Person:Hans Hertzel (1)

Hans Georg Hertzel's son Hans George Hertzel, called "John" (1714-1767) was born on Jul y 7,1714 in Reihen, Baden, Germany. He died on January 21, 1767 in Easton, Northampton, PA. He was married in 1737 to Catherina Schmetzer (b.1713) in Lehigh, PA, and had eight children. He farmed 200 acres next to his father's land on Applebutter Road, which he purchased in 1737, the year he was married.

The Lower Saucon Reformed Church met at his house (1747), and his children are entered in the earliest church books (1756.) "He wrote his will in German on Feb 21, 1757. Jan 1, 1767 he and George Heckman were drowned at Easton, probably as they attempted to cross the Lehigh River. The family continued to live on the farm for about six years until the youngest child married. Feb 1, 1769, son-in-law Jacob Gross agreed to take over the plantation for 400 pounds. They had a sale at which John, the oldest son, bought most of the farm equipment and some animals, other sons-in-law purchased items, the total coming to 638 pounds, 7 shillings, 4 pence for the personal property of the estate."

He had two other sons named John, John Adam and our ancestor Johann Hans George Hartzel. He was buried in Lower Saucon Reformed Church Cemetery, Easton Road, Hellertown, PA. (Now a Lutheran Church; info and directions) Catharine Schmetzer was born March 3, 1713 and died on 20 Sep 1796 in Lower Saucon, Northampton Co, Pa, while living with her son-in-law, Jacob Cross. She was buried in Lower Saucon Reformed Church Cemetery, Easton Road, Hellertown, Pa. Children: Magdalena, Anna Christina (Eva), John, Anna Maria Margaretha b. 1743, Friedrich, John Adam, John George, Mary Magdeline, Susanna Catharina, Nathan.

Why was she living with her son-in-law?

In the online records of Northampton wills I find this: 262 Hartzell, George Lower Saucon 31-3-1785 - 25-3-1789 wife Mary-Magdalena son Henry dau Mary dau Margaret son Solomon step-son Adam Schmetzer step-dau Magdalena Schmetzer ex. John Rothrock

I don't know what all the numbers mean, or the dates, but there's that Schmetzer name.

1. ↑ Edmund West, comp. Family Data Collection - Individual Records. (Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2000).

   Online publication - Edmund West, comp.. Family Data Collection - Individual Records [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2000.