Louis G. Lantz was born in Sugar Creek township, Hancock county, near New Palestine, April 16, 1855, a son of John and Marie (Schleigh) Lantz. John Lantz was born in Germany and spent his youth in that country. He received his early education there and was there married. After the birth of his first child he emigrated to America about 1850, making the trip on a sailing vessel which took about seven weeks. He landed in New York. From New York he went to Cincinnati by rail, canal and river and then overland to Hancock county, where he with his wife settled in Sugar Creek township. After his arrival he worked for Andy Meier, who lived northeast of New Palestine. He bought ninety acres of land two and one-half miles southwest of New Palestine and for this land he paid fifty dollars per acre. The land had on it an old frame house and a log barn and there were about forty-five acres of it cleared. He lived here the remainder of his life and died on the farm in 1902 at the age of sixty-seven years. His wife survived him six years, dying at the age of seventy-four. They were the parents of seven children, four boys and three girls. Those living are: Louis G., who is the subject of this sketch; John, Mary, Anna, Emma, William, who was the eldest and is deceased, and a son by the name of Henry, who died in infancy.

Louis G. Lantz spent the most of his childhood south of New Palestine. Here he attended the old Snodgrass log school house, just over the line in Shelby county. Mr. Lantz relates that he sat on a mill slab with four pegs for legs while attending school His first teacher was Mrs. Sarah (Barnes) Cunningham. After finishing school here he continued to help his father on the home place until he was twenty-nine years of age. At that time he was married in 1881 to Emma Eikman, who was the daughter of Antone and Minnie (Miller) Eikman, both pioneer residents of Hancock county. Emma Eikman was the eldest of the children.

After his marriage to Miss Eikman, Mr. Lantz moved to Moral township, Shelby county, where he rented a farm for two years. He then came back to Sugar Creek township and settled on a forty-acre tact of land which he had bought before his marriage for fifty dollars an acre. This tract of land was southwest of the old home place. He built a six-room house on this and a log barn. There were thirty acres already cleared on it. Here he continued to reside for twenty years. In addition to farming his own place he farmed the old home place. In 1906 he purchased the old home farm for ninety dollars per acre from the other heirs and on this he built a beautiful twelve-room, modern residence, where he continues to reside. This place, together with his other farm and twenty acres which he bought just south of his former place, makes him owner of one hundred and fifty acres of good farm land. His wife also owns forty acres.

Mr. and Mrs. Lantz are the parents of eight children, namely: Edward married Clara Weber, of Sugar Creek township, and is the father of three children, Maria, Louis and Arthur; William died in infancy; Carl married Margaret Richman; Harry, Stella, Alfred, Hassell and Irma, who are all at home.

Mr. Lantz attributes his success to raising hogs and corn. He usually cultivates about seventy-five acres of corn, which averages not less than forty-five bushels to the acre, and in addition about fifty acres of small grain. He is also feeding usually seventy-five head of hogs. He keeps about twenty head of cattle and about ten head of good draft horses.

Mr. Lantz and wife are both members of the Lutheran church. Mr. Lantz is a Democrat in politics and is one of Hancock county's most substantial farmers. He is looked on by his neighbors as a model farmer and he is a man of sterling character.

Transcribed from History of Hancock County, Indiana, Its People, Industries and Institutions by George J. Richman, B. L., Federal Publishing Co., Indianapolis, Indiana, 1916. Page 1002-1003.

Submitted by Sylvia (Rose) Duda, Laingsburg, MI October 22, 2001.

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