This past year we have had several new members join out clan, and my time has not permitted me to writ up adequate introductions for all of them a goal set long ago. My stack needing write ups is growing way to fast for me to expect to keep up. So I am going to start posting some of these would-be newsletter articles here on the website, in at least a brief form. Perhaps this will allow me to catch up eventually. And hopefully our readers will then share more, which we can add to these posts and/or put into the newsletters.
First up: Mindy Burns of Sammanish, Washington (mindyburns@excite.com)
Mindy is a 2nd great granddaughter of Benjamin Franklin Wertz, 1836-1928, and Martha Ellen Virginia Bierly. Benjamin Franklin Wertz was born 25 March 1836 in Harrison twp., Bedford County, PA, son of Daniel Wertz and Mary Moyer. Daniel is a son of George and Nancy Christy Wertz.
The first son of Benjamin Franklin and Martha Wertz, named Sylvester Monroe Wertz, was born about 1859/60 in Bedford County, shortly before they moved to Illinois. This family then moved to Oregon in 1864 and Benjamin Franklin Wertz died 1 January 1928 at Sheridan ,Oregon.
The 1880 Census for Manzanita, Jackson County, Oregon; page 69B lists: "Franklin Wertz, age 44, born PA, farmer, both parents born PA; wife Martha E. V. Wertz, age 38, born PA, father born MD, mother born PA; daughter Mary T. M. Wertz, age 19, born IL, Teacher Dist. School; daughter M. Alice Wertz, age 16, born IL, at home; son Franklin G. M. Wertz, age 9, born Oregon; son Darious Wertz, age 1 month, born Oregon.
Mindy's family records and the 1900 Census adds the following information on this family:
Benjamin, again listed as Franklin Wertz in 1900, and his wife Martha were living in the Rouge River area, Woodville Precinct of Oregon in 1900. Franklin is listed as age 74, and Martha is age 68 in 1900. Their son, Sylvester Monroe Wertz, who married Lelia Carpenter, lived near by.
Their other children, as listed in Mindy's family records, were:
America L. "Mery" Wertz, a school teacher, who married 1 Sept. 1881 to Rev. D. A. Cromwell.
Mary Alice Wertz, married 4 July 1880 to Samuel Harvey Walker.
Franklin Grant Wertz, married Ida (maiden surname unknown).
Darious Wertz is believed to have died young.
Mindy says that her family tradition is that Benjamin Franklin and Martha Wertz were part of a small group formed in Illinois who headed west together to start a branch of the Brethren Church. They traveled the Oregon trail to Utah, and then stayed there at least one winter, and then went on to Southern Oregon, settling first in Jackson County. There this group did start a Brethren Church.
Franklin was a carpenter and in 1870 they were living in Jacksonville. They bought land in Ruch, and later (by 1880) in the Manjanitta Precinct where they farmed for some years. Apparently Martha became involved with the women's rights movement and when one of her friends left her a house in Ashland, Martha went there to live alone for a few years. But by 1900 she was again living with her husband, Benjamin Franklin Wertz, near their son in Woodville.
Mindy would love to hear from any Bedford cousins, or anyone else interested in these Bedford County or Oregon Wertz families.
Thank you, Carolyn Choppin
Choppin.Carolyn@usa.net
