John Jackson Werts was born 6 February 1831 in Muskingum County, Ohio the third of eight children born to George Peter Werts, 1801-1866, and Margaret Maple (or Marple). George Peter Werts Jr., was born in Loudoun County, Virginia and come to Ohio with his parents about 1816.
He was married 20 September 1827 in Guernsey County, Ohio to Margaret Maple or Marple.
John Jackson Werts and his siblings grew up in Muskingum County, Ohio; and on 28 May 1854 John Jackson Werts married there to Esther Ann Wymer. Esther had been born in Muskingum County, Ohio on 18 September 1837, daughter of John and Rebecca Gaumer Wymer or Wimer.
John Jackson and Esther Ann Werts had their first several children born in Zanesville, Muskingum County, Ohio; before they moved their family, about 1865, on the eve of the Civil War, to Lucas County, Iowa. Did they move west to escape the political turmoil of the 1860's in Ohio; or just because their growing family needed more land? At least five more children were born to them in Iowa.
The 1880 Census records them on page 531C, in Benton and Warren townships, Lucas County, Iowa, with eight children still at home:
"John A. Werts, age 49, born Ohio, farmer, father born VA, mother born Ohio;
wife E. A. Werts, age 43, born Ohio, keeping house, father born PA, mother born Ohio;
daughter L. J. Werts, age 20, born Ohio
son A. R. Werts, age 19, born Ohio, farm laborer
son Jacob L. Werts, age 17, born Ohio
son Clifton L. Werts, age 12, born Iowa
daughter Susie Werts, age 9, born Iowa
daughter Mable Werts, age 5, born Iowa
son Charles Werts, age 4, born Iowa
son Oliver Werts, age 1, born Iowa
"other" Sarah Mains, single, age 30, born PA, servant."
John's brother, Jacob Henry Werts was listed on the same census page with his family. Most likely they moved to Iowa together about 1865.
The eldest son of John Jackson and Esther Ann Werts, John Quincy Werts, apparently just recently married, is also listed, on page 512D, in Washington township of Lucas County, Iowa:
"John Q. Werts, age 23, born Ohio, farmer, both parents born Ohio;
wife Melvina Werts, age 24, born Illinois, keeping house, father born NC, mother born IN."
The Ancestral File records only two of the sons of John Jackson and Esther Ann Wymer Werts; Jacob Leonard Werts, 1862-1944; and Clifton Elmer Werts, 1868-1943.
Did John Jackson and Esther Ann Wymer Werts have more than these nine children? Does anyone have dates for ALL of their children?
Descendant Mary Beth Jensen of Lena, Wisconsin (gmjensen@bayland.net) has shared the following photograph of John and Esther Werts.
Choppin.Carolyn@usa.net
