Jacques Wertz (1867 - 1948)

Born 29 Sep 1867 in Mulhouse, Alsace, France

Ancestors

Husband of Rosalie Jeanne (Zimmermann) Wertz — married 10 Oct 1891 in Paris, France

Descendants

Died 28 Dec 1948 at age 81 in Bloomfield, New Jersey

Problems/Questions Profile manager: John Sigh [send private message]

Biography

Jacques Wertz is Notable.

Life during the Franco-Prussian War

Jacques Wertz was born on 29 Sep 1867, in Mulhouse, Alsace, France, to Philippe J and Louise R Wertz during a very volatile period of history for this region. ^[1][2][3][4] Prussia, and its chancellor, Otto von Bismarck had recently defeated Austria with the ambition to unify Germany. He saw France as the main obstacle toward this ambition and on 19 Jul 1870, two months prior to Jacques' third birthday, the Franco-Prussian War began. When the war ended on 10 May 1871, Mulhouse was annexed to the German Empire as part of the territory of Alsace-Lorraine and would not become French territory again until the end of World War 1 in 1918.

Escaping the German Army

As a young man living in Mulhouse, Alsace, now governed by Germany, Jacques was drafted into the German army. He never considered himself German and always clung to his French roots. He had no love for the Germans and his disdain was only deepened when he was struck by a German officer with the flat side of a sword between his nose and upper lip. This wound left a scar which he hid by growing a mustache that he wore for the rest of his life.^[5]

Jacques was so distraught, by having to be a German soldier, that he decided to risk desertion. Secreting some civilian clothes on a train while being transported, he went into the men's room to remove his German uniform and put on the civilian clothes. Then as the train crossed the Rhine River he threw his uniform out the window and left the train unnoticed at the next stop.^[5]

The Prestigious École des Beaux-Arts

Prior to the German take over, Mulhouse had become one of France’s leading textile centers and it was an industry in which Jacques would excel. His father was a tisserand (an embroiderer) and Jacques would somewhat follow in his father’s footsteps in the fabric industry, not as a tisserand but as a creator of fabric designs.

Accepted by the prestigious École des Beaux-Arts, Jacques went to Paris in 1885 to study. The École was the apex of recognized achievement, with established levels of exams deemed so difficult that it was considered the best in the world.^[6] He became a true artist of fabric designs with painting as his hobby, both oils and water colors. Some of his works are still in the family.

Life in Paris

It was during his time in Paris that Jacques met Rosalie “Jeanne” Zimmermann, an aspiring designer, seamstress and dressmaker who would go on to have opera singers and other notables as her customers. Jacques and Jeanne would marry on 13 Sep 1891^[7] and the following year, on 15 Oct 1892, the first of their two children, Yvonne Albertini Louise Wertz, was born in Paris.^[8][9][10]

The New York Fashion Industry Beckons

Studio portrait of Jacques ca.1895

As his fabric designs skills grew so did his reputation and it wasn’t long before the New York fashion industry came calling. Jeanne was not thrilled with the idea but Jacques assured her that he could make his fortune in 10 years and then they would return to France. They immigrated to the United States on 5 Jul 1901 where they lived at 301 W. 114th St in New York City.^[2][11] Their second child, Suzanne Claire Wertz, was born on 16 Jan 1906.^[11][12][13]

Jacques and Jeanne lived in New York City for about ten years before moving to Pasisade Ave in West Hoboken, New Jersey some time between May of 1910 and March of 1911. It was there that their daughters Yvonne and Suzanne would meet their future husbands, Albert T Conord and Edward S Conord, sisters marrying brothers.^[5] Years later after a life as a successful fabric designer Jacques, enjoyed walking his granddaughter, Yvonne Aimee Conord, down the streets of New York City pointing out the women wearing dresses made from his prints.

