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- History of Decatur County" It's People, Industries, and Institutions by Lewis A Harding (1915)
John Henry Metz
One of the splendid pioneer citizens? still living in Decatur County, Indiana, and one of its wealthiest farmers, is John Henry Metz of Fugit Township. His present condition of affluence is in bold contrast to his financial condition, when he arrived in this country more than sixty years ago, after a long and tedious voyage on an immigrant ship with nine hundred others, when he had only twenty-five cents in his pocket at the time he arrived in New York City. The story of his rise to fortune and success as a farmer, devoid of the romance and hardships which he suffered in pioneer times, is the story of the most rigid personal economy and consistent and increasing savings. His is a record to make the cheeks of the young men of the present generation, whose lives are being spent in wanton living, burn with shame, and his life ought to be an example to every young man of worthy and commendable ambitions, a command to follow, in the fundamentals at least, the career of the honorable and distinguished citizen.
Born on July 10, 1832, at Frankfort-on-the-Maine, in Prussia, John Henry Metz came to America in 1854, at the age of twenty-two and, after two years in Ohio, in 1856 came on to Decatur County. The son of Frederick and Elizabeth (Kolb) Metz, farmers by occupation, John H Metz was reared on the farm in his native land. He left home, family and friends to seek his fortune in a new country with a single companion. The voyage to America, which required forty-six days, was made on the ship ?Milhausen.?
On arriving in Decatur County, Indiana, Mr. Metz was employed by James and, later, by William Bonner, for five dollars a month, and out of those earnings, he was able to save money and purchase his first land in Salt Creek Township. Later, he bought forty acres and still, another forty and began to raise hogs. In fact, this has been the secret of his success and fortune. He also made great profits in the early days by growing wheat.
For many years he has been accustomed to raise one hundred and fifty head of hogs a year, and to sell at least one carload of cattle every year. He now owns six hundred acres of land in Fugit and Salt Creek Townships, upon which are located three sets of buildings. All of this land is either farmed or managed by members of his family. Not many years ago, he remodeled his farmhouse and now has a handsome and comfortable residence, the equal of any to be had in Fugit Township.
Six years after coming to America and four years after arriving in Decatur County, John Metz was married, February 14, 1860, to Louise Huber, who was born in Franklin County, Indiana, July 16, 1836, and who was the daughter of Gottfried and Margaret (Ziegler) Huber, natives of Germany. After rearing a large family of children, Mrs. Metz passed away on July 10, 1893. Mr. and Mrs. Metz had eight children: Leona, George W, Mary Elizabeth, John H, Jr., Edward L, William G, Charles Frederick, and Maude Louise, the latter dying in 1912. Leona married Chester King and lives in Clinton Township, near Williamstown; they have six children, Mary Elizabeth, the wife of Fred Caldwell: Florence, John H Jr., Stella, Elendore and Edward. George W married Catherine Ravenstein, of Cincinnati and is a merchant at Newpoint, where he was Postmaster for sixteen years. Of his nine children, Amanda married McClelland Wolfe and has two children; Neola Maurine died on March 30, 1913, age two years, and Orin Keith, lives in Delaware, Ohio; Elma Marie married Howard Starks and has two children, Bessie Metz and Audrey Louise; Christina, William, Anna L, Margarette, Cora May, George H, Catherine. Mary Elizabeth is the housekeeper for her father. John H Jr. lives at home. Edward L married Louisa Moulton and has two children, Edward Albert and Temperance Louise. William G married Louella Dravis, Fugit Township. Charles Frederick is at home.
Mr. Metz?s sons are extensive breeders of Aberdeen Angus cattle and ordinarily have from eighty to one hundred head on the farm. A Republican in politics, John Henry Metz has never been active in the councils of his party, even though he is, and always has been, a leader in his community. He is a member of the Kingdom Presbyterian church as was his good wife during her life. John Henry Metz is a fine type of German gentleman, who has obtained success from the humble start he had in this country. He is well-read, intelligent and hospitable and one of the really few old settlers left in Decatur County. He has reared a fine family of industrious sons and daughters and his home is decidedly one of the best in the state of Indiana. That he is a good farmer, is amply proved by the fact that in a dry year, 1914, they raised from sixty to eighty bushels of corn per acre on their land. It is unfortunate that every community cannot have within its boundaries men of the same character and ability, as John Henry Metz.
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