San Diego County Biographies
 
ISRAEL METZ

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm

 
        Just to the east of the railroad, one mile north of Perris, is a 
160-acre ranch without a stump or stone on the whole property. This is the ranch 
and home of Mr. Israel Metz. He settled on the then wild Government land 
September 29, 1884, and made the adobe brick and built a very comfortable home, 
and planted his grounds to trees, shrubs and flowers. Mr. Metz is a native of 
Chester County, Pennsylvania, and was born November 12, 1831. His grandfather, 
John Metz, was a native of Germany, but settled in Pennsylvania, where his son, 
Israel Metz's father, was born, raised and married to Miss Anna Doan in 1830. 
They had a family of eleven, of which Mr. Metz was the eldest. When quite young 
his parents removed to Iowa, where he received his education. He learned the 
cooper's trade before he became of age, and worked at it about three years, and 
has worked at it, more or less, all his life. He farmed in Iowa for five years, 
and came to California in 1855. He has resided in Santa Clara and San Joaquin 
counties, and lived within seven miles of Stockton for twelve years, on a farm 
which he owned. He was in San Benito County four years. Then he went to Sonoma 
County, then to Tehama, and then to Shasta. While at the latter place he got the 
chills and fever, and came south to San Diego County in 1884, and settled in his 
present home. He has been a resident of California for thirty-four years, and 
has seen much of pioneer life when there were but few settlers, no railroads, 
and few of the privileges or enjoyments of civilization. He was married March 
15, 1853, to Miss Margaret Wiley, who was born in Tippecanoe County, Indiana, 
November 24, 1832. She was a daughter of Mr. James Wiley, a native of Virginia, 
born April 11, 1802. They have had five children: Amanda Elizabeth, born in 
Santa Clara County, November 28, 1855; she is married to Mr. La Fayette Flood, 
and their land adjoins her father's. Albert W., born in San Joaquin County, 
December 17, 1857, and married to Miss Trulover; their home is on the same 
section. Teressa Elnora, born in San Joaquin County, September 16, 1859; Joseph 
Orlando, born in Los Angeles County, February 8. 1870. Mrs. Metz is a member of 
the Christian Church. Mr. Metz is a pleasant and sociable man and an excellent 
neighbor.
 
SOURCE:  An Illustrated History of Southern California:  Embracing the Counties 
of San Diego, San Bernardino, Los Angeles and Orange, and the Peninsula of Lower 
California� Chicago:  The Lewis Publishing Company, 1890.  p.-  328