Occupation: Farmer, weaver, miller and merchant

Born on Old Fretz homestead.

Some years prior to his death he was ordained a Ruling Elder in the Presbyterian Church of Stillwater. Amid all the trials and turmoils of his long and eventful life he maintained a strict integrity and died highly respected by the community in which he lived, and honored in the church.

At first lived on farm in Montgomery County, later purchased 60 acres of Old Fretz homestead and some adjoining lands in Bedminster, Bucks County, Pennsylvania where in 1838 he built a dwelling house, barn, tenant house and other buildings. The farm was owned in 1892 by Reuben Miller.

In early life they were members of the Old Mennonite Church at Deep Run. In 1847 the great division took place among many Mennonite congregations in the Franconia Conference and a new meeting house was built nearby (a few hundred yards from the old one). At the time of the division he was a trustee of the old church, but cast his lot with the new church and was subsequently chosen as one of its first ministers.

His action regarding the church split was the opposite of his father-in-law, John Kratz, who at the Lower Skippack Congregation remained faithful to the Old Mennonites.

In 1853 he purchased a mill property in Sussex County, New Jersey, and moved thereon wit his family in the spring of 1854.

Source: Title: A Brief History of John Valentine KRATZ and a Complete Genealogical Family Register with Biographies of his Descendants
Author: Fretz, A. J.
Publication: Elkhart, Indiana: Mennonite Publishing Co., 1892.

• Married: 06 OCT 1831 ²

1. Mary Ann FRETZ b: 04 NOV 1832
2. Magdalena FRETZ b: 25 AUG 1833 in Montgomery Co. PA
3. Catharine FRETZ b: 20 APR 1836 in Montgomery Co. PA
4. Leah FRETZ b: 20 JUN 1838
5. John Kratz FRETZ b: 19 APR 1843 in Bucks Co., PA
6. Anna FRETZ b: 17 MAY 1845
7. Theodore E. FRETZ b: 01 DEC 1846 in Bucks Co., PA
8. Abraham James FRETZ b: 07 FEB 1849 in Bedminster Twp., Bucks Co., PA
9. Martha FRETZ b: 25 JUL 1850 in Bedminster Twp., Bucks Co., PA
10. Edwin FRETZ b: 15 SEP 1853 in PA
11. Albert FRETZ b: 15 MAR 1855 in NJ
12. Elizabeth FRETZ b: 18 APR 1840 in Bedminster Twp., Bucks Co., PA

• Married: 14 FEB 1857 ⁵

1. Alva Bennett FRETZ b: 23 JUL 1858 in Hardwick Twp., Warren Co., NJ
2. Lucilla FRETZ b: 09 JUN 1860
3. David Elmer FRETZ b: 07 DEC 1862 in Newton, Sussex Co., NJ

1. Author: J. H. Battle
   Title: History of Bucks County Pennsylvania
   Publication: Name: A. Warmer & Co., Publishers, 1887;
   Note:
   Source Medium: Book
   
   Page: page 1133, biography of Samuel H. Lear, TinicumTwp., Bucks Co., PA
2. Author: Church of Latter Day Saints, Family Search Web Site
   Title: IGI
   Note:
   Source Medium: Church Record
   
   Page: Pedigree chart for Christian Fretz, downloaded 3/27/01
3. Author: J. H. Battle
   Title: History of Bucks County Pennsylvania
   Publication: Name: A. Warmer & Co., Publishers, 1887;
   Note:
   Source Medium: Book
   
   Page: page 1133, biography of Samuel H. Lear, TinicumTwp., Bucks Co., PA
   Text: Also, http://www.rootsweb.com/~pabucks/BIOS_DAVIS/fretzabrahamj.html
4. Author: Church of Latter Day Saints, Family Search Web Site
   Title: IGI
   Note:
   Source Medium: Church Record
   
   Page: Pedigree chart for Christian Fretz, downloaded 3/27/01
   Text: NJ from Downloaded Rootsweb.com, 4/20/05, Scott FT by Wendy Scott, source: Desc of John V. Kratz by A. J. Fretz
5. Title: Ancestory.com
   Note:
   Source Medium: Electronic
   
   Trumbore Search
   
   Page: Roots Web.com, Scott/Cauffman FT by Wendy Scott, downloaded 3/31/07