The initial intention of this work was to preserve the family history of the ancestors and descendants of our Franklin County, Penn. Wertz families. However, as our research and correspondence progressed it seemed clear that additional chapters should be added noting the several other Pennsylvania Wertz-Wirt-Wurtz families and the few others who settled in other states. These records are by no means complete, but they are included here to assist others and prevent needless duplication of efforts. Hopefully future generations will begin where we left off, as we have begun where those before us concluded.
A genealogy is always an ongoing compilation of never ending records and generations yet unborn, and thus never complete or finished. But there also comes a time when the volume of records collected, and the number of generations recorded needs to be presented in a published work for the benefit of present and future generations. Many in our Wertz clan have felt this need for some years now and encouraged the writing of this book. To them I am grateful for their influence and support, and I sincerely hope they are not disappointed with the result.
Carolyn Cell Choppin Jacksonville, Florida 1988
Second Edition: After ten more years of research and correspondence with relatives and other interested researchers, and since our 1990 edition of this book is now out of print, it has come time to revise and up date this work. This edition, is produced as it was in 1990, so as to maintain the usefulness of the indexes, but with footnotes and corrections added, and cross references to our "Wertz Relations" Newsletters noted.
Many of the corrections were necessary just because we could not correctly read the 1915 charts compiled by Estelle Ryan Snyder and her associates. Others have come about because new research, records, and relatives have surfaced. With the help of the Internet today, changes come more and more rapidly, and the use of computer technology helps greatly to keep our records current. It is thus hoped that future editions will come about more rapidly.
Carolyn Cell Choppin, Aurora, Colorado 1998
The following is a summary of the Wertz-Wirt-Wurtz Book
WERTZ-WUERTZ-WURTZ FAMILY HISTORY
Chapter 1:
Our Ancestors... 1585 to 1731
Five generations of Bretten Wurtz families
Chapter 2:
The First Two American Generations
Our emigrant ancestor, Hans Jacob Wurtz
Family and ancestry of Anna Barbara Hoff
Will of (Hans) Jacob Werts (Wertz/Wurtz)
Chapter 3: Conrad and Mary Wertz:
Family of John Cunradt Wertz and Mary
Will of (John) Conrad Wertz, 1735-1793
John Wertz, 1758-1834, and Catherine Starr/Sten (see N.#28)
Jacob Wertz, 1762-1800+, and Hannah Emmons
Peter Wertz, a.1768-1803/7, wife unknown
Conrad Wertz, 1770-1810+,& Anna Mary Cook
Christian Wertz, 1772-1851, & Elizabeth Fisher
Andrew Wertz, 1774-1825+, and Magdalena Berkey
Daniel Wertz, 1781-1873/8, & Sarah Weimer
Chapter 4:
Descendants of Maria Catherine Wertz,
1738-1823, and Abraham Knepper
Chapter 5:
Descendants of John Wertz, a.1742/3-1815
Jacob Wertz, 1774-1848,& Maria Snowberger
Frederick Wertz, a.1781-1852,& Miss Baker
Susanna Wertz,1785-1863, & John Baker
Chapter 6:
Descendants of Johann George Wertz,
1745-1798, and Catherine Stoner; will of George Wertz
George Wertz, 1785-1865, & Catherine Emerick
David Wertz,a.1788-1830+,& Eliz. Emerick
Jacob Wertz, 1796-1877, and Polly Loeb
Elizabeth Wertz and Michael Emminger
Barbara Wertz and Henry Keyler
Catherine Wertz and Frederick Fisher
Eve Wertz, 1793-1880, and John Bushman
Maria Wertz and Henry Cordell
Chapter 7:
Unattached maybe related Wertz families
Franklin County, Penn. Wertz records
Bedford County, Penn. Wertz families: Paul & Catherine Stiffler Wertz
George & Nancy Wertz; Nicholas & Diana Wertz; Peter & Sarah Wertz
Zacharius & Elizabeth Wertz; George and Sarah Nogle Wertz
Adams Co. Wertz Families
Berks, Bucks, & Chester etc. Counties Wertz Families
Frederick & Washington Co., Maryland Families
Ohio, Indiana, & Illinois Wertz families
Simon Peter Wertz,1819-1892; Canada & Ill. & Calif.
Chapter 8:
A Parallel Wertz Family History: Wirz/ Wurtz families of Zurich, Switzerland
1735 emigrant Johannes Conrad Wurtz
John Sparhawk Wurtz, b.1876; Phila.
Chapter 9: Other Penn. Wertz Families:
Dauphin County Wirt/Werth families: John Adam and Eve Elizabeth Wirt
Cumberland County Wertz families:
Dewalt & Madelena Wertz; son of Daniel
Peter Wertz, b.1792, of Landisburg
Other Cumberland Co. Wert(z)
A Northumberland & Perry County Wertz Family:
Daniel F. Wertz, emm.1770; & Nicholas & Margaret Sidel Wertz
Other Pennsylvania and Ohio Wertz
Chapter 10: Early Penn. Wertz Records
Emigrants: ships lists, oaths, etc.
Early Germantown Wertz families
Early Penn. Wertz births and marriages
Wertz in the 1790 Census records
Revolutionary War Records, Pensioners
Chapter 11: Southern Wertz Families
The Loudoun County, Virginia: William & Anna Catherina Wertz desc.
Christian Wertz and Nancy Brubaker of Roanoke Co., Va.
Wertz families in the Carolinas
Chapter 12:
The Paul Wirtz Inheritance Case and the 1915 Wertz Family Association.
References and footnotes
Index to Charts, Documents, and Pictures
Index to all non-Wertz surnames
Index to all Wertz given names
