Mertz, James A. (1866-1946)

MERTZ, YAUS, JACOBSON, CLERFF, ERMELS, GOTTSCH, COHN, PAGE

Posted By: Debbie Greenfield (email)
Date: 7/9/2015 at 12:17:20

Daily Freeman Journal, Monday, October 14, 1946

JAMES MERTZ, W.C. INVENTOR, DEAD: AGED 79

Funeral Services to be Held Wednesday at Two O'clock.

J. A. Mertz, 79, inventor of the sliding hog trough and founder of the Monarch factory here, died at 3:30 this morning at the Hamilton county hospital, where he had been a patient for the past week.

Death was caused by heart trouble and complications due to his age. He had been in poor health for the past year and one-half. Mr. Mertz had lived in Webster City since 1889.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Foster funeral home, with Dr. Effie McCollum Jones officiating. Interment will be in Graceland cemetery.

The son of Benjamin Franklin and Amanda Mertz, James A. Mertz was born Dec. 3, 1866, at Buckingham, Tama county, Iowa. At the age of six he moved with his parents to Traer. They later moved to Grundy Center, where he grew to manhood.

As a young man he was employed in an implement store in Grundy Center. In the fall of 1889, he came to Webster City, where he worked for E. R. Swon in installing some of the first furnaces in this community. He later went into the pump and windmill business for himself.

He was married March 19, 1892, to Katie Yaus by the Rev. Snook, Universalist minister. Mr. and Mrs. Mertz have always made their home in this city.

In 1915 he invented the first sliding hog trough and started the Monarch company, where he manufactured "livestock" equipment. He later sold out to the late E. S. Johnson.

He was preceded in death by his parents, one son, Lloyd, who died in infancy, two brothers and one sister.

Surviving are his wife, three sons and four daughters, Ralph Mertz of Sioux City, Mrs. Leonard (Velva) Jacobson of Ames, Mrs. Frank (Ruth) Clerff, George Mertz, Opal Mertz, Harry Mertz, and Mrs. Barney (Gertrude) Ermels, all of Webster City; eight grandchildren, two great grandchildren, three sisters, Mrs. R. E. Gottsch of Grundy Center, Mrs. Clara Cohn and Mrs. Era Page, both of Waterloo, and several nieces and nephews.