Tragedy and A Promise Fulfilled

By this time, life was good. Jacques and his family spent their summers at the French colony at Milford, Pennsylvania where they most likely stayed at the Hotel Fauchère, previously known as “The French Hotel”. Interestingly, the owner of Hotel Fauchère, Louis Fauchère, was a Master Chef at New York’s famous Delmonico’s,^[14] the same restaurant where the grandfather-in-law of Jacques' daughter Yvonne (Wertz) Conord, sold his prized mushrooms. One of the finest specimens ever raised in this country came from Jean Marie Conord's cellars. It measured over seven inches in diameter, and weighed fourteen ounces. Delmonico's had it on exhibition for a time before it was served, probably by Master Chef Louis Fauchère.^[15] (See Jean Marie Conord's bio for more details on his prized mushrooms )

Jacques was very close to making his fortune and fulfilling his promise to Jeanne to return to Paris. However, on 3 Oct 1911 Jacques' wife Jeanne died of pneumonia. She was only 41. In 1912, Jacques fulfilled his promise and took his wife back to France. On 31 Jul 1912 he paid to have her buried at St Ouen Cemetery just outside of Paris.^[16]

Angelina, the mystery woman

Eight months after his wife's death, Jacques' eldest daughter, Yvonne, eloped to marry Albert Theodore Conord on 20 Jun 1912. This left Jacques with a six year old daughter, Suzanne, to raise by himself. Sometime in 1912 but after 14 Oct 1912 he married a woman named Angelina Storni.^[17][18] Who this woman, in her 40's, was is a mystery. She did live on the same street as Jacques (He was at 326 Pasisade Ave in West Hoboken and she was at 342). The family speculated that she fulfilled a need in raising Suzanne. However, Suzanne and Angelina did not get along. So much so that when Suzanne was about 14 she moved in with her older sister Yvonne sometime before 22 Jan 1920. ^[19]

The marriage wouldn’t last and based on the passenger lists from all of Jacques’ travels 27 Jul 1928 was the last time he was listed as married.^[20] Angelina would be listed as divorced in 1930 and continue to use the name Wertz for the rest of her life. In both the 1930 and 1940 census she was living again at 342 Pasisade Ave in West Hoboken.^[21][22]

Becoming a Naturalized citizen

After the defeat of Germany in World War I, Alsace was returned to France and Jacques would now be able to go home to visit. He became an American citizen on 30 Jan 1920^[23] and his papers say that his residence was at 240 East 19th Street, Weehawken, New Jersey. Little did he know at the time but becoming an US citizen most likely saved his life during WW II.

Shortly after becoming an American citizen Jacques also applied for and received on 14 Jul 1920 an United States Passport.^[2] He was a designer of silks and needed to travel to France for ideas for the coming season. Jacques would continue to work as a Textile Designer in the 1920's and retired to Mulhouse, France in the 1930's. During these two decades he would travel a lot to France (where his brother Henri lived) for work and pleasure and make frequent trips back to New Jersey where his daughters lived staying months at a time.

The Other "Lina"

On 1 May 1922 Jacques signed a Petition for Naturalization for a Carolina "Lina" Ehrmanntraut.^[24] She listed her occupation as "Ladies’ maid" and sometime later would be Jacques' housekeeper for the rest of his life. When Jacques first met her is unknown but Lina first emigrated to the US on 27 Oct 1914.^[25]

She seems to have left the US in 1930 based on passenger list data she supplied during a trip back to the US with Jacques on 8 Jul 1936.^[26] This would imply that she became his housekeeper in Mulhouse, Alsace, France in 1930. In letters to his family during the 1930's Lina is mentioned and the last known time was in a postcard dated 24 Apr 1940 prior to Germany invading France.

Seized by the Germans in World War II

Postcard from Jacques dated 24 Apr 1940

Jacques was living in Mulhouse, Alsace, France prior to the start of World War II. Sensing a German invasion of France would soon occur, he prepared for the worse. In a postcard, written to his granddaughter Yvonne and her husband Dick Merrick dated 24 Apr 1940, he states:

"I beg you to excuse me for being so late to give you some news...The reason I am so late is I had lots of trouble since I am in Mulhouse. I went several times to the mountains to move certain things away to a safety place...On account of the war it is still quiet here, the German airplanes are coming nearly every night but they...never drop any bombs, they went out for another robbery taking Denmark and Norvege (Norway). I think they are getting a good licking in Norvege...Lots of love and kisses from your grandpa Wertz and Lina."

