Hi, Here’s another try at my latest plea for help. I’m sorry this is a long one. I’ve mentioned before that I’m trying to sort out the George Hertzels of Pennsylvania to find the father of my proven ancestor, George Hartzel (1812 or 1813-1892) of Beaver County, Pa. Here’s the information I have. Perhaps someone can lead my in the right direction or point out any missteps I’ve made. I’m trying to establish the link through primary sources because there is silence (or confusion) about my George in past research. I’ll outline the two Georges I’ve focused on and explain my reasoning. My research on the Hartzel family has just begun so there are some obvious gaps that might be filled as my research progresses. Perhaps someone can give me some tips here. I know my George Hartzel from Beaver County was the son of another George, who died at age 80 in 1850. An old history of Butler County says he was the son of George Hertzel and Catharine Kron/Cron/Krohen, who came from eastern Pennsylvania. This would presumably be the same George Hertzel (1769-?) and Catharine Kron who appear in Montgomery County records. However, Charles H. Price Jr.’s “A Hartzell-Price Family History and Genealogy” (1971) doesn’t list him among the children of that couple. But I see other problems in Price’s list, which I’ll outline later. You’ll notice that my footnotes on George “the elder” are almost as long as the biographical sketch. I try to raise most of my questions about sources in the footnotes. I have so many questions in that generation because I haven’t found a solid primary source that links the George in Montgomery County to the George in Beaver County. However, the circumstantial evidence is pretty good. My George II was 80 years old in 1850, had a wife named Catharine, had sons named Michael and George. The Montgomery County George fits all of these criteria. In addition, secondary sources say both Georges had wives named Catharine Cron, Kron or Krohen. The only thing lacking in the link so far is mention in Montgomery County of the other children attributed to the Beaver County George. Since I have just begun my research, these may turn up soon. These matters are crucial because the entire link to the Montgomery County Hertzels (Ulrich and George “the first”) depends on the generation in question. I realize this gets confusing. I even “contradict” myself when trying to look at the arguments from all sides. I’m sorry about that. If I can’t find the primary sources, I have to rely on interpretation - and that’s when it gets nasty. Brian Bowers GEORGE and CATHARINE HERTZEL (2) George Hertzel lived in Beaver County in the mid-1800s. Although I am still searching for conclusive evidence, he was probably the George Hertzel who was born June 12, 1769 in Montgomery County, Pa., to Georg Hertzel. In the baptismal record he is listed as Joh. Georgus – a Latinized version of the name Johann Georg. (1) Married Catharine. (2) Children: (3) George, born about 1813. Jacob. John, born about 1818. (Possibly the following, too. See below.) Michael. Betsey. Catharine. Hannah. Sarah. Maria. Two separate accounts of George have come down to us in “Genealogical and Personal History of Beaver County, Pa.” The work, which was published in 1914, focuses on later generations but mentions George as progenitor of the Hartzel clan in Beaver County. The accounts contain several obvious errors and vary from each other. However, since they may hold a glimmer of truth, I’ll include them. (4) “George Hartzel, who was born in Lehigh township, Lehigh county, Pennsylvania, traveled by wagon, in 1751 to the western part of the state, and settled in Marion township, Beaver county, where he was one of the earliest settlers. He purchased a large tract of land which he cleared for farming purposes, and spend the remainder of his life there. He was a member of the German Reformed Church, and a man on influence in the community. He married Katherine Krohen, and had children: George, Jacob, John, see forward, and six daughters.” In this passage, the date of migration is obviously incorrect since he would have been well over 100 years old when he died in 1850 and also because the area wasn’t settled by white men at all until much later. “George Hartzel was born in Bucks county, Pennsylvania, and removed to Marion township, Beaver county, Pennsylvania, about 1830. He located on a farm which is now know as the Michael Young farm, where he cleared the land and prepared it for farming purposes. He died at Brush Creek, Cranberry township, Butler county, Pennsylvania, while living with a daughter. He married Catherine Cron, born in Germany, and they had children: George, John, see forward; Jacob, Michael, Betsey, Catherine, Hannah, Sarah, Maria.” The second item appears to be more reliable, if only because of the migration date. Both items then go on to describe George’s son John. It’s hard to believe that such divergent biographical sketches focus on the same individual and appear in the same book. However, such “histories” were compiled simply to satisfy the person who paid to have his ancestors recognized on their pages. If the Montgomery County George and the Beaver County George are the same man, my George was one of the last slave-owners in Montgomery County, Pa. In 1795, George inherited a “negro man” named Cuff for four years and he was to pay him 3 pounds a year. In addition, he inherited as “negro woman” named Betsey. (5) After arriving in western Pennsylvania, the family probably worshipped at a Reformed church near Zelienople in Butler County. A Georg Herzel appears as a baptismal sponsor at the German church in 1825. This is probably our George because no others appear in the area’s census records around this time. He was the sponsor for Johannes, son of Magdalena Herzel and Jakob Kugger on Sept. 11, 1825. The child was born March 22, 1822. (The birth of a Heinrich, son of Magdalene Herzel and Jakob COPPER is recorded for Jan. 17, 1826. Possibly the same parents as the previous listing.) A “Miss Cath. Herzel” also served as a sponsor in 1825. Finally, Elizabeth Herzel, wife of Carl Goehring, appears as the mother of Elizabeth, born Nov. 9, 1824. Elizabeth (Betsey) and Catharine would correspond with the names listed in the Beaver County history. Magdalena is likely the formal name for the Mary listed in the history. Mary was a common nickname for other Magdalenas. A thorough check of this church book will prove helpful. (6) The 1840 Census shows George Heartsel working as a farmer in North Sewickley Township, Beaver County. His household