Return to:   Steinmetz Family Tree -- Main Page

Children of John and Elizabeth Steinmetz
of Robeson Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania


This is an exploratory article regarding the ancestry of Sarah Ann Steinmetz who married Oliver Mock about 1854 in the Berks County, Pennsylvania area. Sarah and Oliver Mock lived on the southern border of Berks Co., PA for most of their married lives, and are recorded in the 1860 through 1880 census with their family in Union township. Sarah Ann Mock (nee Steinmetz) was born in early March 1837 according to her 1913 obituary in the The Daily Pottstown Ledger. Her obituary mentions one surviving brother, Amos Steinmetz of Robasonia. Sarah Ann Mock, of St. Peters, Warwick twp, Chester Co., Pennsylvania, died March 04, 1913 at the home of her son-in-law William Houck. Her death certificate indicates her parents were John Steimentz and Elizabeth Styer. Her husband Oliver Mock died 22 years before, on January 08, 1891, and both are buried at Pine Swamp Cemetery, in northern Chester County, Pennsylvania. Their surviving children included William H., John N., Annie E. (married William Houck), and James T.

The search for Sarah Ann Steinmetz, and her brother Amos, begins in Berks County. Baptismal records for the First United Church of Christ of Berks County indicate that a Sarah Ann Steinmetz was baptized September 14, 1837, born March 6, 1837, the daughter of Jos. & Elizabeth. The same records indicate children for a John and Elizabeth Steinmetz, including Susanna (born Nov-19-1819), Amos (born Oct-20-1828), and Rhuben (born Jan-12-1835). Burial records for St John's Union Church Cemetery, Gibraltar, Robeson twp, Berks Co., PA indicate that members of this family were buried there.

Burial Records:
  • Steinmetz, John - (24 Sept 1796 - 13 Feb 1887), husb. of Elizabeth (STEIGER) Steinmetz
  • Steinmetz, Elizabeth (STEIGER) - (23 Dec 1794 - 21 Apr 1878), wife of John
  • Steinmetz, Amos - (20 Oct 1828 - 9 Dec 1915)
  • Steinmetz, Reuban - died 26 Apr 1903, age 68y3m14d, husb. of Hannah W.
  • Steinmetz; Hannah W. - died 17 Jan 1919, age 80y6m8d, wife of Reuban

    Additional Steinmetz burials at St. John's Union Church Cemetery, Gibraltar include:
  • Steinmetz, John - (31 Jan 1833 - 16 May 1905)
  • Steinmetz, Mary Ann - (13 Aug 1836 - 27 Feb 1921), wife of John
  • Steinmetz, Abraham - died 20 Feb 1831, age 6y/2m/21d
  • Steinmetz, William - (4 Dec 1822 - 1 Jul 1887/8)
  • Steinmetz, Catharine - (2 Jan 1822 - 2 Dec 1876), wife of William
  • Steinmetz, Mary - (10 Jun 1852 - 17 Jun 1897), wife of William

    Census Records:
    The closest match for Sarah (Steinmetz) Mock in the 1850 census was in the Robeson township, Berks County household of John and Elizabeth Stamits. This household included John (54) and Elizabeth (56) with apparent children John (18), Reuben (16), Leah (20), and Sarah (14). The closest match for Amos Steinmetz is a 21 year old laborer in Exeter township of the same county. Reviewing all other census information in Berks, and neighboring Chester, County, Pennsylvania suggests this was the only Sarah and Amos Steinmetz in the area.

    In the 1860 census, the Robeson township household of a John and Elizabeth Stametz included the following [confusing mix] of individuals: William (32), Catharine (32 or 34), Amos (26), Susan (29), John (25), Rubin (22), Leah (21), Sarah (20), and Rachel (17). This household appears to relate back to the 1850 household, even though the names and ages given do not match exactly. In addition there was another household in Robeson enumerated as John (64,PA) and Elizabeth (55?,PA) Stametz, which seems to be a double-enumeration based on the lack of another John & Elizabeth in either the 1850 or 1870 census. In 1860 Oliver (24,PA) and Sarah Ann [Steinmetz] (22,PA) Mock were living across the Robeson township border in Union township, Berks Co., Pennsylvania.

    By 1870 the Robeson township household of John (73,PA) and Elizabeth (75,PA) Steinmetz, included a James Wynn (11,PA); and enumerated immediately after was the household Reuben (35,PA) and Hannah (32,PA) Steinmetz. Oliver Mock (35,PA) and Sarah A (33,PA) Mock were again enumerated in neighboring Union township.

    The baptismal, cemetery and census records above sugggest that John and Elizabeth Steinmetz of Robeson township had children whose names included Susanna, William, Amos, Leah, John, Reuben, Sarah, and perhaps Abraham.

