Julia Waldron Wertz, 1847-1926

WERTZ, WALDRON

Posted By: Emmet County IAGenWeb Coordinator (email)
Date: 4/19/2009 at 20:33:40

Life [of] Mrs. Wertz Reads Like Story Book: Dies Sunday

Mrs. Julia A. Wertz (Julia Agnes Waldron) was born in Pennsylvania, October 23, 1847. In 1855 the family migrated to Iowa, settling on a farm in Johnson county near Iowa City. Here they encountered the untold hardships of pioneers and the rigors of winter on the unbroken prairie. On Dec. 21, 1856, as her father and mother and oldest brother were driving across the prairie, returning from church, they were caught in the grip of a blizzard. The mother and brother, a lad of 14 years, perished in the storm. In the meantime little Julia, then nine years of age, kept the fire going and the smaller children, panic stricken, indoors. As the early darkness settled over the land, a lighted candle was in the window for those who were waging a losing battle against the fury of the blast without. Shrieked the wind and howled the storm, forcing open the door and blowing out the candle again and again. Each time the brave little battler would relight the candle. Far into the night she kept the light in the window until she fell asleep in shear exhaustion.

From that dread night, which robbed her of her mother and brother, Julia A. Waldron was the little mother of the household.

She taught school for a number of years. March 31, 1870 she was married to William Wertz. To this union was born eight children, three of whom died in infancy, and one son, Roy, who died Dec. 27, 1922.

About 31 years ago they moved to Emmet county, settling on a farm between Dolliver and Gruver. Here they lived until the death of her husband which occurred Nov. 12, 1909.

Mrs. Wertz is survived by two daughters and two sons: Mrs. Retta Lee of Cedar Rapids; Mrs. Winnie Schley of Silver Dale, Wash., Frank Wertz of Estherville, and Vernon Wertz of Gruver. There are twelve grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. She has one sister, Mrs. Lina Cozine, of Iowa City; one half sister, Mrs. E. M. Whiting of Whiting, Iowa, and two half brothers, W. C. Waldron of Iowa City and Vernon I. Waldron of Oakland, Cal.

The departed was a true Christian woman whose friend were numbered by all who knew her. She united with the Presbyterian church in early life; was a charter member of the Community Methodist church at Dolliver, and was a faithful, earnest worker in all activities of the church there. She later became an untiring worker of the Community church at Gruver.

The bleak and dreadful night on the prairies of Johnson county seventy years ago was only a type of the storms of life that beat and broke upon the heroic soul of Julia A. Wertz. Through them all she was "master of her fate, she was captain of her soul." A calm and unfaltering trust in the heavenly father sustained her till the last. Through all her life she held a light for storm tossed souls--was ever the faithful little mother. Her cheerful disposition, her kindly, charitable spirit and her wise words of counsel were a help and inspiration to all who knew her.

Contributed by: Ruth Hackett. Source: Vindicator and Republican, Estherville, Emmet County, Iowa; February 24, 1926.