Lineage of Felix Metty to Cleo Metty

 I recently posted the marriage license of Arthur Metty and Bertha Wickman.  Now I will turn back the pages of history to 1875.  Arthur was born on 14 November of that year in Kankakee, Illinois. 

The family was living on Washington Avenue between Court and Merchants Street.  In the 1880 census the family is shown living in Bourbonnais, Illinois.  By 1884, the family had removed to Lyon County Minnesota along with a number of other families from Kankakee County, Illinois.

In June 1884, Arthur’s father purchased a quarter section of land in Murray Township, Murray County, Minnesota approximately one and one half miles southeast of the village of Currie, Minnesota.  The local newspaper states:"He is a member of a company now operating a livestock farm near Marshall."  Then on 12 November 1885 the news reports:  "Mr. F. H. Mette moved his family from near Marshall to Frank Barrows farm just west of this place last week."  Thus Arthur now ten years of age, has arrived in Murray county which will remain his home for the remainder of his life.

Little is known of his early life, but it is said that one of his means of livelihood was transporting person between Currie and Tracy via horse and buggy, as Tracy was the nearest railroad for passenger service.  Here Arthur is pictured in his buggy in front of the Hotel Gibbs in Currie with a group of his passengers.

At the time of his marriage, he was working in Montana.  We know from the marriage certificate that Marion (brother-in-law) and Lilly (sister) Smith were there as witnesses to the marriage.  It has been said that he and a friend spent the winter in Montana working for and individual named AKALAI IKE.  Ike either owned or has access to large quantities of livestock forage and Arthur and friend were engage to transport the livestock feed to various ranchers in the vicinity.

 

After he and Bertha returned to Currie, they lived on Olive Street across the street from Calvary Cemetery.  It is here that there eldest child was born on July 21 1912.  Pictured below are the parents and their son Arthur Metty Jr.

Arthur was a tiller of the soil and spent the remainder of his working years farming.  He first farmed land west of the village and then moved his family to a farm several miles southeast of Currie.  He continued farming until the mid-1940s and upon retiring he returned to the village of Currie and the house on Olive Street.  He resided there until the early 1950s and then moved to another home at the corner of Second and Main. 

 

Arthur died at Memorial Hospital, Slayton, Minnesota on 21 April 1960.  He was buried in Calvary Cemetery just across the Olive Street where he had resided for many years.

Arthur Metty Succumbs at Memorial Hospital

Funeral services for Arthur P. Metty were held on Saturday, April 23 at the I.H.M. Catholic church at Currie with the Rev. Fr. John Mountain officiating.  Mr. Metty passed away on April 21, at the age of 84 at the Murray County Memorial Hospital.

Arthur P. Metty was born in Kankakee, Illinois, to Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Metty.  He was united in marriage to Bertha Wichman from Mortonville, Minnesota in 1911.  Three children were born to this union, Arthur J. Thomas Clair and Vera (Mrs. Lester Rue).  Mrs. Metty died on February 18, 1920, and he remarried in 1922 to Rita A. Judd on June 13 at Thomson, Illinois.  They farmed until just recently near Currie.

Surviving are his wife and three children and 8 grandchildren.  Pall bearers were Elmer McCoy, Paul Ockenfels, Harold Leversedge, John Silvernale, Clifford Metty and John Broers.

 

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Currie Services on Saturday for A. P. Metty, 84

 

Currie - Funeral services for Arthur P. Metty, 84, who died last Thursday in a Slayton Hospital were held at 10 a.m. Saturday from the Catholic church in Currie, Rev. John Mountain officiating.  Interment was in Calvary cemetery.

 

The life long farmer, until his retirement was born in Kankakee, Ill. the son of Mr. and Mrs.    Frederick Metty and was first married to Bertha Wichmann in 1911 at Martonville, Minn.  Mrs. Metty died in 1920.

 

Two years later on June 13, 1922, he was married to Rita A. Judd at Thomson, Ill.

 

He is survived by three children, Mrs. Lester Rue of Washington, Thomas Clair Metty of Minneapolis, and Arthur J. Metty, Currie.

 

Three sisters also survived.  They are: Mrs. John Breen, Bemidji; Mrs. Edna Murphy, British Columbia, and Mrs. Lily Smith of Granurm, Albert, Canada.

 

Pallbearers were Elmer McCoy, Paul Ockenfels, Harold Leveredge, John Silvernale, Clifford Metty and John Broers.