Michael Metzger (II) was born in Rochester, New York.  His father, Michael (I), was a brewer from the Saar Valley who came to America in the 1830s.  After Michael was born his father took the Metzgers west to Jo Daviess County, Illinois.  The county at the time was producing 80 percent of the lead ore in the United States, and Galena, being the nearest port, was becoming a wealthy and populous boomtown.

The Metzger family arrived in the county some time between 1842 and 1846 and the patriarch set up his St. Louis Brewery right on the river.  He may have from the beginning been in partnership with William Huoy, but he certainly was by 1854.  The St. Louis Brewery operated in what could have been called "brewery row".  Next to Metzger's the Voltz Brewery, a brewer named Andrew Leusing, and another named John Mosier came and went over the decades, but the Metzger brewery remained.  Michael grew up in the Brewery and surrounded by beer-makers.  He became well prepared to take over the firm whenever it was time.

The time came on the 27th of November, 1869, when Michael Sr. passed away at the age of 61.  Although Michael (II) was the only one listed in the following year's census as living in the brewery, he likely had help from his brother Conrad, who had been working in the Metzger Brewery at least through 1860.

Metzger had married Mary Margaret Houy in 1868 and in the 1870s Metzger brought in his brothers-in-law, George, William and Fred Houey, as partners.  Together they ran the firm for another decade, finally closing down in 1884.

In 1876 Conrad left for San Francisco California to work in the National Brewery there.  With him in the National were fellow Galena brewers John F. Brendel and George F. Volz. 

After the Galena brewery closed Michael moved his family to Chicago.  Metzger died there on the 26th of March, 1907.

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