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Metz
Metz
Township, Vernon County, Missouri |
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After the Civil War, the township settled slowly but
substantially. In 1873 the municipal organization was effected and
the township named Metz, for the town of that name. Previously,
the area was part of Osage Township. |
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The town
of Metz, on Reed's Creek, north of the Osage in
this township, was established in the fall of 1870. The locality
was formerly known as Pleasant Valley. A fine steam planing mill
gave the village some notoriety and attracted much custom.
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How Our Town Happened onto its Name (from "The Metz
Times") |
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[From information furnished by W. L. Yeates, T. M.
Summers, and L. M. Baze.] |
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A stranger
who hears the name "Metz" may get the idea that the town's population
came direct from the city of Berlin, the banks of the Rhine or some
other point in Emperor William's domain. True it is a German name,
but if there is a thoroughbred Deitscherman living within five miles of
Metz he is unknown to the writer. |
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A
settlement on Reed's creek about one and one-half miles east of where
Metz is now located, had been called Pleasant Valley for several years.
Finally a general merchandise store was opened. In the fall of
1870 the government was asked to establish a postoffice at the place.
D. P. Swearingen, whom many knew as "Uncle Dave," was the merchant and
he was chosen postmaster. "Pleasant Valley" was sent to the postal
authorities as the name for the office. In course of time a letter
was received stating that there was an office of that name in the state
and it would be necessary to select another. "Uncle Dave"
appointed three leading men of the village to do the christening.
A meeting was held as per agreement, and though loath to give up
Pleasant Valley, they decided to leave it to the postmaster's good
judgment. "Uncle Dave" favored a short name. He had been
reading the "Weekly Missouri Republican" (now the St. Louis "Republic")
about the Franco-Prussian War and General Bazaine's capitulation at
Metz, one of the large cities of Germany.
"Boys," he said, "I've got it; let's call 'er Metz." |
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"All right!" responded the three men in concert. |
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Then the
merchant-postmaster pulled a jug from under the counter and passed it
around, after which the dogs were called and all joined in a 'coon hunt
in the Osage bottoms.
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In May, 1890, the Missouri Pacific railroad was
completed. It missed Metz about a mile. The inhabitants of
the village found themselves isolated, within earshot of the shrieks of
the locomotive, but too far away for practical purposes. Dr. G. W.
Petty was the first to break away from the old town. He moved his
store building and contents to the present site and soon the new town of
Metz was laid out. Others followed, and in a short time Pleasant
Valley, as many still called it, was only a reminiscence."
Information above from the 1911
History of Vernon County, Missouri |
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From Metz
D. P. Swearingen built the
first house in the place in the spring of 1867, hauling the lumber from
Sedalia on a wagon before the railroad ever ran from Sedalia to the
southwest. In the year 1868 ten acres was laid off in town lots.
The first death after it became a town was that of Mrs. D. P.
Swearingen. The first birth was Rosa Rucker who was born in
September, 1879. The present school house was built in the year
1879, at a cost of about $1,200 and has an enrollment of 115 scholars in
that district attending. The first marriage was T. L. O'Brien and
Nancy Swearingen, by Rev. R. H. Harris, June 28th, 1868.
There is some little
improvement going on there now. A new Southern Methodist church is
being built at a cost of $1,000. There is a saw mill there
belonging to Wilson & Pond. The mill has been running ever since
1868. The past year they have made about 180,000 feet of lumber,
and shipped most of it to Kansas City. They also run a grist mill
in connection, and ground about 3,000 bushels of meal the past year.
The population of Metz is
about 100. T. J. Pond manufactures coffins and all kinds of
furniture. He has followed the business forty years and his work
cannot be surpassed by any one in the state. Dr. Petty runs the
only store in the place, it being a general store. The soil around
Metz is good, and crops look well.
The Nevada Noticer, Nevada, MO.
Thursday, November 1, 1888.
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Metz Now Has Street Lights
Metz has street lights. After months of waiting the Public Service
Company turned them on at 12 o’clock Monday. Some got the idea the
lights were turned on at that particular time on account of the eclipse
of the sun which was scheduled to occur at 12:51 that day, but not so.
The seventeen lights, one on each block in town, showed up plainly in
spite of daytime and they look much better at night. This is a step
forward that Metz can boast of.
The
Metz Times,
Metz, Missouri. Friday, May 2, 1930, page 1.
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Egg Market, Metz Bank,
Morrison's Restaurant,
Petty Store,
Robinson's Drug Store,
R. J. Hurley Lumber Co. |
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Churches: Christian Church,
Baptist Church, Methodist Church, Pryor Creek Baptist
Church, Unidentified Church.
Click here for photos and the History of
the Metz Churches. |
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Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R.) Civil War Union Veterans: Gentlemen c. 1910 |
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Fraternal and Beneficial Societies of Metz:
Odd Fellows, Modern Woodmen, Modern Brotherhood, Royal Neighbors, Daughters of Rebekah, Grand Army of the Republic.
Metz Women's Christian
Temperance Union. |
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Schools:
2009
Alumni
Newsletter,
2008
Alumni
Newsletter,
2007 Alumni Newsletter,
2006 Alumni Newsletter,
2005 Alumni Newsletter (The
newsletters are large files and may take a few minutes to open.) |
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Sports Teams: Metz Tigers
Baseball, 1911 Baseball Team |
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Train Depot |
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Bittersweet magazine article: "We
Like It Small" |
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Please
email us if you have Metz
photos or other Metz memorabilia which we can copy or scan and share on this
website. |
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Return to
Vernon County Towns |
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