BIO: JACOB S. LANTZ, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania
   
  Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Joe Patterson
  OCRed by Judy Banja

  Copyright 2004.  All rights reserved.
  http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/copyright.htm
  http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/pa/cumberland/
  _____________________________________________________________

  >From Biographical Annals of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania,
  Chicago: The Genealogical Publishing Co., 1905, pages 313-314
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  NOTE: Use this web address to access other bios:
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    JACOB S. LANTZ, who is living retired in his pleasant home in East
  Pennsboro township, was born in 1847, on the old Lantz homestead in this
  township, son of Jacob and grandson of Philip Lantz. The great grandfather
  was a native of Scotland.
 
    Philip Lantz was the first of the family to settle in East Pennsboro
  township, where he bought a tract of 100 acres of good land which he farmed
  until the time of his death, which occurred at the age of seventy-six years,
  and he was buried in Zion Lutheran cemetery, the ground for this burying-place
 
    314  CUMBERLAND COUNTY.
 
  being taken from Mr. Lantz's farm. His wife died here also, at the age of
  eighty-nine years, and was buried by his side. They had children as follows:
  Jacob; Catherine, who died in Hampden township, and was buried at Zion
  Lutheran Church; and Philip, Mary and Eliza, all deceased and buried at the
  same place.
 
    Jacob Lantz, father of Jacob S., was born in 1816, in East Pennsboro
  township, on the old homestead. His education was that afforded by the common
  schools, and he then learned the carpenter's trade and the undertaking
  business, following the same, in connection with farming, for many years. In
  1840 he married Elizabeth Swartz, daughter of Andrew Swartz, and bought two
  tracts of land in East Pennsboro township, one of forty-eight and the other
  of fifty-two acres, on which he erected all the buildings. Later he bought a
  farm of eighty-three acres on which he lived until his death, in 1886. His
  widow lived until 1898 and was also buried at Zion Church. Both were
  consistent members of that church, in which Mr. Lantz had been superintendent
  of the Sunday-school and had held official position for years. In politics he
  was a Democrat. He was a man very highly respected in all the walks of life,
  solid and responsible. The only public office he was willing to accept was
  that of school director. The children of these worthy people were: John, who
  married Mary Mann, died at the age of twenty-three and was buried with his
  ancestors in the Zion cemetery; Catherine, who married David R. Baer, lives
  in Philadelphia; Jacob S. is mentioned below; Sarah, who married Joseph L.
  Best, lives in West Fairview; and Mary died aged five years.
 
    Jacob S. Lantz continued to attend the public schools until he was
  seventeen years of age and then took his father's place as operator of the
  home farm, and also assisted in his other business. In 1871 he married Mary
  C. Shaffner, daughter of George and Christina Shaffner, of Harrisburg, the
  former of whom died in 1886 and the latter in 1867. Mr. Lantz remained on the
  home farm until 1892, when he went to Carlisle, where he was engaged in
  business for two and a half years. He then came back to the farm for five
  years, spent a year in Harrisburg, and in 1900 came to Fairview, in 1903
  purchasing his present very comfortable home, where he has since lived
  retired from business care. In politics Mr. Lantz is a Democrat, but he is
  not a seeker for office.
 
    Mr. and Mrs. Lantz have had three children, namely: Martha V., who married
  Ellis Eckert, lives at Fairview, and has two children, Luther and Frederick;
  Annie Elizabeth, who married William Baum, lives at West Fairview, and they
  have three children, Jacob L., William Harvey and Theodore R.; Maggie S. died
  in infancy. This is one of the old and representative families of the
  township, and its members belong to the most highly esteemed class of
  citizens.