Happy Birthday Samuel H Burket!

Today is my 2^nd Great Grandpa Samuel H Burket’s 179th birthday. He was born in April 21, 1841 to John Burket and Elizabeth Ulrich Brown. He was a lifelong member of the Church of the Brethren and resident of Hopewell, PA. Samuel followed in his father’s footsteps farming their land in Yellow Creek. Married twice to women named Mary; with the first Mary [Weaverling, 1841-1872] with whom he had three children – David, John & Elizabeth. The second Mary [Fluke Replogle, 1843-1912] a widow, also brought three children to the marriage. 

Black Beauty by Ann Sewell

A neat find while researching Samuel - he liked to read. These blurbs were in the Everett Press back in 1894.  In honor of his birthday and his liking of Black Beauty I re-read the book during the Covid-19 Pandemic.

With the 1918 Pandemic raging across the country his daughter Elizabeth died in September 7, 1918 of acute meningitis while Samuel died of a stroke on March 19, 1919 at age 77.

Details from Isaac Metzker Farm Censuses of 1850 and 1880

Isaac Metzker's Farm was located in North Woodbury in Blair County, Pennsylvania. The following information came from the Agriculture Censuses in 1850 and 1880 with calculation for today's dollars.

1880 Isaac Metzker Farm

Son Samuel farming land for cut of profit

1879 stats: Total Income $716 which equals $17,047.62 in 2014

Livestock –    Cows: 2 calves born, 1 cow sold, 2 slaughtered, 1 lost; 208lbs of butter sold

                        Sheep: 3 lambs born

                        Chicken: 208 eggs produced

Crops-           Corn: 25 acres of corn produced 700 bushels

                        Oat: 5 acres oats produced 80lbs

                        Rye: 4 acres of rye produced 20lbs

                        Wheat: 24 acres of wheat produced 275lbs

                        Potato: 3/4 acres Irish potatoes produced 50 bushels; 2 bushels sweet potato

                        Orchard: 8 acres with 100 apple trees produced 250 bushels sold for $75

                        Forestry: 25 cords of wood cut and sold for $50

                        Hay: 1 Ton harvested

                        Clover Seed: 3 bushels

Expenses:

                        Building Repair: $15

                        Labor costs: 16 weeks $15

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Value in 1880 = $7732 Farmland $7200, Farm Equipment $75, Livestock $457

Value in 2014 dollars = $179,813.95

Acres: 108 acres improved land, 20 acres of forest and 1 acre of grassland not mowed

Livestock on hand 1 Jun 1880: 6 horses, 4 milk cows, 10 other cows, 9 sheep, 15 pigs, 50 chickens

1880 spring sheering = 9 fleeces weighing 40lbs      

1850 Isaac Metzker Farm

1849 stats:

Livestock –    Cows: 150lbs of butter sold

                        Animals Slaughtered for $85

Crops-           Corn: 150 bushels

                        Oat: 150 bushels

                        Rye: 100 bushels

                        Wheat: 250 bushels

                        Potato: 15 bushels

                        Hay: 10 Ton harvested

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Value in 1850 = $6451 Farmland $6000, Farm Equipment $100, Livestock $351

Value in 2014 dollars = $195,727.27

120 Acres = 80 Improved, 40 Unimproved

Livestock on hand 1 Jun 1850: 5 horses, 4 milk cows, 5 other cows, 10 sheep, 8 pigs

1850 spring sheering = 20lbs

Source:

Nonpopulation Census Schedules for Pennsylvania, 1850-1880: Agriculture(62 rolls);.

Roll 2: 1850 Agriculture: Blair-Carbon counties; Roll 34: 1880 Agriculture: Blair-Bedford counties