U.S. Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ -- USGenNet Inc. -- Please read the U.S. Data Repository Copyright Statement on the following page: --------------------------------------------------------------------- Lantz, Earl M. (1880-1916) --------------------------------------------------------------------- A History of Preston County West Virginia Biographical Department, Supplied by J. R. Cole Kingwood, W. Va., The Journal Publishing Company, 1914 by H. S. Whetsell Pages 734-735, EARL M. LANTZ. One hundred and ten years ago Henry Lantz, a thrifty German from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, settled on the D. A. Dixon farm midway between Rowlesburg and Aurora. He had nine sons and four daughters, of whom John Lantz, hotel proprietor of the Mt. View House at Aurora, is a grandson. His wife, Olive V. Shafer, was a daughter of James H. Shafer, a very kind hearted and influential old gentleman, from whom many good qualities of heart and mind were imparted to the seven children of his daughter's family. Of these children, Nora, a successful school teacher in the Masontown schools, is the eldest. Mittie, the wife of H. S. Whetsell, editor and proprietor of the Preston County Journal, is the next. Lulu is the wife of Oscar C. Wilt, the well known cashier of the Empire National Bank of Clarksburg, West Virginia. Clarence C., is a manufacturer of chairs, and is engaged in the lumber business in North Carolina. Earl M. Lantz, of whom mention will again be made, is next. J. Scott Lantz, cashier of the Farmers & Merchants Bank, Reedsville, was born September 19, 1883. He was educated in the Common Schools and at the Commercial Department of the State University of Morgantown. In 1906, he was associated with the First National Bank, Salem, for four years, was teller then in the Farmers & Merchants Bank of Morgantown until he came to Reedsville and helped to organize the institution above named, having been the cashier since the month of November, 1911. September 19, 1912, Mr. Lantz was married to Miss Stella Twyford of West Union, West Virginia. She is a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George W. Twyford of that place. Earl M. Lantz, one of the youngest cashiers of any bank in the state of West Virginia, took charge of the financial department of the Kingwood National Bank in 1903. He was at that time only twenty-three years old, but since his connection it has prospered and become one of the leading institutions of its kind in the county. As the bank started under adverse conditions, its rapid growth and phenominal success can only be accounted for in its management, of which Mr. Lantz, as its cashier and member of the Board of Directors, is one of its important officials. Earl M. Lantz was born in Aurora, Preston County, February 21, 1880. His education was obtained in the public schools of Aurora, after which he became clerk for Shafer, Brown & Company two and a half years at Kingwood. Later he became clerk for C. W. Mayer Son & Company, at Terra Alta, and after three years of experience there he went to Salem as clerk in the Salem Bank, now the First National Bank of Salem. In December, 1903, he came to Kingwood to accept a position as cashier in the Kingwood National Bank. The corner stone of the Kingwood National Bank was founded on the needs of a financial institution that would be of mutual benefit to the people of Preston County; and in the selection of a clean, capable, conscientious, cashier, Mr. Lantz the companionable and popular young business man, was chosen for that responsible position. It was a selection of a man, who would be in accord with the management and with the interests of the people as well. Instituted on these lines of mutual benefit, the officials very soon gained the confidence of the public generally, who have since witnessed the surplus and undivided profits of the bank pass its original capitalization in less than ten years from its organization, which is a creditable record; certainly one to be very proud of. In July, 1911, Mr. Lantz purchased the beautiful and historic old homestead erected by the Honorable James C. McGrew, one of the leading factors in the formation of the State of West Virginia in the perilous times of our Rebellion. The Lantz family are members of the Lutheran church. Mr. Lantz is a member of the Masonic fraternity of high degree, and was Mayor at one time of Kingwood. It is not known when Henry Lantz, the ancestor of this family, came from Germany to this country. His three sons, were Henry, John and Jacob. The daughters were Susannah, who married David Stemple; Catherine, Eva, Betsey and Lydia. The children of John were Luther, John A., George L., W. S., Frank, Charles Henry, now dead, Oliver Lewis, Camden, proprietor of a hotel in Terra Alta, Angeretta, Hattie P., and Elizabeth. John A. Lantz, hotel proprietor, took up his residence at Aurora in 1870, In 1886, he erected his present large and commodious hotel building there, which has become a famous country resort, and is well patronized by the more wealthy people of our larger cities, during the hot summer months of every year. He is a very genial landlord, and very extensively known by tourists of the country in general. --------------------------------------------------------------------- From Register of Deaths, Preston County, WV (Page 21, Line No. 3) FULL-NAME: Earl M. Lantz DEATH-DATE: July 3, 1916 at age 36y-4m-12d DEATH-PLACE: Kingwood MARITAL-STATUS: Single OCCUPATION: Banker CAUSE-OF-DEATH: Drowned --------------------------------------------------------------------- If you've reached this file through a SEARCH, you can access other biographies for Preston County, WV by going to the following URL: http://www.us-data.org/wv/preston/bios.html ---------------------------------------------------------------------