from Meyer book of 1896 (page 480-481)...

He was variously occupied as farmer, weaver, miller and merchant. He at first lived on a farm in Montgomery county, and afterwards purchased 60 acres of the old Fretz homestead and some adjoining lands in Bedminster, where he built in 1838 a stone dwelling house, and subsequently a barn, tenant house and other buildings. The farm is now owned and occupied by Reuben Miller.

He and wife early in life were members of the Old Mennonite church at Deep Run. About 1847 a division took place in that congregation, and a new meetinghouse was built 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 one of its first ministers.

In 1853 he purchased a mill property in Sussex county, N. J., and moved thereon with his family in the Spring of 1854. Children: Mary, Magdalena, Catharine, Leah, Elizabeth, John, Anna, Theodore, Abraham, Martha, Edwin, Albert.

He married his second wife, widow Margaret E. Hill (nee Wintamute), Feb. 14, 1857. She was born April 30, 1817. Soon after marriage in the Spring of 1857, having rented the mill property, he moved to his wife's farm in Warren county, N. J., where he engaged in farming until the Spring of 1862. Having disposed of his mill property he removed to Newton, Sussex county, where he had built a house and engaged in the commission business. About 1866 he removed to Stillwater, same county, where he purchased a home and engaged in the merchandise business. In the Spring of 1882 he again removed on the farm in Warren county, where he died July 13, 1882.

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 was honored in the church.

• Married: 6 OCT 1831 ¹
• Note:

  2nd cousins.
  
  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.

1. Mary Ann Fretz b: 4 NOV 1832
2. Magdalena Fretz b: 16 AUG 1834 in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
3. Catharine Fretz b: 20 APR 1836 in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
4. Leah Fretz b: 20 JUN 1838
5. Elizabeth Fretz b: 18 APR 1840 in Bedminster, Bucks County, Pennsylvania
6. John Kratz Fretz b: 19 APR 1843 in Bucks County, Pennsylvania
7. Anna Fretz b: 17 MAY 1845
8. Theodore E. Fretz b: 1 DEC 1846 in Bucks County, Pennsylvania
9. Abraham James Fretz b: 7 FEB 1849 in Bedminster Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania
10. Martha Fretz b: 25 JUL 1850 in Bedminster, Bucks County, Pennsylvania
11. Edwin Fretz b: 15 SEP 1853 in Pennsylvania
12. Albert Fretz b: 15 MAR 1855 in New Jersey

• Married: 14 FEB 1857 ¹
• Note: Soon after the marriage, in the spring of 1857, having rented their mill property, he moved his wife's farm in Warren County, New Jersey where he engaged in farming until the spring of 1862, having disposed of his mill property, he removed to Newton, Sussex County, New Jersey, where he had built a house and engaged in the commission business. About 1866 he removed to Stillwater, Sussex County, New Jersey, where he had purchased a home and engaged in merchandise. In the spring of 1882, he again removed to the farm in Warren County, where he died.

1. Alva Bennett Fretz b: 23 JUL 1858 in Hardwick Township, Warren County, New Jersey
2. Lucilla Fretz b: 9 JUN 1860
3. David Elmer Fretz b: 7 DEC 1862 in Newton, Sussex County, New Jersey

1. Title: A Genealogical Record of the Descendants of Christian and Hans MEYER and Other Pioneers
   Author: Fretz, A. J.
   Publication: Harleysville, Pennsylvania: News Printing House. 1896.
   Note: full title: A Genealogical Record of the Descendants of Christian and Hans MEYER and Other Pioneers Together with Historical and Biographical Sketches, Illustrated with Eighty-seven Portraits and Other Illustrations
   Repository:
   Media: Book
   Page: page 480
2. Title: A Genealogical Record of the Descendants of Christian and Hans MEYER and Other Pioneers
   Author: Fretz, A. J.
   Publication: Harleysville, Pennsylvania: News Printing House. 1896.
   Note: full title: A Genealogical Record of the Descendants of Christian and Hans MEYER and Other Pioneers Together with Historical and Biographical Sketches, Illustrated with Eighty-seven Portraits and Other Illustrations
   Repository:
   Media: Book
   Page: page 481
3. 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.
   Note: full title: A Brief History of John Valentine Kratz, and a complete genealogical register with biographies of his descendants from the earliest available record to the present time. With portraits and other illustrations.
   Repository:
   Media: Book