Several years ago, Paul Wertz (plwertz@bellsouth.net) of Memphis, Tennessee, requested information on his 2nd great grandfather, Benjamin Franklin Wertz, born 1806 (family records) or 1810 (census) in PA, "possibly near Harrisburg" (family records). So far we have no information on his parents, siblings, or ancestry.
This week, Jonathan Wert forwarded some records on this family collected from Marie Ballew and Marlene Creech. These records, added to those already on file from Paul Wertz, provide the following time line for this Benjamin Franklin Wertz:
1806/1810 born in PA where? Parents??
8 April 1833 married in Ohio, probably in Montgomery County, to Margaret Eliza Hubler, who was born 18 October 1805, PA.
a.1833 son Joseph was born in Ohio, probably Montgomery County.
a.1835 son Isaac was born in Ohio, probably Montgomery County.
21 August 1840 son Benjamin Franklin Wertz Jr. was born in Ohio, probably Montgomery Co.
1850 Census: Jefferson Twp., Montgomery County, Ohio:
Benjamin Wertz, age 40, born PA
Margaret Wertz, age 45, born PA
Joseph Wertz, age 17, born Ohio
Isaac Wertz, age 15, born Ohio
Benjamin Wertz, age 10, born Ohio
Margaret Hoobler, age 78, born PA
1860 census record needed Ohio or Iowa? Or somewhere in between??
1870 census record needed - Ohio or Iowa? Or somewhere in between??
1880 Census: Bellair, Appanoose County, Iowa, page 542D:
Benjamin Wertz, male, married, age 70, born PA, retired farmer, both parents born PA
Mary J. Wertz, female, married, age 47, born IN, father born Switz, mother born IN
Alice Cummings, female, single, age 23, born IA, both parents born IN
1880 Census: Bellair, Appanoose County, Iowa, page 542D: (next door)
Ben. F. Wertz, male, married, age 39, born Ohio, farmer, both parents born PA
Sara D. Wertz, female, married, age 44, born IN, both parents born PA
William A. Wertz, male, single, age 17, born IA, works on farm
Samuel M. Wertz, male, single, age 16, born IA
Levi S. Wertz, male, single, age 14, born IA
Lovina C. Wertz, female, single, age 13, born IA
Margaret E. Wertz, female, single, age 11, born IA
Mary A. Wertz, female, single, age 10, born IA
James B. Wertz, male, single, age 8, born IA
Edward S. Wertz, male, single, age 7, born IA
Elbert J. Wertz, male, single, age 4, born IA
Elisabeth Hubler, female, widow, age 67, born PA, both parents born PA
Margaret E. Hubler, female, single, age 25, born IA
1880 Census: Bellair, Appanoose County, Iowa, page 542D:
Joseph Wertz, male, married, age 47, born Ohio, both parents born PA
Missouri A. Wertz, wife, female, married, age 49, born IL, both parents born VA
Martha V. Wertz, daughter, female, single, age 15, born IA.
1886 family records say that Benjamin Franklin Wertz Sr. died at Centerville, Appanoose Co., IA
Comments and Questions
Although relationships are not given on these 1880 Census listings for the two Benjamin Franklin Wertz families (above), it appears that Benjamin Franklin Wertz Sr. had a second wife, who is the same age as his eldest son, Joseph! Both Benjamin Franklin Wertz Sr. and Mary J. Wertz are listed as married, and since they are living in the same household, we can only assume they are married to each other!
If this is true, then when died Benjamin Franklin Wertz Sr.'s first wife, Margaret Eliza Hubler die?
Marie Ballow's records list Margaret's birth year as 1854, their marriage as 1853, and her death date as 20 June 1886. However, since there is NO evidence that Margaret was still alive when this 1880 Census was taken, and Benjamin Franklin Wertz Sr. appears to have remarried, MAYBE the 1854 date is for Margaret's death??
If so, did she die in Ohio? In route west? Or in Iowa?
And when and where did Benjamin Franklin Wertz Sr. remarry to this Mary J. ---??--- Wertz? Did Benjamin Franklin Wertz Sr. and Mary J. have any children?
Is the Alice Cummings living with them in 1880 perhaps a daughter of Mary's from a previous marriage?
Note that on the 1850 Census, Margaret's mother is living with the Benjamin Franklin Wertz family. Her name is also Margaret, and if she was age 78 in 1850, she would have been born about 1772, in PA. What was her husband's name?
Family records state that Benjamin Franklin Wertz Jr. married Sarah Elizabeth Hubler, who was also his cousin, and that Sarah's parents were Solomon Hubler and Elizabeth Lantz.
Were Solomon Hubler and Margaret Elisa Hubler Wertz siblings?
If so, who was their father?
Where in PA was this Hubler family from?
Where in PA was Benjamin Franklin Wertz Sr. born?
The only PA unattached Benjamin Wertz I have in my files is the son of a Henry Wertz, who died in Lancaster County, PA in 1866 (see Wertz Newsletter #30, page 6, last paragraph). And as of yet we have NO dates for any of the children of this Henry Wertz.
Does anyone have access to Lancaster County Probate files, which might tell us where his eleven children were living in 1856?
ANYONE who has any PA or 1860 or 1870 Census records for this family, please post to our guest book or email me at:
Choppin.Carolyn@usa.net
