NEWS: Henry S. WERTZ, 1920, Duncansville, Blair County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Norma Sturm Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/blair/ _______________________________________________ TRIBUTE PAID TO FORMER EDUCATOR Tablet to Memory of Henry S. Wertz, School Head and Fair Superintendent, is Unveiled at Fair Grounds Henry S. Wertz, superintendent of the Blair county schools for many years, was the first superintendent of the Blair County Fair association and in that capacity had much to do with bringing the agricultural exhibition up to the standard which it has attained. He died at his home in Duncansville on Oct. 2, 1920, and a fitting tribute was paid to his memory this afternoon at the fair grounds when a tablet placed in a large boulder was unveiled with appropriate exercises. The following brief sketch of his life has been prepared. Henry Stephen Wertz was born in Somerset county, March 4, 1849. He died at Duncansville, Pa. Oct. 2, 1920. He was the son of Henry and Catherine (Stephens) Wertz, pioneer settlers of Blair county. The family lived in Greenfield township, this county, (then Bedford county) prior to the birth of the subject of this sketch. After his birth they again moved to Greenfield township, near Claysburg, where he spent his boyhood days. His ancestor, Henry Wertz, landed at Philadelphia on Sept. 21, 1727, on the ship Brittania from Rotterdam, via London, with 106 others, called Palatines, among them being George Wanamaker, founder of the Wanamaker family of Philadelphia. His maternal ancestor was one Estephen or Estefen, who came to America with Christopher Columbus on his first voyage. In every generation since, there has been a Henry Wertz, Henry Stephens Wertz being the fifth generation. He was unmarried but his name was given to a nephew, Henry A, Wertz, of 401 Coleridge avenue, Llyswen. The latter has a son Henry Allen Wertz, jr., the seventh one of the name, who unveiled the memorial tablet. A paternal ancestor, Henry Wertz was a soldier in the war of the American Revolution, serving in the Third battalion of the Bedford militia under Captain William McCall. This ancestor was on of the first sheriffs of Bedford county being elected in 1790. He built and owned the first buildings on the Bedford Springs Hotel property. Henry Stephens Wertz attended the public schools of Greenfield township and was graduated from Dickinson college. He taught school in Greenfield and Logan townships and was principal of the Third and Ninth ward schools in Altoona. He also taught in Juniata collegiate institute at Martinsburg, Pa. He was superintendent of the Blair County schools for twelve years being succeeded by the present incumbent Tarring S. Davis. He was first superintendent of Blair county Fair association and was secretary of Blair County Pomona grange for many years