Updated: 9 Sep 2004

Current Research Issue 06
Possible Connection between "Marthia" and "Mathia" Families

Date: Thu, 9 Sep 2004 06:56:33 -0700 (PDT)
From:   J Marthia
Subject: Mathia -- Marthia?
To:     Kurt Matthia

I came across your website because of the article on Peter Mathia.  From the article, I learned that his last name was at times mispelled, Marthia, which is my last name.  I am fairly certain that all Marthia's in the US trace back to a single individual, Christian Marthia, who lived in Buffalo in the late 1800's. Where he came from and who his parents are is a mystery to me.  According to the census he was originally from Baden, Germany, but family lore also puts him around Alsace Lorraine, France.

Any chance that there could be a connection here?

Thanks!
Jen

Date: Thu, 9 Sep 2004
From:   Kurt Matthia
Subject: Mathia -- Marthia?
To:     J Marthia

Hi Jen,

Thanks for writing! Christsian (spelled that way) Marthia shows in the 1880 census with an estimated birth year of 1848, age 32, and as you say from Elsass. His wife was born in New York, estimated birth 1852, age 28. That means Christsian probably never married in the old country, or if he did, he may have lost his wife.

There is a Camile Marthia living in San Francisco with a (step?)dad Charles Rodd. Both she and her mother come from France (which, on and off, Elsass was). There is also a Duraver Marthia who was born in Pennsylvania. You've probably already seen these.

I'd trust the Elsass entry on the census. People don't go around making up something like that. They would more likely say Germany or France. Saying "Elsass" may have been as much a political statement as an historical one.

If he was from Elsass, then I would agree with your conclusion that you are probably a cousin to the Mathia - Matthia families. We have found many divergent spellings, even in the same parish records. Many were illiterate and when they spoke their name, someone had to phoneticize it.

You might consider the first step of writing to davefrancis@cruzio.com. He gathered all the Krummes-Elsass data. He did the research in the civil records, and another man did all the church records. They worked together, and their file is not limited to Mathia/Matthia names. We are in there incidentally. There are 19,000 names. I checked their whole file, but didn't see a quick match for your Christian. Use this URL to nose around yourself: http://awt.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=SHOW&db=davef10&recno=6116

As I said, write to Dave and he perhaps can give you some suggestions about where to look in that area for the time period 1847-1849 to try to find Christian.

I hope this helps. I'd really like to know what you find out.

Any time you'd like to post your family on our web site (or any part of it), I'd be happy to put it up. A GEDCOM file would work best, but we take data any way we can get it.

Sincerely, your prospective cousin,
Kurt

cc: Bob Mathia, Karen Matthia Aland

Date: Thu, 9 Sep 2004 09:38:56 -0700 (PDT)
From:   J Marthia
Subject: RE: Mathia -- Marthia?
To:     Kurt Matthia

Thank you!  I'll let you know what if I am able to make a connection.

:) Jen