    Additional Records:
    Sarah (Steinmetz) Mock is mentioned along with her brother Amos in the obituary of their brother John, as follows:
    "John Steinmetz died at his home in Gibraltar in his 73rd year. He is survived by his wife Mary (nee Lykens) and these brothers and sisters: Mrs. Sarah Mock of the Falls of French Creek, Chester county; Mrs. Leah Wynn, of Pottstown; Mrs. Catharine Dippery of West Reading, and Amos Steinmetz of Robinson station. He was a member of St John's Lutheran church, of Gibraltar."
    [Source: Pottstown Daily News, May 18, 1905]

    Sarah (Steinmetz) Mock of St. Peter's (Warwick two, Chester Co., PA) is mentioned along with her brother Amos in the obituary of their sister Catharine Dippery.
    OBITUARY MRS. FREDERICK DIPPERY - Mrs. Catharine Dippery, aged 90 years, 6 months and 15 days, widow of Frederick Dippery, died of general debility early yesterday morning at the home of her daugnter. Mrs. Francis Hemmig, Chestnut street, West Reading, after a brief Illness. She was a member of the Lutheran denomination. Deceased is survived by three sons, Harrison and James Dippery, of Reading, and Gideon Dippery, of Ohio: two daughters, Mrs. Jacob Hill and Mrs. Francis Hemmig; two sisters, Mrs. Sarah Mock, of St. Peter's, and Mrs. Leah Wynn, of Pottstown, and one brother. Amos Steinmets, of this city.
    [Source: Reading Times, 6-7 August 1907, Page 5]

    In the Berks County Orphan's Court records of the above John Steinmetz (died May 16 1905), it mentions he had a brother named William Steinmetz. Since John and Mary (Lykens) Steinmetz did not have children, a portion of John's estate was distributed to the children of William and Catharine Steinmetz' eldest daughter Rachel. This record indicates that the John and William Steinmetz buried at St. Johns Union Church Cemetery were brothers. John's brother William Steinmetz had married Catharine Lebo on November 02, 1845 at Trinity Lutheran church, Reading, Pennsylvania.

    The obituary of John Steinmetz (Jr.) also indicates a sister named Leah Wynn of Pottstown, a name also suggested from the census as well as the obituary of Catharine Dippery. There was a Leah Steinmetz who married Coleman Wynn in 1852 Berks County. In 1870 their son James Wynn was enumerated in the household of elder John and Elizabeth Steinmetz (subjects of this article). Also in 1870 their daughter Elmira Wynn was enumerated in the household of John and Mary Ann Steinmetz (the same buried at St. Johns Union Church Cemetery). Leah (Steinnetz) Wynn died on April 26, 1910 and is buried in in Pottstown, PA.

    The obituary of John Steinmetz (Jr.) also indicates a sister named Catharine Dippery of West Reading. As her obituary suggests she wasthe Catharine Steinmetz who married Frederich Dippery on September 06, 1841 at Trinity Lutheran church in Reading, Berks Co., Pennsylvania. They raised their family in Cumru township, Berks County, and Catharine became a widow when Frederich died in 1867. Catharine (Steinmetz) Dippery died in August 1907 at the Reading, Pennsylvania home of one of her daughters.

    Another member of John and Elizabeth Steinmetz' family was Reuben, his name suggested in the baptismal and census records. Reuben was married to Hannah W Moyer about 1858 and they raised their family in Robeson township, Berks County, Pennsylvania. They, along with their two surviving children, are buried at St. John's Union Church Cemetery, Gibraltar.

    Summary:
    It would be interesting to share additional notes or evidence regarding the possible children of John & Elizabeth Steinmetz. That was the main purpose for publishing this article.
    Based on the above research, supplemented with obituaries and death records, the family of John and Elizabeth (Steiger) Steinmetz included the following:

  • Catharine Steinmetz - born abt. February 1817, and died August 05, 1907 (married Frederich Dippery)
  • Susanna Steinmetz - born November 19, 1819, and died circa 1850 (1st wife of Peter Keinard, their sons Reuben, William and John)
  • William Steinmetz - born December 04, 1822, and died July 08, 1887 (married Catharine Lebo)
  • Abraham Steinmetz - born November 30, 1824, and died February 20, 1831
  • Amos Steinmetz - born October 20, 1828, and died December 09, 1915 (unmarried)
  • Leah Steinmetz - born abt. December 1831, and died April 26, 1910 (married Coleman Wynn)
  • John Steinmetz - born January 31, 1833, and died May 16, 1905 (married Mary Ann Lykens)
  • Reuben Steinmetz - born January 12, 1835, and died April 26, 1903 (married Hannah W Moyer)
  • Sarah Ann Steinmetz - born March 06, 1837, and died March 04, 1913 (married Oliver Mock)

    Compiled from various sources by Dennis Walsh, March 2007.  

    Home page