My Ancestors Were 8 of Only 45 Survivors of a War That Nearly Erased a Town

It all began at my grandmother’s funeral two years ago. Family stories came up about a possible connection to Robert Peake the Elder, the royal court painter. That sent me spiraling down a rabbit hole. I had lived in New York City for 8 years, and to my shock, I realized I’d lived just blocks away from his paintings at the Met, without knowing we were connected.

Merritt Horan Capurro

While chasing his story, I started noticing the same German town popping up again and again — 6 generations in a row. That’s when I realized my family’s story was much deeper than I had imagined.

A town almost erased by war

I joined MyHeritage in June 2025, and from the very beginning, I was absolutely hooked — I could sit for hours on MyHeritage if my schedule allowed. My Aunt Carolyn, the veteran genealogist of the family, gave me a strong foundation to work with. As I built out my family tree, which now includes 715 people, I started noticing that several generations from the 1500s–1600s all came from the same small area in Germany.

The German town of Hagsfeld, where Merritt’s ancestors lived

Curious, I searched the town on Google and discovered it had been a major battleground during the Thirty Years’ War. That led me to a staggering detail: by 1650, only 45 people had survived.

I rushed back to the dates on my tree — and got absolute chills realizing that my family made up 8 of those 45 survivors.

The Meinzer family’s story

One of the survivors was Paulus Meinzer (1616–1689), my 13-generations-back direct ancestor. He was just two years old when the Thirty Years’ War began, and 32 years old when it ended. He likely grew up in very difficult times, but lived to an old age — which is part of why I strongly believe he was one of the 45 residents left.

Paulus served as an attorney in Hagsfeld. He married Appolonia Seyfridt (1617–1675), who was almost the same age as him. I like to imagine theirs was a love match.

Together they had several children, though not all survived infancy. It’s incredible to think of them — Paulus, Appolonia, and their children — living through the devastation of the Thirty Years’ War, trying to survive and rebuild in a nearly empty town. Appolonia died 14 years before Paulus, but still outlived the war by over a decade. Their resilience is something I carry with me.

If they hadn’t survived, I wouldn’t be here

The idea that only 45 people remained in that village — and that my family made up 8 of them — was staggering. My first thought was simple gratitude: if they hadn’t survived, I wouldn’t be here.

But it also felt deeply personal. I couldn’t shake the sense that I had found this story at just the right moment in my life, as an artist. It feels like fuel for future work, almost as if their resilience is waiting to be expressed through me.

Crossing the ocean

Some of the family with the last name Merritt — which also happens to be my first name — came to Connecticut from Tenterden, Kent, England in 1634. On the German side, descendants from Baden emigrated to South Carolina in 1752. These records have been DNA-confirmed through my grandmother’s sister.

One ancestor, Johann Georg Mentzer (originally Mantzer), born in 1727 in Hagsfeld, was the last generation to live in Germany before immigrating to America. He lived to the age of 100 and died in New Holland, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. His father, Johann Michael Mentzer (1701–1781), appears to have come with him, since both died in the same town.

A record of Johann’s journey to America from MyHeritage’s Passenger and Immigration Lists, 1500–1900 collection

Their lineage goes back directly to Hanns Georg Meintzer (1643–1691), Paulus’s son — just five years old when the war ended. Before him was Paulus himself, and before Paulus was George J. Meintzer (or Muenzer), born in 1580 in Bavaria. At some point, the family moved west to Baden. His father, Johannes Georgius Mentzig, seems to have been from Baden originally. That move is still one of many mysteries I’d love to uncover.

A feeling of home I couldn’t explain… until now

This discovery has completely changed how I feel about my family history and my own identity. It makes me incredibly proud of where I come from, and deeply curious to return to Germany.

Back in 2010, I traveled there with my mom and brother. We spent time in Rothenburg ob der Tauber, which I later realized is less than 60 km from my ancestors’ town.

Merritt in Munich in 2010 with her family and her friend Steffi

Enjoying a German beer in Munich

I remember walking the medieval streets with a stillness I’ve never felt before. I even said out loud to my mom that my soul felt “at rest” there. She agreed. Now that feeling makes even more sense.

A photo from Merritt’s trip to Rothenburg ob der Tauber

Surprises that felt like encouragement

MyHeritage has helped me not only confirm old family stories but also uncover some that caught me completely off guard. One of the most meaningful was learning that both my grandmother and great-grandmother — who were huge artistic influences in my life — were born in Fulton County, Atlanta. My great-grandmother Mary Elizabeth, especially, was my artistic hero growing up. She had a hard life, but her creative spirit never faded.

A photo of Merritt’s great-grandmother Mary Elizabeth as a baby with her mother, Artimesia

Recently, I won an art grant to bring my work to a major festival in Atlanta… in the same county where my gram was born! When that happened, it felt like my ancestors were cheering me on in real time — like their legacy was coming full circle.

More than names on a tree

The challenge now is that the farther back I go, the thinner and less reliable the records become. But every new name I find — every piece of the puzzle — feels like another thread tying me back to where I come from.

I’m especially interested in digging deeper into Paulus’s work as a town attorney and the castle records suggest he may have been born in. Even without all the answers yet, this journey has given me something lasting: a sense of connection, pride, and purpose.

And MyHeritage has helped every step of the way.

Many thanks to Merritt Horan Capurro for sharing her incredible story with us. If you have also made an amazing discovery with MyHeritage, we’d love to hear about it! Please send it to us via this form or email it to us at stories@myheritage.com.

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Source: My Heritage