John D. Lantz
The late John D. Lantz, for years a resident of Beavercreek township, who died at his farm home in that township early in 1913 and whose daughters, the Misses Ada and Julia Lantz, are still living there, was a native of the stale of Maryland, but had been a resident of Ohio since he was six years of age. He was born at Clear Springs, in Washington county, Maryland, December 9, 1829, a son of John and Catherine (Rhodes) Lantz, both also natives of Maryland, who came to Ohio in 1836 and here spent their last days.
John Lantz was born in Washington county, Maryland, August 27, 1806, and there grew to manhood on a farm. In 1826 he married Catherine Rhodes, who was born in 1807, daughter of John and Barbara Rhodes, who were the parents of eight children, and after his marriage continued to make his home in Maryland, engaged in the milling and distilling business at Clear Springs, until 1836, when he came with his family to Ohio and in the fall of that year settled on the Harbine farm in Beavercreek township. A few years later Mr. Lantz moved to Springfield with his family and was there engaged in the milling business until 1850, in which year he returned to this county and bought the farm in Beavercreek township on which his granddaughters, mentioned above, are now living, established his home there and there spent the remainder of his life, his death occurring on July 14, 1871. John Lantz left a farm of two hundred and twenty-six acres. He had served the public as township trustee and in other local capacities. His widow survived him for eleven years, her death occurring in the home place in 1882. She was a member of the Lutheran church. To John and Catherine (Rhodes). Lantz were born six children, Barbara A.; John D.; Catherine J.; Mary E., who married Ebenezer Herring; Jacob L., and Eliza E. Barbara A. married George S. Lafong and Eliza E. married John A. Harner. Joseph L. Lantz, who was born in 1840, served as a soldier during the Civil War, being mustered out as a sergeant, was for more than twenty years one of Greene county's best-known school teachers, became a landowner in Beavercreek township and served that township as trustee for some years, besides holding other local offices at one time and another. He married Mary Mercer.
John D. Lantz, as noted above, was but six years of age when he came to this state with his parents and here he grew to manhood. He was twenty years of age when his father bought the farm in Beaver Creek township and moved here from Springfield. After his marriage he established his home on that farm and in time became owner of the same. He and his wife were members of the local Reformed church. Mr. Lantz was a Republican and at one time and another was elected to serve in various official capacities. John D. Lantz died on February 5, 1913, in his eighty-fourth year. His wife had preceded him to the grave nearly eighteen years, her death having occurred on February 22, 1895, she then being in the sixtieth year of her age. She was born in 1836. In 1855, John D. Lantz was united in marriage to Rebecca Harner, a daughter of George and Julia A. Harner, and to that union were born four children, namely: Ada B. and Julia A., who are still living on the old home place in Beavercreek township; John C, who married Nettie R. Meyers and died at the age of thirty-nine years, leaving three children, John L., Losetta E., who married John Lesher, and Edna A., who married James Turner; and George W., who married Matilda Wetzel and is living at Zimmerman, where he is engaged in the carpenter business. Since the death of their father the Misses Ada and Julia Lantz have continued to maintain their residence on the old home place, rural mail route No. 10 out of Xenia. They are members of the local Reformed church.
From History of Greene County Ohio, Its People, Industries and Institutions, vol. 2. M.A.Broadstone, editor. B.F.Bowen & Co., Indianapolis. 1918