Merz, Johannes Helmut (John)
Biography
Johannes (John) Helmut Merz, April 21, 1924 - March 24, 2006. Researchers across the world, interested in the Hessians of the American Revolution, suffered a great loss with the passing of John Merz on March 24th, 2006. With his family at his side he passed on after a brief illness. He was in his 82nd year. Beloved husband of 60 years to Emmi, loving father of Inge Parada and her husband Tony, Norm and his wife Joanne, Connie Harper and John Merz Jr. Fondly remembered by his grandchildren, Tony Jr., Vicki, Mathew, Paul Jr., Steven and Dylan. During the celebration of his life on March 29th in Hamilton, Ontario, it was noted that he had arrived in Canada, from Germany, with $94.00 and a family to look after. After his retirement he decided to research the Hessians while stopping at the Rose House Museum in North Marysburgh, Prince Edward County. John spent the next 20 years documenting the Hessians and their settlement in North America after the American Revolution. In 2004 John donated these records to Seventh Town Historical Society for the Marilyn Adams Genealogical Research Centre. The life of John Merz will live on in his work, the result of his generosity and sense of history, as researchers continue to access it.
Extract from Quinte Kin, Vol. 7, No. 1 March 2006 from
http://www.quinte-kin.com/news.htm
Other Information
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Published Work
2001. The Hessians of Quebec : German auxiliary soldiers of the American Revolution remaining in Canada. Hamilton, Ont. : J.H. Merz. (Nonfiction)
1997. The Hessians of Nova Scotia. Hamilton, Ont. : German Canadian Historical Book Pub. (Nonfiction)
1997. The Hessians of Upper Canada. Hamilton, Ont. : German Canadian Historical Book Pub. (Nonfiction)
1993. Register of German military men who remained in Canada after the American Revolution. Hamilton, Ont. : German Canadian Historical Book Pub. (Nonfiction)
1992. He was a Hessian : a study of some early German military settlers in Canada, 1783-1800, and the story of one of them : Johannes Leonhard Kratz. Winnipeg: Wolf Verlag. (Nonfiction)
