Frank Leighton Metzker was born October 13, 1859, and Lucy William Allen, October 4, 1861 - both in Greenville, Kentucky. They were married November 18, 1876 in Shonney Town, Illinois and to this union was born thirteen children: Minerva Cline, Lula Gregg, Aline Templin and Henry, Fred, Ira, Harrison, Cordelia, Jessie, Isaac, Malcolm, George and Robert Metzker.

In 1907, Henry Metzker went to Oklahoma to visit his Uncle Charlie Metzker. Then he went to Topeka and later to Wichita. He sent for his father to come there. His mother was still in Evansville with the rest of the family. She sold their things and on October 18, 1904, came to Wichita. They spent the winter in Wichita and one day in a restaurant Frank Metzker met C.F. Biddle and he talked him into coming to Coldwater to live and work on the Biddle Ranch. The family moved to Comanche County in early spring of 1905. There they continued to live until Mr. Metzker died December 4, 1932 in a Wichita hospital. Mrs. Metzker died at Aline Templin's home in Wichita, April 9, 1941.

My grandfather and grandmother Metzker were very special to me. I used to ride to town with them in a buggy. Grandad would stop the horse and get out and pick every flower I saw and wanted.

Grandmother Metzker endured so many hardships - yet she was strong in all her trials. She had thirteen children. Isaac and Jessie died and Aline was born all in a period of two weeks. Her son Harrison was killed in W.W. I on November 1st - just ten days before the Armistice was signed. Grandmother Metzker made the trip to France to see his grave as a Gold Star Mother - she asked no one in the family to accompany her.

She saw a need for a church in her community. She and Grandfather Scott drove two days with a horse and buggy to see if the families wanted it. Thus Bethel Sunday School was organized as a Union Church. In order to have a minister it was later changed to a Methodist Church.

The memory of these two fine people will always be dear to me.

-- Rachel Booth

Mrs. Frank Metzker of this county is one of the "Gold Star" mothers who are now seeing France, and taking a look over the World War battlefields and cemeteries of that country. They are making the trip as the guests of the United States Government. The mothers were taken to France on the Steamship President Roosevelt. Shortly before landing in France, or on July 30, Mrs. Metzker wrote a letter to her daughter, Mrs. J. M. Cline, of this city, and we are permitted to print it. Mrs. Metzker says:

"Dear Nerva and all the family,

This is Sunday and they say we are 1605 miles from New York. They say we will get to France Thursday. The ocean was awfully rough. Friday so many ladies got very sick. (I didn't) and you can tell them all I haven't been sick and am ready to eat every meal. We get three meals a day and then lunch in the forenoon and afternoon. I am feeling fine and so is Mrs. Burns of Wichita. But the lady from Pratt is in bed and has been there most of the time since Friday. They had memorial services this morning. It was nice. Mr. Woodring and wife are on this ship. He made a good talk. They will come back with us. But we will come back on the S. S. Washington. They say it is a larger ship.

"Well, we are having the best time. They fix everything for our comfort. They even have picture shows and dancing. I go to the picture shows, but I haven't seen them dance yet. There are over six hundred on ship and one hundred seventy "Gold Star" mothers.

"Well, yesterday and today are fine. I wish I could hear from home. I thought I would hear in New York, but didn't. Well, you can tell every one as I can't write to all.

"Will close, with lots of love to every one.

MOTHER

P. S. Well, this is Monday morning. Last night they had preaching and singing. It was good. It doesn't seem like being with strangers. They are so good to us and wait on us so much. They say we will see land Wednesday and we will Get to France Thursday. Well, this is all this morning ."

Five Generations: Lucy (Allen) Metzker & her descendants.
Marguerite (Thompson) Hughes holding baby, Minerva (Metzker) Cline, Leta (Cline) Thompson.
Lucy (Allen) Metzker sits in front.
Photo courtesy of Rhonda (Cline) Nickel.

Harrison Metzker
American Expeditionary Forces, 89th Division,
Company L, 353rd Infantry, A1 1-Kansas Regiment.
Photo courtesy of Shirley Brier.

S.Sgt. Ira Leighton Metzker, USAAF
Killed in Action on August 24, 1943.

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Birth Order Listing of the Children of
James Marion & Minerva Frances (Metzker) Cline

1.  Hueston Cline
2.  Owen Cline (died as an infant)
3.  Leta Hazel (Cline) Thompson
4.  James Kenneth Cline
5.  Edith Marguerite (Cline) Martin
6.  Allen Leighton Cline
7.  Frances Georgia (Cline) Burkhall
8.  Frederick Lee Roy Cline
9.  Raymond Everett Cline
10.  James Russell Cline
11.  Jessie (Cline) Robertson

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Also see:

From Our Soldiers and Sailor Boys : Harrison and George Metzker, The Western Star, October 18, 1918.

Minerva Frances (Metzker) Cline, daughter of Frank and Lucy (Allen) Metzker.

"Mrs. J.M. Cline Has Made Many Hundreds of Beautiful Quilts", news clipping, 31 Dec 1964.

Photographs from the Collection of J.M. & Minerva Cline, printed from the original glass plate negatives by Russell Fay Cline.

Jerry Dean Cline, son of Allen Leighton & Ruby Dona (Hale) Cline, grandson of J.M. & Minerva (Metzker) Cline; great grandson of Frank and Lucy (Allen) Metzker.

Russell Fay Cline, son of J.R. & Gloria (Wilson) Cline, grandson of J.M. & Minerva (Metzker) Cline; great grandson of Frank and Lucy (Allen) Metzker.

Dorothy Virginia Gregg, grand-daughter of Frank and Lucy (Allen) Metzker.

Lula Agnes (Metzker) Gregg, daughter of Frank and Lucy (Allen) Metzker.

Rhonda (Cline) Nickel, daughter of J.R. & Gloria (Wilson) Cline, grand-daughter of J.M. & Minerva (Metzker) Cline; great grand-daughter of Frank and Lucy (Allen) Metzker.

Harrison Metzker, son of Frank Leighton and Lucy William (Allen) Metzker.

S.Sgt. Ira Leighton Metzker, USAAF, grandson of Frank and Lucy (Allen) Metzker.

Iris (Brasher) Metzker, wife of Ira. L. Metzker, Sr., mother of Ira Leighton Metzker, Jr.

Robert Edwin Metzker, son of Frank Leighton and Lucy William (Allen) Metzker.

ELZA HOLMES WRITES FROM FAR AWAY FRANCE, The Western Star, November 11, 1921: "Tell Mrs. Metzker that I visited her son's grave a few days ago, and it is nice and well kept, and if she will write a request I may be able to get a picture of it, although they are very strict about such things."

WWI News Articles from Comanche County, Kansas

The Adjutant General Department:
List of Comanche County Men Who Died During WWI

The following off-site link will open in a new browser window:

Meuse-Argonne Offensive

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Thanks to Rhonda (Cline) Nickel contributing the above photos of Frank & Lucy Metzker and article about them and to Shirley Brier for finding, transcribing and contributing the aboveWestern Star "Gold Star Mother" article and photo of Harrison Metzker to this web site!

This website is being created by Jerry Ferrin with the able assistance of many Contributors. Your comments, suggestions and contributions of historical information and photographs to this site are welcome. Please sign the Guest Book. This page was created 25 November 2006 and was last updated 2 December 2006.