Mary Foose Wertz, Mary Polly Wertz Shover, also moved to this same part of Iowa. Laura’s record (page 424) says: "Mary Polly Wertz, born 1823, daughter of Peter and Mary Foose Wertz, married William Shover, and they moved to Iowa. Their daughter, Susan Shover, married Morris Heller and lived at Marengo, Iowa. Their son John Shover lived at Victor…” which is about 5 miles from Hartwick, Iowa.
This family is recorded on the 1880 Census in Jefferson, Poweshiek County, Iowa; page 458D: "William Shover, age 59, born PA, farmer, both parents born PA; wife Polly Shover, age 56, born PA, both parents born PA; son Chauncy Shover, age 18, born Iowa, laborer; daughter Eldora B. Shover, age 13, born Iowa, laborer; mother Elizabeth Kearchyea, age 80 ,born PA, both parents born PA."
Perhaps a 1910 obituary for David Wertz in Poweshiek County, Iowa would name some of David’s siblings? Or perhaps records for the William and Mary Polly Wertz Shover family might name this David Wertz as her brother? According to our PA Wertz records, Mary Polly Wertz Shover died 2 March 1896, but we do not have her place of death listed. Do we have anyone out there in that part of Iowa who could check for those records??
Please send all updates, comments, and new records to BOTH Charlene Kolterman at ckolterman@cableone.net AND Carolyn Choppin at:
Choppin.Carolyn@usa.net
