In the books' own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. The later printing (1902) is folded below the first. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
Born 1837, Franklin county
From A centennial biographical history of Crawford County, Ohio .. (1902), History of Crawford county and Ohio. Containing a history of the state of Ohio, from its earliest settlement to the present time ... a history of Crawford county ... biographical sketches; portraits o (1881)
[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]
As printed in History of Crawford county and Ohio. Containing a history of the state of Ohio, from its earliest settlement to the present time ... a history of Crawford county ... biographical sketches; portraits o (1881). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
JOHN WENTZ.
One of the prosperous, energetic and capable agriculturists of Crawford county is John Wentz, who makes his home in Bucyrus township, where he is engaged in the tilling of the soil and the raising of stock. He was born in Franklin county, Pennsylvania, in Chambersburg, September i, 1837, a son of John and Mary (Monard) Wentz, both of whom were natives of Hesse, Germany. In early life, however, they came to the new world and were married in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. In the fall of 1839 they removed to Blackford county, Indiana, settling in the midst of the forest and there they cleared and developed a farm, upon which they spent their remaining days. Of their children only John and his brother Jacob are now living.
John Wentz was only two years of age when his parents removed to the Hoosier state, and there amid the wild scenes of pioneer life he was reared to manhood, assisting his father in clearing away the forest trees and preparing the fields for cultivation. He never attended school for a single day until he was fifteen years of age, and after that attended for only a few weeks for two or three years. His entire attendance would not aggregate one year, but though he gained a limited education in the schoolroom he is a well informed man, gaining his knowledge through reading, observation and experience.
On the 26th of November, 1857, when twenty years of age Mr. Wentz was united in marriage to Miss Catherine Greenich, who was born in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, a daughter of Jacob and Christina Greenich, who were also natives of the fatherland and early settlers of Crawford county, Ohio, whither they came with their daughter, Mrs. Wentz, when the latter was only five years of age. In the spring of 1858 Mr. Wentz and his young wife went to the place where his parents were living, in Blackford county, Indiana, and there he engaged in farming through the summer, but in the autumn of the same Aear he returned to Crawford county, where he purchased of his fatherin-law ninety acres of land, situated on section 34, Holmes township. On this land he took up his above, entering upon a successful career as an agriculturist. He added to his landed possessions as he prospered and at one time owned nearly rive hundred acres, a part of which he afterward sold but, at the present writing, in the summer of 190 1, he owns more than three hundred and sixty acres of fine land, three hundred acres being within the borders of his home farm, on section 34, Holmes township, and sections 2 and 3, in Bucyrus township. The farm is under a high state of cultivation and is well improved. Upon the farm are two residences. The one situated in Holmes township was his place of above for thirty-one years, but after purchasing the old George Kent farm in Bucyrus township, he removed to the residence thereon in 1890, and two years later remodeled it into a convenient and pleasant home.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Wentz have been born the following children: Alary E., the wife of Thomas J. Caldwell, a farmer of Bucyrus township; Annette, the widow of John Beall; Clement L., at home: Willis J., who wedded Mary Miller, is a farmer of Holmes township, residing on his father's old homestead; Ora Alice, the wife of Hugh Dobbins, of Bucyrus township; Ida May, Emma Pearl and John Earl, all at home. They also lost one child, who died in infancy in 1870. The Wentz family is one of the most prominent in the county, its different members being highly respected for their sterling worth.
In his political views Mr. Wentz is a stanch Democrat, but the honors and emoluments of public office have had no attraction for him. He has preferred to give his time and attention to his farm interests and though he began business life as a poor boy he is to-day numbered among the prosperous farmers of the community as the result of his untiring industry, his determination and his force of character. He is a public-spirited citizen and withhold his support from no movement or measure which he believes will prove of public benefit. His worth is widely acknowledged by those who have regard for true and upright character, and thus he has gained many friends.
As printed in A centennial biographical history of Crawford County, Ohio .. (1902). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
The printed record stops around 1902. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.