Isaac Metzker
lived his entire life in what is now North Woodbury, Pennsylvania. He was born on
January 24, 1809 to Christina Hoover, age 30, and John George Metzker, age 38. The
Metzker/Metzger family were early settlers of Bedford County, coming to the
area from the Old World in the mid-1700s.
Isaac grew up on a farm learning what would become his trade in then Woodbury, Bedford County. Woodbury became a part of Blair County in 1846 when it was formed from parts of Bedford and Huntingdon counties. Isaac’s farm at that time included 80 acres of farmed land producing: 250 bushels of wheat, 150 bushels of corn and oats each, 100 bushels of rye, 15 bushels of potatoes and 10 tons of hay. On October 1, 2015 the Metzker family was added to the First Families of Blair County recognizing them as original residents of the new county.
By 1879 with son
Samuel, the Metzker farm had improved another 20 acres adding an apple orchard sweet
potatoes and clove seeds to the mix. Corn became the predominate crop selling
700 bushels. 1879 was also a pivotal year for the family as matriarch Anna
Lantz Metzger died of catarrh fever, a disease affecting the respiratory organs
in November.
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| Anna Lantz Metzker incorrect headstone |
Not much is known about Anna Lantz and what is known is not set in stone. The US Mortality Schedule gives us the information on her death above, while her headstone lists her death as 26 Feb 1881. As she does not appear on the 1880 census and Isaac is listed as a widower, it appears the headstone is incorrect. Anna was born 8 Aug 1814 in Pennsylvania; who her people were are currently a mystery. She married Isaac about 1832. The couple had 10 children: William, Rebecca, Catherine, Nancy, John, Virginia, Eliza, Samuel, Anna, and Elizabeth in 21 years. Anna was a homemaker and a member of the German Baptist Brethren Church. After her death, widowed daughter Eliza Hudson moved home with her children to help care for Isaac.
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| Isaac Metzker(Metzger) Farm Mennonite Cemetery is between 147 and 141 |
Isaac led a productive life for another twelve years with a prosperous farm which while having passed out of the family, is still in existence today. Two of his children; Virginia Metzker Stoner and Samuel passed before Isaac. He spent his last days at the home of his grand-daughter Charlotte Ebersole McGraw and his great-grandsons Earl & Herbert. He died on September 18, 1891, in his hometown, having lived a long life of 82 years, 7 months and 24 days. Isaac, Anna and much of their family are buried down the road from the farm in the Mennonite Cemetery in Martinsburg.
Note: If you have any information on Anna Lantz Metzker’s ancestors please comment below.
Sources:
1. Non-population
Census Schedules for Pennsylvania, 1850-1880: Agriculture (62 rolls); Roll 2:
1850 Agriculture: Blair-Carbon counties; Roll 34: 1880 Agriculture:
Blair-Bedford counties
2. U.S. Federal
Census Mortality Schedules, 1850-1880; http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=usmortality&h=2420442&ti=0&indiv=try&gss=pt
3. Year: 1880; Census
Place: North Woodbury, Blair, Pennsylvania; Roll: 1103; Family History Film:
1255103; Page: 445B; Enumeration District: 174; Image: 0449
4. Isaac Metzker
Obituary; Altoona Tribune, 22 Sep 1891 pg 4
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