My Genealogy Hound

HENRY GOTSHALK METZ. Among the names of those residents of Towamencin township, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, who have received from their townsmen the recognition merited by their good qualities both as farmers and citizens, that of Henry G. Metz holds a high place. He is, as his name indicates, of German descent, his ancestors having been of that nationality which has always played so conspicuous and honorable a part in the history of Pennsylvania during the colonial and revolutionary periods, and also in later times, down to the present day.

The grandfather of Mr. Metz was the head of a numerous family, consisting of the following children: 1. Catherine, who was born December 7, 1786, and died May 3, ___. 2. Ida, who was born December 10, 1788, and died April 12, 1791. 3. Garret, who was born November 7, 1790, and died May 12, 1870. 4. Margaret, who was born April 27, 1793, married John Harley, born June 18, 1798, and was the mother of one child, Mary, who was born November 9, 1820, and died in September, 1836. Mrs. Harley was left a widow April 9, 1833, and died April 4, 1877. 5. Mary, who was born December 19, 1794, became the wife of Abram Kendricks, and died March 12, 1872. 6. John G., who was born January 18, 1797, married Elizabeth Metz, and died July 12, 1863. His wife died, leaving one child. 7. Peter G., mentioned at length hereinafter. 8. Jacob S., who was born September 13, 1802, and died July 11, 1840, in Ohio.

Peter G. Metz, mentioned above, was born November 30, 1798, and led the life of a farmer in Montgomery county. He married Elizabeth Seigler, born March 21, 1803, daughter of Jacob Gotshalk of Lower Salford. The marriage took place in October, 1827, and the following children were born to them: 1. Barbara G., who was born November 23, 1828, married William, son of Benjamin Frederick, a carpenter and farmer of Montgomery county, and had four children; Peter, Emma, Sarah and Irene. 2. J. G., who was born January 6, 1831. 3. Henry G., mentioned at length hereinafter. 4. Rebecca G., who was born November 9, 1836, and became the wife of Jacob C. Stover. 5. Jacob G., who was born February 16, 1839, married Elizabeth Rickenbach, and was the father of two children, Linford R., and Mary. 6. John G., who was born October 8, 1841. 7. Peter G., who was born February 29, 1844, and died September 15, 1855. 8. Eli G., who was born June 3, 1846, and died September 3, 1855. Mrs. Metz, the mother of these eight children, died June 26, 1881, at the age of seventy-eight. She was survived by her husband, whose death occurred May 11, 1886, some months after he had entered his eighty-eighth year.

Henry Gotshalk Metz, son of Peter G. and Elizabeth Seigler (Gotshalk) Metz, was born May 14, 1834, in Towamencin township, where until reaching the age of eleven years he attended the common schools. His youth and early manhood were spent in assisting his father in the labors of the homestead, of which he became sole manager on reaching the age of twenty-four. Under his care the farm, consisting of one hundred and two acres, has been maintained in every respect in a most flourishing condition. Attached to it is a dairy of fifteen cows, which, like the farm, testified to its owner’s enterprise and efficiency. Successful as he was as a farmer, Mr. Metz did not allow his agricultural duties to consume his whole time, but always took an active part in public affairs, aiding to the utmost of his power all measures having for their object the advancement of the well-being of the community. He was placed by the votes of his townsmen in a number of offices of trust. For eight or ten years he served as school director; was justice of the peace for two terms; for twelve years held the office of township auditor, and served a term of three years as assistant assessor; and also held the office of township inspector of election. He was a member of the Mennonite church, in which he served as trustee for a number of years. Although for nearly half a century Mr. Metz was actively identified with the social, religious and political life of the township, he was never a politician in the ordinary sense of the term, and had about him nothing of the partisan. While maintaining always an independent attitude in politics he affiliated with the Republicans. He died September 29, 1904, aged seventy years, four months and fifteen days.

Mr. Metz married, December 11, 1858, Susanna Adelfer, and they were the parents of the following children: 1. Benjamin A., who was born May 11, 1860, and resides on the homestead. He married Lizzie Bower, and their children are: Annie, Susie, Henry (deceased), Katie (also deceased), Harvey, Benjamin, Sheridan, Peter, Aaron, and John. 2. Henry A., who was born June 18, 1863, and is a dispatcher in the depot of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad in Philadelphia, a position which he has held for a number of years. He married Amanda, daughter of Mahlon Keller of Bucks county. They have no children. 3. Sheridan A., who was born June 2, 1865, and is a merchant at Skippackville, where he holds the office of postmaster. He married Ida, daughter of Henry Groff, of Harleysville. They are without children of their own, but have an adopted daughter about eleven years of age. 4. Peter A., who was born February 23, 1867, and is a farmer. He married Sarah, daughter of Isaac H. Johnson, of Skippack township, and they have three children; Katie, Henry Newton, and Emma Pearl. Mrs. Metz is a descendant of old residents of Montgomery county, her mother having been a native of Lower Salford, of which township her father, Benjamin Adelfer, was a resident. The family of her parents consisted of the following children: Anne; Michael; Susan; Jonas; Abram; Benjamin; and Susanna, who became the wife of Henry Gotshalk Metz, as mentioned above.