Celebrate Women of Character, Courage and Commitment: Ferro Monte Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution Salute Women’s History Month

American women are leaders securing their own rights of suffrage and equal opportunity which create a fair and just society for all. Daughters are vibrant, active women who are passionate about community service, preserving history, educating children, as well as honoring and supporting those who serve our nation. Members share and celebrate the women who inspire us at Roxbury Township Free Public Library 103 Main St, Succasunna, NJ on March 12 at 10:15am.

Honor those who inspired you by sharing their story 

Ferro-Monte Chapter meetings are held on the 2nd Saturday of the month from October - May. Prospective members are always welcome. If you have an interest in learning about your family tree, we can help you; maybe we can even find a Patriot among your leaves. For information the Ferro Monte Chapter: like us at Facebook.com/FerroMonteChapterNSDAR, visit our website ferromontedar.org or email NJDARFerroMonte@aol.com. 

The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution was founded in 1890 to promote patriotism, preserve American history, and support better education for our nation's children. Its members are descended from the patriots who won American independence during the Revolutionary War. With more than 165,000 members in approximately 3,000 chapters worldwide, DAR is one of the world's largest and most active service organizations. To learn more about the work of today's DAR, visit DAR.org.

One Big Sale Benefiting Roxbury Social Services

Looking for a bargain and do something for your community too? Great things are for sale including clothes, toys, books, movies, baby, children’s items and more.

Come visit the Roxbury Senior Center
72 Eyland Ave @ Horseshoe Lake

March 12^th 9am – 5 pm

All proceeds benefit RoxburySocial Services

Looking to help out more?

Donate any kind of breakfast food!

Review: Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President

Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President by Candice Millard
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Prior to reading Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President, James Garfield was just a name on the list of Presidents. A man born in poverty he became a educator, father, lawyer, Civil War General, Congressman and President.

Although he only served a few brief months, his death helped change medical world as we know it. It is often said necessity is the mother of invention. Alexander Graham Bell's early versions of metal detectors was an effort to help find the bullet lodged in President Garfield. Dr Lister's antiseptic surgery finally gained respect and acceptance after the autopsy on the President. It showed the massive infection that finally killed him came from his doctors inserting unsterilized fingers and instruments into the wound.

A proponent of black suffrage President Garfield appealed to southerners with the belief that the way to repair the south was through education and supporting southern commercial and industrial interests. Following the assassination attempt and the agonizing months until his death allowed the country to connect in a way it hadn't found in decades. President Garfield's brief presidency helped finally unite the country.

View all my reviews

Books Read, Goals Met

Dad taught me years ago to keep a book list, mainly to keep track of which audiobooks we had purchased and which one of us had read them. I was thrilled when a friend introduced me to Shelfari.com, an online bookshelf where I can keep track of my read and TBR lists, dust free. Since then GoodReads has become the latest bookshelf darling allowing authors to connect with readers and I dabble there as well. 

One of my favorite features of these online bookshelves is reading challenges. Years ago I joined Shelfari’s 50 Book Challenge group. For me, this has been an easily achieved goal, so I quickly added the 100 Reading Challenge group. This year my first book was How to Change Your Life in the Next 15 Minutes and the last Killer Karma. In between I’ve read 3 of Danielle Paige’s wildly successful Dorothy Must Die series, found a great new series, Jefferson Tayte Genealogical Mystery by Steve Robinson and caught up with favorites like WEB Griffin, Lorna Barrett and Mary Higgins Clark. 

My goal this year was to read at least 50 books, but ultimately to read 100.

My favorite book of the year was The Island at the Center of the World a non-fiction historical look at the founding of New York City. Besides being a fascinating look into the past, while I was reading it I started to help a friend with her ancestry search and found her family prominently featured in the Island, a fact we had no clue about when the quest began.

On Friday as I watch bowl games, I will open my 2016 50 Book Challenge goal and expect to add the 100 Book Challenge by June.

