Mary Ann was born Marianna or Maria Ana Wenger in Langenbuhl, Canton Bern, Switzerland. Her name was changed to Mary Ann in October 1881 when she and her eight children immigrated to Iowa to join her husband, Jacob. The children had all been born in Gurzelen, Berne, Switzerland. A ninth child had died in 1881 and two more were born in Wadena, Fayette County, Iowa.

New York Passenger Lists:
Name: Marianne Hertig
Arrival Date: 20 Oct 1881
Age: 35
Ethnicity/Race/Nationality: Swiss
Place of Origin: Switzerland
Port of Departure: Le Havre, France
Destination: New York
Port of Arrival: New York
Port Arrival State: New York
Ship Name: Labrador
Class: Steerage
Robert Hertig, age 10
Gottfred Hertig, age 9
Alfred Hertig, age 8
Gottlieb Hertig, age 7
Adolph Hertig, age 6
Rosa Hertig, age 5
Bertha Hertig, age 4
Clara Hertig, age 3
Elise Hertig, Infant

About 1890, Mary with three of her sons and one daughter, left Iowa and went to the West Chelahem area in Yamhill County Oregon. Her other two sons and two daughters remained in Iowa with their father. Jacob then came to Oregon about 1895 and the four children remained in Iowa.

Oregon Death Certificate #5722:
Name: Mary Hertig
Date of Death: 8 Nov 1909
Place of Death: 9 Miles NW of Newberg, Yamhill, Oregon
Usual Residence: Caldwell, Canyon, Idaho
Date of Birth: Aug (no other data given)
Place of Birth: Switzerland
Age: 64 years
Marital Status: Widowed
Occupation: Farmer
Father: Hertig, born Switzerland
Mother: Wenger, born Switzerland
Informant: Adolf Hertig, Son
Burial: The Pitman Cemetery
Cause of Death: No medical attendance. Supposed to be valvular heart failure
Had been in Yamhill County for 15 days prior to her death.

Mrs. Mary A. Hertig, of Caldwell, Idaho, died November 8 at the home of her son, Adolf Hertig, at West Chehalem, Or., and her remains were laid to rest in Pitman Cemetery, the funeral services being conducted by Elder Frank S. Bunch, of Portland, and Professor R. W. Airey of Laurelwood Academy. Mrs. Hertig was born in Switzerland August 13, 1845. She had been sick but a short time from heart trouble, and her death was a terrible shock to all who knew her. She is survived by the following children: R. J. Hertig, Fred Hertig, Mrs. Bertha Vanderpool, and Mrs. Emma Durnil of Caldwell, Idaho; Mrs. Rosa Lanehan, of Toronto, Ia.; Alfred Hertig, of Bancroft, Ia.; John Hertig, of DeWitt, Ia., and Adolph Hertig, of Newberg, Or., and several brothers and sisters, one of whom is R. W. Wenger of Newberg. (Newberg Graphic, Newberg, Oregon)

She is buried in an unmarked grave in this very small and beautiful hillside cemetery which is located up the mountain from where she and Jacob lived in the Ribbon Ridge area.