KRANTZ, LEWIS E.

KRANTZ, GEISEY, TESSEN, KISER, CHILD, DESCHER, WELLENDORF

Posted By: Jean Kramer (email)
Date: 1/30/2004 at 12:44:52

Biography reproduced from page 25 of Volume II of the History of Kossuth County written by Benjamin F. Reed and published in 1913:

One of the enterprising and progressive citizens of Kossuth county, who has substantially contributed toward the development of Wesley township is Lewis E. Krantz. He has not only been actively and successfully identified with agricultural and stock-raising interests, but has figured prominently in the organization of various local enterprises, chief among these being the Security Savings Bank and the creamery of Sexton. He is president of the latter, and for years was president of the bank, but recently sold out his interests.

Mr. Krantz is a native of the state of Illinois, having been born in Rockford, on the 21st of January, 1869. His father, William Krantz, was a native of Germany, but was reared in the United States, having come to this country when a child of three years with his parents, who located in Wisconsin. His boyhood and youth were passed under the pioneer conditions, which yet prevailed in that section of the country, but in his early manhood he left the parental roof and went to Illinois. He located in the vicinity of Rockford, and there met and subsequently married Miss Ida Geisey, who came to America from Germany when a girl of about fifteen. The early period of their domestic life was passed near the scene of their marriage, but in 1870 they came to Iowa and settled on a farm in Grundy county. There the mother passed away about seven years later. Five children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Krantz: Ida, the wife of John Tessen of Whitewater, Wisconsin; Lewis E.; John, deceased; Louise, who became the wife of Arthur Kiser, of South Dakota; and one, who died in infancy. The father later married Miss Mary Child, and they became the parents of seven children: William, of Salem, South Dakota; Arthur and Irvin, also residents of South Dakota; two, who died in infancy; Hattie, the wife of John Descher, of Salem, South Dakota; and George, who is a resident of Montrose, South Dakota. The father, who always engaged in farming, passed away in Grundy county in 1910. He was an ardent republican in his political views and was at various times identified with the official life of his township.

Lewis E. Krantz was only an infant when his parents located in Iowa, and a child of eight years at the time of his mother’s death. He attended the common schools in the acquirement of his education, remaining at home and assisting his father with the cultivation of the farm until he was nineteen. Leaving the parental roof, he then started out to make his own way in the world, and for four years thereafter worked out by the month south of Mason City. At the expiration of that time he came to Kossuth county, where he continued to work as a farm hand for another four years, and during that period accumulated seven hundred dollars. With this he purchased one hundred and sixty-two and a half acres of land in Wesley township, which formed the nucleus of his present valuable farm. The quality of thrift, transmitted to him by a long line of Teutonic ancestors, combined with unremitting diligence and the determination of purpose that will make no compromises, have been the dominant factors in his career, which has been distinguished by more than average success. He later increased his property holdings until he held the title to six hundred and forty acres of land, on which he has made all of the improvements, including the planting of groves and orchards. In connection with the cultivation of his extensive farm, Mr. Krantz has always devoted much attention to raising and feeding cattle and hogs, and he also buys stock at Sexton, which he prepares for the market. He is one of the leading business men of the town, and assisted in the organization of both the Security Savings Bank and the creamery.

On September 23, 1891, Mr. Krantz was married to Miss Mary Wellendorf, and to them have been born three children, Raymond, Hazel and Pearl.

The family attend the Methodist Episcopal church, to which Mrs. Krantz belongs. He is an active member and was one of the organizers of the local camp of Modern Woodmen of America, and his political allegiance is accorded to the republican party. Mr. Krantz is in every sense of the word a self-made man, as such success as has come to him is the direct result of his own efforts and is the highly merited reward of tireless energy and persistent endeavor directed toward a definite achievement.