Sometime after this letter was written, Germany occupied Alsace. Although it was never formally annexed, Alsace was incorporated into the Greater German Reich. The Germans had kept good records and knew that some 50 years earlier Jacques had deserted the German army. Unannounced, a German officer enter his house before dawn one morning and gave him one hour to gather his belongings. With no more than what he could carry, he was loaded into a truck and moved to a “refugee camp.” Jacques was 73. He must have sensed this was coming because sometime prior to being taken away, Jacques transferred ownership of his house in Mulhouse to Lina.^[5]

Help from the U. S. State Department

The Unites States had not yet entered the war and since Jacques was an United States citizen, his son-in-law, A.T. Conord, was able to take steps through Congressman Fred Hartley (best known for the Taft–Hartley Act) and the U.S. State Department, to get him out of Europe. It took several months and a frustrating process to get him out. First he was able to get to Portugal, a neutral country, and from there his son-in-law was able to book him passage on the SS Excalibur out of Lisbon to the U.S. When Jacques disembarked from the ship on 20 Oct 1941 in New York,^[27] he looked like a scarecrow, weighing little more than 100 pounds; his normal weight being about 175.^[5] He was free and 52 days later Germany would declare war on the U.S.

Life after the War

"Papa" Wertz - Always a Daper Frenchman

During the war, Jacques alternated living with each of his two daughters. When the war ended, in late 1945, Jacques was anxious to return home, but war torn Europe was no place for a 78 year old man. There were shortages of food, clothing, and fuel but he insisted over the protests of his children.