Be Wise, Focus on the Future with Education

The Ferro-Monte Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, will welcome New Jersey Daughters of the American Revolution State Regent Cornelia B. Olde to their November meeting. The meeting will highlight the Daughters of the American Revolution commitment to education and the DAR Schools at Roxbury Township Free Public Library 103 Main St, Succasunna, NJ on November 14 at 10:15am. 

Ferro-Monte Chapter meetings are held on the 2nd Saturday of the month from October - May. Prospective members are always welcome. If you have an interest in learning about your family tree, we can help you; maybe we can even find a Patriot among your leaves. For information the Ferro Monte Chapter: like us at Facebook.com/FerroMonteChapterNSDAR, visit our website FerroMonteDAR.org or email NJDARFerroMonte@aol.com.

The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution was founded in 1890 to promote patriotism, preserve American history, and support better education for our nation's children. Its members are descended from the patriots who won American independence during the Revolutionary War. With more than 165,000 members in approximately 3,000 chapters worldwide, DAR is one of the world's largest and most active service organizations. To learn more about the work of today's DAR, visit DAR.org

1st Presbyterian Church and United Methodist Church Cemeteries Announced as an Official Location for 2015 National Wreaths Across America Program

Community Fundraising Efforts to Culminate in Wreath-Laying Ceremony on National Wreaths Across America Day 

Wreaths Across America (WAA), a nonprofit organization founded to continue and expand the annual wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, announced that 1st Presbyterian Church and United Methodist Church Cemeteries in Succasunna, NJ has once again joined in the effort to fulfill the national WAA mission of remembering, honoring and teaching under the 2015 central theme: “Cemeteries are for the living.” This is the second year that 1st Presbyterian Church and United Methodist Church Cemeteries will be participating.

1st Presbyterian Church and United Methodist Church Cemeteries will be organizing several fundraising events in the coming year that will culminate in a wreath-laying ceremony to honor veterans on National Wreath Across America Day on Saturday, Dec. 12, 2015. Remembrance wreaths will be placed at the headstones of fallen veterans at more than 1,000 locations across the country and overseas. A remembrance ceremony will be held at 1st Presbyterian Church and United Methodist Church Cemeteries in Succasunna, NJ, on this day to ensure that the individuals who served to protect the freedoms of our country are not, and never will be, forgotten.

The Ferro Monte Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, is proud to coordinate this event.” It is truly a community event with countless residents all coming together to sponsor wreaths, lay wreaths and create a moving memorial ceremony to honor these veterans.” Vice Regent and Location Coordinator Kim Armstrong says. “We hope with the generous support of the community as well as local businesses we will be able to honor all 560 veterans in the combined cemeteries with wreaths this year. To accomplish this goal we ask you to sponsor wreaths at RoxburyWAA.org by November 28th and attend the ceremony on December 12th.” 

“Wreaths Across America has grown on the passion of our volunteers,” said Karen Worcester, WAA executive director. “Many of our organization’s most successful ideas came from those who do the real work of organizing and carrying out our ceremonies in their hometowns. It is overwhelming to realize that more than 1,000 locations are living our mission to Remember, Honor and Teach the service and sacrifice of veterans.”

Those interested in volunteering with their local Wreaths Across America location in Succasunna, NJ are invited to email NJDARFerroMonte@aol.com. For more information, to donate or to sign up to volunteer, please visit RoxburyWAA.org. 

About Wreaths Across America

Wreaths Across America is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded to continue and expand the annual wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, begun by Maine businessman Morrill Worcester in 1992. The organization’s mission, Remember, Honor, Teach, is carried out in part each year by coordinating wreath-laying ceremonies each December at Arlington, as well as at hundreds of veterans’ cemeteries and other locations in all 50 states and beyond. To keep up with all the Wreaths Across America news, visit wreathsacrossamerica.org, follow us on Facebook at Facebook.com/WAAHQ and on Twitter at twitter.com/WreathsAcross.

The Life and Times of Isaac Metzker

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.                  

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.

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

5. Findagrave.com; http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=MET&GSpartial=1&GSbyrel=all&GSst=40&GScntry=4&GSsr=4481&GRid=27263514&