Frantz - William - Montgomery InGenWeb Project

Frantz - William

WILLIAM M. FRANTZ

Source: 1913 AW Bowen History of Montgomery County, Indiana William M. Frantz

It would be hard to find a more painstaking and energetic tiller of the soil in Montgomery Co. than William M. Frantz, of Clark Twp, a man who has worked hard and never depended upon others to his work or his planning, and the success that has come to him has been well deserved in every respect and we are glad to give his life record space in this volume along with other deserving citizens of this locality. Mr. Frantz was born in Scott Twp, this County, about a mile west of Ladoga, on June 19, 1864. He is a son of Frank and Elizabeth (Myers) Frantz. Matthias Frantz, the first of the name of whom we are informed, was born in Lancaster Co., Pa Sept 3, 1808. HIs mother's maiden name was HANTS and she was a sister of Katherine Hants, who married John MYERS, Sr. and for a fuller account of this family the reader's attention is respectfully directed to the sketch of Frantz O. Myers, appearing in this volume. Matthias Frantz's mother died when the boy was 4 or 5 days old, and he was taken into the family circle of his aunt and uncle, Mr. & Mrs. John Myers, Sr. With them he went to Botetourt Co VA and lived there on the Myers farm until he grew to manhood. In 1831 he came on horseback with his uncle and his cousin, Henry Myers from Va. to the present site of Ladoga, Indiana to visit John Myers, Jr. who was here beginning on works of great importance to the new community. Later the three men returned to the old Va. home and prepared to move here, and it was on the fall of 1833 that the Myers family, including Matthias Frantz, made the long overland trip in wagons to Montgomery Co Indiana locating in the vicinity of Ladoga, where they established permanent homes and took an active part in building up the community. Matthias Frantz entered land 2 mi. W. and one mi. north of Ladoga, and this is improved and established his home thereon, and here he married Sally GRAYBILL. He followed farming all his life. He took an interest in public affairs and was a pioneer Justice of the Peace, was also a deacon in the Dunkard Church. His death occurred July 1, 1898 his wife having preceded him to the grave June 23, 1894.

To them the following children were born; James P; William H; Sarah J; Elizabeth and John Frank. John Frank Frantz was born on Jan 18, 1838 on the farm where his father had settled in pioneer times, and there he grew to manhood and in 1859 married Elizabeth Myers, a daughter of William and Lydia (HARSHBARGER) Myers. For her ancestory the reader is directed to the sketch of Frantz O. Myers, elsewhere in this vol. She was born Nov 1, 1838, a mile west of Ladoga, where her father, William Myers was a pioneer settler. Frank Frantzbought a farm north of her father's farm and farmed there all his life. Six children were born of his first marriage; the first an infant son, died unnamed Dec 1, 1859. Leona Ellen, born Feb 27, 1861, d. Feb 17, 1864; the third and fourth, twin boys died unnamed in infancy March 16, 1863; William H (sic) - (note the article is about this same man but is titled "William M. Frantz") born June 19, 1864; Sarah L.born Aug 29, 1866 was the wife of Frank WILLIAMSand she died July 6, 1902. The mother of the above mentioned children died July 6, 1878, when William M, of this sketch was 14 years old. After the death of his first wife, Frank Frantz married Emma TAPP, a daughter of John and Amanda Tapp. She was born and reared in Scott Twp, this County, 3 miles W. of Ladoga. Two children were born of this union, May and Gaynelle. In 1897 Matthias Frantz, being feeble from advanced age his family moved in with him to care for him. His death occurred July 1, 1898, and his son, Frank died about 5 weeks later Aug 9, 1898.

His widow lives in Richmond, Indiana. William M. Frantz grew up [on a farm west of Ladoga and he attended the public schools in his native locality. He continued to work on the home place until his married on Sept 13, 1888 to Valetta CORN, daughter of George W. Corn and wife of Clark Twp. a complete sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work. For a year after his marriage he continued on his father's farm, then moved to where he now lives in the NW part of Clark Twp on the farm owned by Mrs. Frantz's father and he has been successfully engaged in general farming and stock raising in partnership with Mr. Corn. To Mr. & Mrs. Frantz one son has been born, George F, whose birth occurred on Oct 13, 1894. He is now in his Jr. year in Ladoga HS. Fraternally, Mr. Frantz is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows Ladoga. He is a quiet, home man, obliging in disposition and fair in all his dealings. -- kbz

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