When David Mertz arrived America in 1733 on the ship Richard and Elizabeth, the captain of the ship reported that David was 44. If that is all we knew, we would state his birth date as about 1689.
However, his parents married 1 May 1689, so I think 1690 is a better estimate of his birth, given all the available information.
In any event, we have evidence of his date of birth to within about a year or so. We cannot be that accurate as to his date of death. He contributed to the building fund for the Longswamp Reformed Church in 1748 and that may be his last mention in official records. He was not listed as a taxable on the 1752 records of Longswamp Township, his sons Peter and Nicholas were. It's possible, he was alive and living with one or the other of his sons, but I suspect he had died by then.
Dr. Gerhard Hein wrote in his OFB for Kirberg, Alsace: Mertz, David, aus Hangweiler, er ist ins neue Land gezogen und hat dort 3 Kinder, married Veronica Schneider, daughter of Joseph. His 3 children were 1. Hans Nickel 2.Hans Peter 3. Christina. Uber deren Leben oder Tod ist nichts bekannt. Schema genealogiica 18.10.1764
"'Possible Burial"' Longswamp Union Cemetery, Mertztown, Berks County, Pennsylvania, USA
David was one of four early immigrants who settled in Berks County, he alone of the Reformed religion, the others Lutheran. Another immigrant, John Henry Mertz who came to America in 1737 settled in Rockland Township and gave the land for what became known as Mertz Church. When Jost and Johannes Mertz subsequently arrived, they too found their way to Mertz Church. Jost, it turns out was John Henry's brother. It is not know if Johannes was related to John Henry and Jost or not.
It is the re-occurring names of the sons and grandsons of David, John Henry, Jost and Johannes where all the confusion originates among Mertz researchers.
David's sons were Nicholas and Peter. Nicholas' sons were Jacob, Henry, Conrad and Nicholas. Peter's sons were Peter, David, John, Philip, Nicholas, Jacob and Abraham. John Henry's sons were Philip, William, Jacob, Henry, John George and George Henry. Jost's sons were Henry, Conrad and Richard. And Johannes' sons were Melchior, John and Peter.
In the next generation we find multiple instances of boys given the name Jacob, John, Henry, Abraham, William, Philip, David, Solomon and so on.
The result is that way too often someone researching a man named, for example, Jacob Mertz (there were 11 of them born in Berks County before 1782) has lost their way.
Dr. Gerhard Hein's Village Family Book for Kirberg, Bas-Rhin, Alsace: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C339-HYH2?i=355&cat=701977
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M > Mertz > Johann David Mertz
Categories: Longswamp Union Cemetery, Mertztown, Pennsylvania