Tombstone Tuesday-Solomon Hartzog

Solomon Hartzog, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Van Wert County, Ohio. (2012 photo by Karen)

This is the tombstone of Solomon Hartzog, located in row 8 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Schumm, Van Wert County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:

Solomon Hartzog
Died
Nov. 7, 1848
aged 39 years
and 11 months

Solomon Hartzog was born 7 Dec 1808, as calculated from his tombstone, and was born in Reading, Pennsylvania. [1]

Solomon Hartzog married Susanna King on 1 April 1830 in Franklin County, Ohio. [2]

Solomon entered 2 parcels of land in Willshire Township in 1834, 110 acres in Section 34 and 200 acres in Section 35. [1]  

By 1840 the Solomon Hartzog family had moved to Willshire Township. They reportedly settled along the St. Marys River and his place was somewhat of a trading post. Their family, as enumerated in 1840: males: 1/under 5, 1/30-39; females: 2/under 5, 1/5-9, 1/20-29. [3]

Solomon was a judge in the October 1840 Willshire Township election. Other judges were Richard Pring and William Major. Clerks were Ansel Blossom and Henry Spillman. [1]  

Solomon’s wife Susanna died in 1842 and she is buried next to him in Zion’s cemetery.

Solomon married Mary Blossom on 27 June 1844 in Van Wert County, married by the M.E. deacon James J. McNabb [4] and Solomon died 4 years later.

Solomon and Susanna (King) Hartzog had the following children, although there may be more:
Mary A (1831-1876), married David Smith
Jesse (1833-1904), married Mary Ann Adams
Leah (1836-1921), married Henry Banta
King Solomon (1838-1863), married Polly Medaugh
Eliza J (1841-1880), married James C. Casto
Benjamin (1842-)

How creative to name their second son King Solomon. Think about it. A Biblical reference by using his mother’s maiden name.

When Solomon Hartzog and his wife Susanna died they left several young children. I often wonder where orphaned children went to live. In 1850 Hartzog siblings Leah (14), King Solomon (12), and Eliza (10) lived with their sister Mary, who was married to David Smith. [5]  

Inscribed on the bottom of Solomon’s tombstone:

Why do we mourn for dying friends
Or shake at deaths alarms:
Tis’ but the voice that Jesus sends
To call them to his arms.

[1] Sutton, History of Van Wert and Mercer Counties, Ohio, (1882; reprint, Mt. Vernon, Indiana : Windmill Publications, Inc., 1991), 253, 239.

[2] “Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-2016,” Franklin Marriages, Vol. 2, p.245, no.1293, Solomon Heartzog & Susanna King, 1 Apr 1830; FamilySearch.org (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:939K-L1TD-3?i=173&cc=1614804&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AXD5H-LRP : viewed 26 Apr 2021).

[3] 1840 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, p.70, Solomon Hartgoy; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/8057/ : viewed 26 Apr 2021).

[4] “Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-2016,” Van Wert, Vol.1, p.20, Solomon Harzog & Mary Blossom, 27 Jun 1844; FamilySearch.org (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:9392-S5QF-4S?i=30&cc=1614804&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AX8P3-5QJ : viewed 3 Apr 2021). 

[5] 1850 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, p.166B, dwelling 112, family 128, David Smith; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/8054/ : viewed 26 Apr 2021).

4 comments

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    • Justin Ritenour on August 29, 2023 at 11:41 pm
    • Reply

    Hi Karen, I just happened to stumble across this article. King Solomon is my Great, Great, Great Grandfather and I actually have a picture of him. Maxine Ritenour (Hartzog) is my grandmother and my connection to King. It was great reading this information as we are beginning to research our genealogy. I know King was killed at the Battle of Chickamauga and I have some records of his from the Civil War.

    Thanks again for posting this!

    Justin Ritenour

    1. Great to hear from you and to learn of your relationship to the Hartzogs. I would love to see a photo of King Solomon Hartzog and would be interested in posting it here. I’m sure there are others who are interested in the family. Good luck with your research and thanks for writing!

      • Serena Renner on February 18, 2024 at 5:25 pm
      • Reply

      Hi Justin,
      I am connected to King through his daughter Edith’s marriage to Carnley Mottinger. My mom and I have been doing genealogy, and would love to see a pic of King and/or have any info you might have of him!
      Thank you!

      1. Sorry, but I do not have a photo of him. Perhaps some family members have one. Thanks for writing

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