George M. Wertz

George Wertz
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania's 20th district
In office March 4, 1923 – March 3, 1925
Preceded by	Edward Brooks
Succeeded by	Anderson Walters
President pro tempore of the Pennsylvania Senate
In office May 25, 1911 – January 7, 1913
Preceded by	William Crow
Succeeded by	Daniel Gerberich
Member of the Pennsylvania Senate from the 35th district
In office January 5, 1909 – January 7, 1913
Preceded by	Jacob Stineman
Succeeded by	Jacob Stineman
Personal details
Born	(1856-07-19)July 19, 1856 Johnstown, Pennsylvania
Died	November 19, 1928(1928-11-19) (aged 72) Johnstown, Pennsylvania
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Louisa Glitch

George M. Wertz (July 19, 1856 – November 19, 1928) was a Republican politician, teacher and publisher from Pennsylvania.

George Munson Wertz was born near Johnstown, Pennsylvania. He attended the public schools, Ebensburg Academy, and the National Normal School in Lebanon, Ohio. He taught school from 1876 to 1884, and was a school director from 1886 to 1894. Wertz was a county commissioner from 1893 to 1896, and served as sheriff of Cambria County, Pennsylvania from 1897 to 1901. Elected a Republican member of the Board of School Directors in 1890, George additionally served as chairman of the Republican county committee. In 1893, the Senator became a three-year Cambria County commissioner, and in November 1897, Cambria County Sheriff. Through the influence of his iron manufacturer father in law, Wertz assumed a post as manager of the Cambria Steel Company, where his accomplishments included securing options for control of the Manufacturer's Water Company, Somerset County. He was a member of the Pennsylvania State Senate from 1909 to 1913, and served as the body's President pro tempore from 1911 to 1913. Wertz later organized and ran the Johnstown Daily Leader from 1911 to 1917, creating Cambria County's first afternoon newspaper. He was an ardent farmer and fruit grower.

Wertz was elected to the Sixty-eighth Congress, but was defeated in the 1924 Republican primary. He sold real estate until his death in Johnstown. Interment in Grandview Cemetery, Johnstown. He belonged to the Evangelical Lutheran Church; the Summit Lodge Masons; the Johnstown School of Instruction – Masons; and was knighted by the Oriental Commandery, No. 61, Knights Templar.

His father, German-Dunkard Jacob Wertz, was the great grandson of a 1735 Palatine immigrant and rose to community prominence as a farmer, an ardent Republican, and abolitionist.

His daughter Ada Olive Hager (née Wertz) attended Vassar, graduating in 1908. She was one of the original graveyard suffragettes.

References

• United States Congress. "George M. Wertz (id: W000300)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
• The Political Graveyard