As he had been warned, fuel was scarce and the winters cold. He became so ill that he decided to come back to America. Trans-Atlantic travel in those days was only by ocean liner and he nearly dies a couple of times onboard the ship. He finally arrived back in the United States on 23 Dec 1948.^[28] Five days later on 28 Dec 1948 he died,^[1] in bed, with one of his beloved pipes having fallen into his lap.^[5] He was 81.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Jacques Wertz Find A Grave: Memorial #90680168
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington D.C.; NARA Series: Passport Applications, January 2, 1906 - March 31, 1925; Roll #: 1297; Volume #: Roll 1297 - Certificates: 67626-67999, 13 Jul 1920-14 Jul 1920 (See also: Shared U.S. Passport Applications Image 671 from “Ancestry.com”)
3. ↑ New York State Archives; Albany, New York; State Population Census Schedules, 1905; Election District: A.D. 21 E.D. 38; City: Manhattan; County: New York; Page: 26 (See also: New York, State Census, 1905 Image 15 available on “Ancestry.com”)
4. ↑ Year: 1914; Arrival: New York, New York; Microfilm Serial: T715, 1897-1957; Microfilm Roll: Roll 2388; Line: 2; Page Number: 41 (See also: New York, Passenger Lists Image 69 available on “Ancestry.com”)
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5} "My Roots and My Story", The Memoirs of Albert Edward Conord, 2002, pages 12, 16-17. Self Published.
6. ↑ Ecole des Beaux-Arts website
7. ↑ Paris, France & Vicinity Marriage Banns, 1860-1902 (See also: Marriage Banns Image 384 available on “Ancestry.com”)
8. ↑ Paris, France, Births, Marriages, and Deaths, 1792-1930. Archives de Paris; Paris, France; Etat Civil 1792-1902. Entry Number 3265. (See also: Paris, France, Births Image 14 available on “Ancestry.com”)
9. ↑ U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014
10. ↑ Florida Death Index, 1877-1998
11. ↑ ^{11.0 11.1} Year: 1910; Census Place: Manhattan Ward 12, New York, New York; Roll: T624_1024; Page: 14B; Enumeration District: 0607; FHL microfilm: 1375037. (See also: 1910 Census Image 28 available on “Ancestry.com”)
12. ↑ New York, New York, Birth Index, 1878-1909
13. ↑ Florida Death Index, 1877-1998. Birth Date: 16 Jan 1906. Death Date: 22 Sep 1980. Death Place: Broward, Florida
14. ↑ Hotel Fauchère - History (http://hotelfauchere.com/history/hotel-history/)
15. ↑ "A Mushroom Farm, Curious Industry in West Hoboken". The Evening Journal, Jersey City. 1888
16. ↑ Family receipt dated 31 Jul 1912 – Paid to have Rosalie Jeanne Wertz buried at Saint Ouen
17. ↑ Listed as widower. SS Chicago. New York, Passenger Lists, 1820-1957. Year: 1912; Arrival: New York, New York; Microfilm Serial: T715, 1897-1957; Microfilm Roll: Roll 1955; Line: 24; Page Number: 130 (See also: SS Chicago Passenger Lists Image 32 available on “Ancestry.com”)
18. ↑ New Jersey, Marriage Index, 1901-1914. Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2016. (See also: New Jersey, Marriage Index Image 414 available on “Ancestry.com”)
19. ↑ Sue is listed as sister-in-law to Albert, head of house.1920 United States Federal Census. Year: 1920; Census Place: Weehawken Ward 3, Hudson, New Jersey; Roll: T625_1050; Page: 513A; Enumeration District: 318; Image: 273 (See also: 1920 United States Federal Census Image 24 available on “Ancestry.com”)
20. ↑ Year: 1928. SS De Grasse. New York, Passenger Lists, 1820-1957. Arrival: New York, New York; Microfilm Serial: T715, 1897-1957; Microfilm Roll: Roll 4308; Line: 25; Page Number: 190 (See also: SS De Grasse Passenger Lists Image 27 available on “Ancestry.com”)
21. ↑ 1930 United States Federal Census. Year: 1930; Census Place: Union City, Hudson, New Jersey; Roll: 1359; Page: 15A; Enumeration District: 0377; Image: 263.0; FHL microfilm: 2341094 (See also: 1930 United States Federal Census Image 29 available on “Ancestry.com”)
22. ↑ 1940 United States Federal Census. Year: 1940; Census Place: Union, Hudson, New Jersey; Roll: T627_2352; Page: 2A; Enumeration District: 9-287 (See also: 1940 United States Federal Census Image 3 available on “Ancestry.com”)
23. ↑ New York, New York County Supreme Court Naturalization Petition Index, 1907-1924. Page #: 227 (See also: New York Naturalization Petition available on “Ancestry.com” Image of attached certificate part of family records.)
24. ↑ New York, State and Federal Naturalization Records, 1794-1940. Index to Petitions for Naturalizations Filed in Federal, State, and Local Courts in New York City, 1792-1906; NAI Number: 5700802; Record Group Title: Records of District Courts of the United States, 1685-2009; Record Group Number: RG 21(See also: Federal Naturalization Records Image 98 available on “Ancestry.com”)
25. ↑ 27 Oct 1914, SS Chicago. New York, Passenger Lists, 1820-1957. Year: 1914; Arrival: New York, New York; Microfilm Serial: T715, 1897-1957; Microfilm Roll: Roll 2380; Line: 17; Page Number: 129 (See also: SS Chicago Passenger Lists Image 28 available on “Ancestry.com”)
26. ↑ Lina lists the last time she was in the US as 1930. New York, Passenger Lists, 1820-1957. SS Champlain. Year: 1936; Arrival: New York, New York; Microfilm Serial: T715, 1897-1957; Microfilm Roll: Roll 5828; Line: 25; Page Number: 96 (See also: SS Champlain Passenger Lists Images 9-10 available on “Ancestry.com”)
27. ↑ New York, Passenger Lists, 1820-1957. SS Excalibur. Microfilm Serial: T715, 1897-1957; Microfilm Roll: Roll 6587; Line: 17; Page Number: 110 (See also: SS Excalibur Passenger Lists Image 13 available on “Ancestry.com”)
28. ↑ New York, Passenger Lists, 1820-1957. SS Washington. Microfilm Serial: T715, 1897-1957; Microfilm Roll: Roll 7691; Line: 4; Page Number: 166 (See also: SS Washington Passenger Lists Image 17 available on “Ancestry.com”)

Acknowledgements

Thank you to all that have contributed to this profile of Jacques Wertz

• John W Sigh, Jr for creating this biography and profile.
• Albert Edward Conord for his extremely detailed memoirs and history of the Conord family.
• Yvonne O'Keefe for the hard work of obtaining French documents before the age of the internet.