My Genealogy Hound

MAHLON K. FRITZ, a retired farmer of Upper Pottsgrove township, Montgomery county, was born in that county, October 6, 1836. He is the son of David and Ellen (Keyser) Fritz.

John Fritz (grandfather, and his wife Sarah (Sands) Fritz, lived in Berks county. During the first part of his life he was a blacksmith, They had eleven children, three deceased and but later became a farmer. In politics he was a Democrat. The family were members of the Lutheran church. John Fritz died in 1873. Jacob Keyser (maternal grandfather) lived on the farm where his grandson, Mahlon K. Fritz, now lives. He married Christine Neiman.

David Fritz (father) resided in Montgomery, on the property which is now owned by the Pottstown Trolley Company. He afterwards removed to the farm where his son Mahlon lives, and died there. He learned the trade of blacksmith, but devoted nearly all his life to the occupation of farming. He married Ellen Keyser. The family were members of the Lutheran church. Mr. Fritz died in March, 1901, and his wife in August, 1901. In politics he was a Democrat. The children of David and Ellen (Keyser) Fritz: Matilda ( deceased), married Christian Yergey (deceased), a mason who resided in Montgomery county, he surviving her for several years, and they having nine children, all living; Eli, married first Katie Reigner (deceased), and (second wife) Lavinia Levengood, there being two children by the first wife and two by the second, and he is a miller in Berks county; and Mahlon K.

Mahlon K. Fritz attended the common schools until he was sixteen years of age, and then four years more in college. For the nest thirteen years he taught school during the winter months, and worked on the farm in the summer. He afterwards resided in Pottstown for ten years, and was engaged in the lumber and bridge business until he removed to the farm in Upper Pottsgrove township, which belonged to his father. He managed this place until twelve years ago, when he retired, and it is now occupied by a tenant. In politics he is a Democrat, and has been a school director for a number of years. The family are members of the Lutheran church.

On December 7, 1867, Mahlon K. Fritz married Rebecca, daughter of David and Lettie (Davidheiser) Endy. Mr. and Mrs. Endy have always been residents of Montgomery county, and he is engaged in butchering and farming. They had eleven children, three deceased and eight living, as follows: David, Caroline, Elizabeth, Angeline, John, Henry, Horace and Rebecca (Mrs. Fritz).

Mr. and Mrs. Fritz had the following children: Laura Jane, died young; Nellie May, died at the age of five years; Clinton, married Sallie Keyser, and lives in Pottstown, where he is engaged in the boiler business, they having two children, Beulah Rebecca and Pearl; Alpheus, married Olivia Maurer, and they live in Berks county, where he is a molder in the Colebrookdale Iron Works, they having one child, Lottie May.

The Fritz name is of German origin, but the family emigrated to this country in the early part of the eighteenth century and settled in this section of Pennsylvania. John Fritz (grandfather) lived in Douglass township, berks county, where he was born. He owned a farm of one hundred acres. His children: Samuel, Joseph, David (father), Catharine Hollman, Sarah Keyser, and John.