LEONARD BANTLE.

Pg 122

         Leonard Bantle, an enterprising, progressive and prosperous resident of Oakville, has built up an extensive trade as a grocery merchant and also conducts a meat market. His birth occurred in Mercer county, Illinois, on the 10th of September, 1862, his parents being John and Betty Ann (Westfall) Bantle, the former a native of Germany and the latter of Iowa. John Bantle, who enlisted for service in the Union army during the Civil war, lost his life on the field of battle. His wife passed away two years later, when our subject was but seven years of age.

         Leonard Bantle was reared to manhood by an uncle, Richard Bantle, of Mercer county, Illinois, where he attended the common schools in the acquirement of an education. When twenty-one years of age he came to Iowa and took charge of a farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Des Moines county. The property had been left him by his father and was located in Huron township, just south of Louisa county. To the operation of that place he devoted his time and energies for about fifteen years and on the expiration of that period came to Oakville, here embarking in business as the proprietor of a meat market. Subsequently he added a supply of groceries and now deals extensively in commodities of that character, also enjoying quite a large trade as a dealer in meats. Seizing the opportunity for profitable investment, he recently purchased six lots in the new addition to Oakville and on one of them is now erecting a handsome new residence for his family. He well merits the proud American title of a self-made man, his prosperity being directly attributable to his own efforts.

         Mr. Bantle has been married three times. He first wedded Miss Nettie Harris, a daughter of Isaac Harris, by whom he had one daughter, Vada, who is now the wife of Roy Fisher and resides near Wapello. Vada was born on the 17th of September, 1884, and six weeks later the mother passed away. In 1885 Mr. Bantle married Miss Helma Nyberg, a native of Illinois, who died in March, 1903, leaving two sons and a daughter, namely: John Harland, whose birth occurred in 1888 and who passed away in the spring of 1910; Orville Leonard, who was born in 1890 and is at home; and Ida Blanche, also at home. On the 27th of December, 1905, Mr. Bantle was again married, his third union being with Mrs. Mary Jacoby, the widow of Reuben Jacoby. The present Mrs. Bantle had three children by her first husband, as follows: Hetty, the wife of H. G. . . .

Pg 123

. . . Wallace, of Carthage, Illinois; Asa, who is a railway engineer, with headquarters in Chicago; and Freddy, who resides at home with his parents and is of great assistance to his stepfather in the conduct of the grocery and meat market.

         In politics Mr. Bantle is an independent republican, while his religious faith is indicated by his membership in the Presbyterian church. He was formerly also identified with the Modern Woodmen of America. In all of his business dealings he is straightforward and reliable and enjoys to the fullest extent the confidence and good will of those who know him.