Submitted by: The Schertz Family
The Schertz family farm lies north of Metamora in Metamora Township and was made a Sesquicentennial Farm in 2000.
The Illinois Sesquicentennial Farm Program was established to honor the generations of farmers who have worked to maintain family farms in Illinois.
Pictured is the late Donald E. Schertz with the Sesquicentennial Farm sign which now stands on the property. The farm was bought by Peter Gingery in 1847. (The name Gingery was later changed to Gingerich.) To qualify as a Sesquicentennial Farm, an agricultural property must be owned by a straight or collateral line of descendents of the original owner for at least 150 years.
John Schertz, an early pioneer, first came to Worth Township from France about 1843. He married Magdalena Engel. Christian H. Schertz, one of their nine children married Annie Gingerich in 1869. They raised five children on this farm, Elvina, Lucinda, Annie, Edward C. and Susie. Next to live on the farm was Edward C. and his wife, Emma Garber. Four children were born to them- Orval, Richard, Chester (Chet) and Donald E. A daughter, Eva, preceded them in death. Donald and his wife, Dorothy Marchand Schertz and James, Larry, Laurie and Bonnie lived on the home place 28 years. Today the farm is occupied by James and Kathleen Broe Schertz and children, Eric, Molly and Kyle.
This early photo shows the barn that stood on the Christian H. Schertz farm since 1889. At that time it was a modern style of architecture, 52×36 feet, with 18 feet posts and a stone basement. The barn constructed of white pine with hand chiseled wooden pegs had solid oak beams under the main floor, made of 12 x 12 foot round logs. It was razed in 1988. The man on the right holding two horses is Christian H. Schertz. Edward C. Schertz, Christian’s son and Donald E. Schertz’ father is with the team of hitched horses on the left.
