Adam Lenhart

As printed in 1908

ADAM LENHART, the efficient superintendent of the Children's Home, of Clark County, Ohio, has tilled this important and responsible office since March, 1885. He was born in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, June 8, 1840, and is a son of Abraham and Leah (Shettler)

lenhart. The Lenhart family is of German extraction and is well represented in Pennsylvania and adjoining states.

Abraham Lenhart came to Ohio from Pennsylvania, removed from this state to Hamilton County, Illinois, and still later to Kansas, where he died, aged sixty-four years. He had nine children, as follows: Adam, whose name appears at the head of this article; Christopher, who died aged thirteen years; Susan, residing in Kansas, who is the widow of William Cox; Margaret, residing in Kansas, who married Washington Hutchinson; Abraham ana Henry, both of whom went to Kansas, where the former died; Sarah, residing in Kansas, who married James Charlesworth; William, who resides in Missouri; and Anna, who died in young womanhood.

Adam Lenhart engaged in farming and also worked as a stationary engineer prior to coming to Springfield, Ohio, in 1875, where he was employed on the work of fitting up the plant of the St. John Sewing Machine Company. Later he became foreman of the Stand departments, having also assisted in completing that plant. After two years of retirement from business Mr. Lenhart was called to become superintendent of the Clark County Children's Home.

This great county charity was founded six years before ]\ft-. Lenhart took charge, and under his wise and capable management it has greatly increased in usefulness. The records show that more than 1,500 children have found refuge in the institution and have been sent to private homes, where they are kindly cared for, although not released from the protecting supervision of the Home. It may surprise many of the readers of these lines to know that the average age of the children received is three years, and they are assured of an education and comfortable surroundings until they are sixteen years of age, unless in the meanwhile they have found other homes. When they leave this institution they are well equipped to take their places in the battle of life. Mr. Lenhart has also the supervision of the farm of sixty-five acres, which belongs to the Home. He has been so earnest in his work that the county has readily responded to his appeals, and modern machinery has been installed in the buildings, giving heat, light and water; also modern methods of control are followed in the management of the county charges. Mr. Lenhart seems to be particularly fitted for the position he fills. His attention was first called to the claims of the county's indigent while serving as one of the directors of the county infirmary, and during that time he impressed his fellowdirectors by his practical suggestions and intelligent ideas.

In 1864 Mr. Lenhart was married to Isabella Bolen, whose father was a well-known contractor and bridge-builder. Mr. Bolen was twice man-ied and the following children of his are living: John, who is superintendent of buildings for the Dayton, Spring-field & Urbana Railroad, resides at Springfield; Harry, who is a stockman and farmer and resides in Indian Territory; Isabella, who became Mrs. Lenhart; and Jeannetta and Loretta, twins, residing in Colorado, the former of whom married Joseph Sample.

Mr. and Mrs. Lenhart have had four children, three of whom died in infancy. One daughter survives, Elsie L., who wa:

born in 1867. She is the widow of Dr. John G. Kennan, who died in 1897, at Springfield, leaving three children — Isabella, Gardiner and Lucile. Mr. and Mrs. Lenhart, her daughter and the latter 's children, are members of the First Baptist Church of Spring-field, of which Mr. Lenhart has long been one of the trustees.

[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]

Mr. Lenhart is deeply interested in all charitable and philanthropic work, but at the same time is a man of very practical ideas. He is never swayed by false sentiment and thus is well fitted for official position. He is a member of the Ohio Charities and Corrections Association, which has supervision of all the charitable institutions of the state, and in 1900 he was chairman of the body representing the Children's Home in that organization. In June, 1902, he was appointed a delegate to a National Conference of Charities, but was unable to attend on account of pressing duties at that time connected with the affairs of the Children's Home.

As printed in 20th century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens (1908). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.