MERTZ-Elizabeth Audra Trueman - Fountain County INGenWeb Project

Elizabeth Audra was the daughter of Henry and Mattie Leach Trueman. She was born in Fountain Co, Indiana on February 29, 1896. We have not been able to locate a birth record for her. She claimed she was born in Tillytown but it no longer exists. According to family members it was a small community near Cates, In. Apparently, her birth was never registered anywhere. Elizabeth had a child by Melville Clauson in 1913. She named him Robert David Trueman. There is no father listed on his birth certificate. When he was older he took the name Burris but we don't know where he got that name. Bess was married briefly to George Platt in 1913 before meeting Jake Mertz. Bess divorced George in 1915 for mistreating her as stated on her application for marriage to Jake. Jake met Elizabeth (Bess) when he needed a housekeeper and sitter for his baby, Ivan, whose mother had died. Jake worked in construction with Leonard Trueman and was introduced to Bess as a possibility for a housekeeper. She had recently become widowed. She moved to Indiana to help him. When Bob was still a toddler Bess, being pregnant, married Jacob H. Mertz. He was 28 years older than her. According to family members they very much loved each other. Jake had a son Ivan by a previous wife so they started married life with two sons. Very shortly another was added. They had nine children of their own over the next twenty years. One son, Jacob Harlan Jr, died when just a few weeks old. Jake was a dirt farmer and according to family members Bess could drive a wagon as well as any man. She always had a large garden and raised chickens. They were generous with family members who needed meat or vegetables. Jake shared readily during the depression with all family members who needed it. He was not particularly well liked by some of the family because he drank quite a bit when Bess met him. She moved him from town to the country so it was not as much a temptation and that seemed to do the trick. Bess died at the birth of their last child. Jake died in 1946. Both are buried at Milner Cemetery in Blount Twp, Vermilion, Illinois.

***KINGMAN MASONIC CEMETERY- KINGMAN, INDIANA

Martin Switzer Sr Oct 21, 1897 Fountain Co Jan 3, 1966

Emma Trueman Switzer Mar 3, 1904 Danville, Il Sept 4, 1988

William B. Switzer July 5, 1927 Veedersburg, In Mar 3, 1961

***WAYNETOWN MASONIC CEMETERY- WAYNETOWN, INDIANA

Idelle Trueman Gallaher Feb 6, 1902 Danville, Il July 14, 1990

Robert Verl Peevler Feb 15, 1926 Detroit, Mi Oct 14, 1989