included only him and a woman between the ages of 60 and 70, presumably Catharine. George died at age 80 in March 1850 in Butler County. The cause of death was listed as “decline.” (7) (1) This is the weak link in my Hertzel chain. I have just started my research on this generation and I have not found a document saying that the George listed in Montgomery County records is the same one who appears in Beaver County records; however, the evidence points in that direction. I can’t stress enough that this link is still tentative. The birth date I have listed is from “A History of the Goshenhoppen Reformed Charge, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania (1727-1819),” page 389. The date corresponds well with our George’s age at death (80 years old in March 1850). Also, secondary sources list the Montgomery County George’s wife as Catharine Kron or Cron, which is the same name given in other secondary sources for our George’s wife. We know for certain that our George’s wife was named Catharine because of the deed mentioned later. I have not found a primary source listing our Catharine’s maiden name. An “argument from silence” on behalf of my link of the Montgomery and Beaver County Georges is a lack of a will or death records for the Montgomery man. This George is listed as “George Hertzel, Esquire” in land records so it would seem unlikely that a man in tune with legalities would “disappear” without a will or a deed that divided his land among his heirs. In fact the latest deed I found in a quick check of Montgomery County records relating to this George Hertzel, showed “George Hartzel, Esquire,” Michael Hartzel and his wife Catharine and “George Hartzel the younger” selling land. Both Michael and George are identified as sons in the second biographical sketch in the (admitted sketchy) Beaver County history. In addition to his birth record, Montgomery’s George Hertzel “Esquire” is definitively linked to the eldest George (1733-1795) in Montgomery County Deed Book 17, page 327. (2) George’s wife listed as Catharine in land transaction in Beaver County, Pa., Deed Book 54, page 274. “Genealogical and Personal History of Beaver County, Pa.,” pages 444 and 579, say her maiden name was Cron or Krohen. (3) George Jr. listed in Beaver County Deed Book 54, page 274. The remaining children are listed in “Genealogical and Personal History of Beaver County, Pa.,” pages 444 and 579. However, this source offers conflicting accounts of the children and some other aspects of George’s life. “A Hartzell-Price Family History and Genealogy,” Charles H. Price Jr. lists George Sr.’s children as: Nancy, born 1807; Mark, born 1808; George, born 1809; Elizabeth, born 1811; Davis, born 1815; Philip, born 1820; and John, born 1822. Price fails to mention the Michael identified in the deed mentioned above, indicating at least a gap in his information. Price did not indicate a primary source for this information. Of course, it must be remembered that Price and I might be discussing two different men. Whether one or two men are involved here, further research is obviously needed to sort out all these children. However, we can be confident about George Jr.’s link to the Beaver County man. We can also be fairly certain about his link to John and Jacob because both men appear near George Sr. in the 1840 Census of North Sewickley Township. (4) The first account is on page 444 and the second is on page 579. (5) “Abstracts of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Wills & Administrations 1784-1823” by Ellwood Roberts, pages 81 and 82. (6) The photocopies of the church book pages were provided by the Zelienople Historical Society without source notes. (7) “Pennsylvania 1850 Mortality,” page 130. GEORGE and CHARLOTTE HARTZELL George Hartzell was born about 1813 in Pennsylvania to George and Catharine Hartzell. (1) Married Charlotte Stamm, who was born about 1816 in Pennsylvania. Her parents were John C. and Catharine Stamm. (2) Children: (3) Catharine, born 1836. Married Jacob Baier. Sophia, born 1838. Married Alford S. Powl. Mary A. or Marian, born 1840. Wife of Phillip Broman. Lewis H. or Louis, born 1842. Harriet, born Feb. 24, 1844. Married Michael P. Nye. William C. or Christy, born 1845 or 1846. Julia A. or Juliana, born 1848. Lilian Emilia or Emma, born 1850. Married Lewis Este. Charlotte Melissa, born 1854. Married Lewis Daufen. Frederick A., born 1858. Allis Barbara. Married Theodore Yahn. Henriette. Married Henry Ketterer. George. Probably died young. George was a farmer in Marion Township, Beaver County, Pa., according to census records. He served on Beaver County's committee of safety appointed at the beginning of the Civil War. He was also one of six men appointed to make sure families of soldiers from Marion Township were cared for during the war. (5) The Harzells may have worshipped as Burres Church in New Sewickley Township because George’s will stipulates that he be buried in that church’s cemetery “according to the rites and ceremonies of the said church.” When George wrote his will on Jan. 29, 1885, he did not mention Lewis, Julia or George, possibly an indication that each had died before that date. George died Oct. 13, 1892. (6) (1) The 1850 Census of Marion Township, Beaver County, Pa., says he was 37 while the 1860 Census of the same township says he was 48. The link to his parents is established in Beaver County Deed Book 54, page 274, a deed mentioning a land transaction between George Hertzel Sr. to George Hertzel Jr. George Sr.’s wife is listed as Catharine. The land was next to Michael Nye and the 1850 Census shows our George living next door to Ann Nye, the widow of Michael. This Michael was the grandfather of Michael P. Nye, who married Harriet Hartzell. (2) Date and place come from 1850 Census. Parents are named in John C. Stamm's will in Beaver County Will Book D, page 333. (3) 1850 Census, 1860 Census and George’s will in Beaver County Will Book I, page 323. Some names are listed differently in the sources. George Jr. is not listed in census records in 1850 or 1860 and is not mentioned in his father’s will. However, our George is listed as George Hartzell Sr. in the will, his death listing in the Register’s Docket and the 1860 census. Women’s spouses listed in will. (4) "History of Beaver County, Pa.,'' page 802. (5) ``History of Beaver County, Pa.,'' page 302. (6) Beaver County Register’s Docket No. 6, page 381. Listed as George Hartzell Sr. of Marion Township, executor was Frederick A. Hartzell. ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com