Henry Wentz

HENRY WENTZ.

Henry AVentz is a prominent business man of Shelby, who is recognized by those who know him well as a man of most kindly heart, of sterling worth and integrity, as well as of keen sagacity and business enterprise. He was born in December, 1839, about two miles from Shelby. The ancestry can be traced back to three brothers who came from Switzerland in the early settlement of this country and located at Binghamton, New York.

Henry Wentz, Sr., the father of our subject, married Elizabeth Sheibley and they became the parents of thirteen children, of whom two died in infancy. The eldest daughter of the family, Mary Wentz, was born May 23, 1825, married John Feirorld, a farmer, and died April 24, 1903; Hannah, born Decend>er 25, 1826, married Adam Stine, of Crestline, Crawford county, Ohio, and died October 11, 1901; John, born November 11, 1828, is a carpenter by trade and resides in the city of Shelby; David, born June 6, 1830, was a farmer living near Shiloh, this county, and passed away December 3, 1905; Lydia A., born January 13, 1832, became the wife of George Bloom and died in Richland county, October 12, 1889; George, born July 3, 1834, died in 1886; the next was a daughter who died in infancy; Elizabeth, born October 11, 1837, and now living with her brother Levi, was followed by Henry, of this review; then came a son who died in infancy; Sarah Annborn September 9, 1843, became the wife of Samuel Miller, of Shelby, and died January 1, 1890; Levi S., born September 18, 1845, lives on the old homestead in Cass township; Priscilla Katherine, both November 13, 1847, married David S. Stroup, a farmer living in Cass township, and died April 24, 1901. The parents of these children removed from Perry county, Pennsylvania, to Cass township, Richland county, Ohio, in April, 1834, and thus the family became identified with the country during the period of its pioneer development.

Henry Wentz was born here when Richland was still a frontier county and was reared amid the scenes and environments of pioneer life. He remained at home until he wa eighteen years of age and during that period assisted in the work of the fields, but on starting out in life on his own account he determined to follow other pursuits than that to which he had been reared and learned the carpenter’s trade. He was twenty-one years of age when the Civil war broke out and, putting aside all business and personal considerations, he joined Company E of the Eleventh Indiana Volunteer Infantry under Colonel Lew Wallace and immediately entered upon active service. He proved a brave and loyal soldier whose meritorious conduct on the field of battle won him successive promotions until he became first lieutenant. He had served three and a half years when he resigned in December, 1864, and had participated in the battles of Fort Donelson and Fort Henry and the battle of Shiloh. He was also with his company in Arkansas and Tennessee and was present also at the siege of Vicksburg. He likewise participated in the battle of Port Gibson on the ist of May, 1863, and of Champion Hill, May 16, 1863, on which occasion forty-three men of his company entered the engagement but only fifteen returned, the other twenty-eight being either killed or wounded. Lieutenant Wentz had his cap pierced by a ball, while another took the heel from his boot. After the Vicksburg campaign had resulted in the capitulation of the city with victory for the Union troops, Mr. Wentz participated in the Sherman expedition to Jackson, Mississippi. He was afterward transferred to the Gulf department and took part in the Teche campaign, while in 1864 he went to the Shenandoah valley and participated in the engagements at Hall Town, Winchester, Fisher’s Hill and Cedar Creek, resigning in the fall.

Mr. Wntz returned to his home and after spending a year working at the carpenter’s trade he became a merchant at Crestline, Ohio, carrying a stock of hardware, tinware and stoves, and successfully conducted the business until 1875, when he sold out and the following year came to Shelby.

In the meantime Mr. Wentz had been married on the 8th of June, 1865, to Miss Sarah A. Bushey, of Shelby, who was called to her final rest on the 29th of May, 1907. Unto them were born a daughter and two sons: Henry R., who was born March 21, 1867, and died in November, 1877; Estella Blanche, who was born October 4, 1869; and George Ralj)h, who was born March 1, 1879, and died in August, 1886. The daughter was married June 7, 1894, to Dr. D. V. Summers, of Shelby. She has two children, Harry Hugh and Helen Wentz.

lYl lowing his removal to Shelby, in 1876, Mr. Wentz engaged in the insurance business and was chosen secretary of the Mutual Fire Insurance Company. In 1885 this company reorganized under the name of the Mutual Plate Glass Insurance Association, of Shelby, and Mr. Wentz became its secretary. He is also actively interested in the real-estate business, forming a partnership with Francis Brucker and Hon. J. D. Leighty, of St. Joe, Indiana, and they have laid out an addition to the town of Shelby known as the Boulevard Addition, which has become one of the ])principal residence sections of the city. It was laid out in 1896 and the sale of lots luis been rapid and profitable. Mr. Wentz is also a director of the Citizens Bank, of the Sutter Furniture Company and of the Shelby Electric Company, and is a stockholder in the Ohio Seamless Tube Company and director and treasurer of the Shelby Printing Company. He is likewise director and president of the Shelby Land & Improvement Company. His business interests are thus extensive and he is recognized as one whose keen insight and sagacity make his judgment valuable and constitute him an important factor in business circles.

In community affairs Mr. AVentz has taken ah active and helpful interest. He has served as a member of the city council and has cooperated in many movements whereby the interests of Shelby have been enhanced. A most prominent member of Harker Post, No. 146, G. A. R., he served many years as its commander. He also belongs to the Royal Arcanum and the subordinate lodge and Uniformed Rank of the Knights of Pythias, in which connection he is now colonel of the Ninth Regiment of the Ohio Brigade. In the Lutheran church he has been an active and helpful member, has been president of the church joint council and also treasurer of the church. Such in brief is the history of Henry AVentz, whose life record proves the extent of his activity and the value of his services. A\ith the capacity and experience that would enable him to fulfill any trust to which he might be chosen, he has never sought to advance himself in office, but has been contented to do his duty where he could and leave the self-seeking to others. Viewed in a personal light, he is a strong man of excellent judgment, fair in his views but unfaltering in advancing ideas which be believes to be right. He is a man of strong convictions and his integrity stands as an unquestioned fact in his career. He is in full sympathy with the great movements of the world about him and watches the progress of events with the keenest interest.

As printed in History of Richland County, Ohio, from 1808 to 1908 : also biographical sketches of prominent citizens of the county (1908). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.