Henry Zentz Genealogy
Record modified: 2022-09-23
This is my ancestor 4 generations back.
Born: 1836-11-17 Canton, Stark Co, Ohio USA
Died: 1911-11-13 Greensburg, Kiowa Co, Kansas USA
Marriages:
1. 1859-01-24 Mary Jane Bowman
2. 1896-08-20 Edith Elizabeth Sellers
Children of Henry Zentz and Mary Bowman:
Children of Henry Zentz and Edith Sellers:
Notes:
married Mary in Whitley Co IN; see marriage book 1, record #374
married Edith in Fulton Co AR
buried in Fairview cemetery, Greensburg, Kiowa Co KS
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His death certificate gives his parents as George Zentz + Elizabeth Welker.
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Henry was exceptionally brilliant. He taught school when he was 16 years old. While growing up he
would often sit up until 2 AM studying by the light of a bark fire.
He moved to IN about 1852, when he was only 15.
One time he got caught away from home without money, and got a job selling patent medicine with 'The
Medicine Man' and made lots of money. [I'm not sure where this story fits in.]
First marriage 1853-04-02 to Margaret Sowers. Margaret and their only child died 1856-06-02.
In 1857, HWZ was employed in a subscription school in Whitley County IN, where he met Mary Jane
Bowman. He innovated a geography school, holding night sessions, teaching by singing the names of
states, cities, rivers, etc as locations would be pointed out on wall maps.
He served in Civil War from 1861-12-13 to 1865-01-08 for the Union. He was a 1st LT and chaplain in the 47th
Indiana infantry regiment, Company E.
This page has information about the 47th.
Here is a transcript of the diary he kept during 1864.
This page has an article about his service teaching the men of the 86th US Colored Troops. (It has a picture that is supposed to be him, but I'm not sure I believe it.)
After the war he returned to IN and resumed teaching. His uncle Peter had moved to IA (near Centerville)
in the late 1850s. HWZ followed him there in 1867.
During the 1870s he was a teacher in Appanoose Co and Marion Co IA. In late 1877 he moved to
Memory, Taylor Co IA, where he continued to teach.
He was a Presbyterian minister in Taylor Co IA in the 1880s.
At least for a while he was editor of "The New Market Post" and co-editor of "The New Market Sun" there as well.
About 1895 he bought land near Mammoth Spring AR and tried to develop a suburb named Zentzton.
After retiring from the ministry, he moved to Orlando, FL and had a grove of orange trees. [The land
where this orange grove was is now the site of Disney World.] Unfortunately, he never made any money
from the orange grove.
I have a copy of his marriage certificate to Mary Jane Bowman, death certificate, and Army discharge.
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Centerville Weekly Citizen 1871-02-18- Page 3
H W Zentz has resigned the office of justice of the peace of Taylor township.
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Centerville Weekly Citizen 1872-04-06- Page 3
Rev H Welker Zentz, of Moravia, is to open a Normal School, at Newbern, Marion county, Monday, April 15, for a term of five months. Terms, $20.
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Centerville Weekly Citizen 1886-04-14- Page 3
Vol 1 No 1 of the New Market, Taylor county, Post is at hand, and at the helm we notice the name of H Welker Zentz, formerly of Centerville. Mr Zentz taught in our public schools here about fifteen years ago and will be remembered as an educationist of considerable talent.
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"Taylor County, Iowa History 1881" by Lyman Evans has this story of his military service:
During a severe storm, while on the Tallahatchie River, one end of the steamer broke its fastening,
and swinging around against a tree, broke off the guards, throwing subject and twelve others
overboard. Making a desperate leap he succeeded in gaining the vessel and threw a coil of rope to
his companions, by which means they were rescued.
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BLM General Land Office Records
1890-04-30 Randolph Co AR, Little Rock land office, serial no AR0290_.368
Henry W Zentz 80 acres
S 1/2 of SW 1/4 of section 11, Township 21 N Range 4 W of 5th principal meridien in AR
1892-01-20 Randolph Co AR, Little Rock land office, serial no AR0420_.065
Henry W Zentz 160 acres
S 1/2 of NW 1/4 of section 10 and S 1/2 of NE 1/4 of section 9, Township 21 N, Range 4 W of 5th principal meridien in AR
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1910 census Orange Co FL p69a, Election precinct #21 (Fairview and Orlando road)
Henry W Zentz 73 OH/PA/OH
wife Edith E 36 IA/OH/OH
dau Edith L 12 MO
dau Mabel L 10 AR
dau Irma S 8 FL
son Lowell 5 FL
boarder William R Healan?
boarder Harry L Traves
boarder James R Beasley
He is a farmer. He owns his home through a mortgage. He and his wife can read and write. They have been married 13 years (his second, her first). She has had 4 children, all living.
1900 census Fulton Co AR p274, Mammoth Springs town
Henry W Zentz 63 OH/PA/OH
wife Edith E 26 IA/OH/OH
dau Edith L 2 MO
dau Mabel L 1/12 AR
He is a teacher. He rents his home.They have been married 4 years. She has had 2 children, both living.
1885 state census Taylor Co IA p146
Henry W Zentz 48 OH
wife Mary 45 IN
Elmer 23 IN
1880 Agricultural Census Page Co IA
Henry W Zentz -- 70 acres improved (55 tilled, 15 meadow/orchard/pasture); farm value $1750,
implements $400, livestock $380; 5 horses, 2 milch cows, 1 other cow, 18 swine, 15 barnyard
fowl, 29 other fowl; 156 lbs butter, 20 doz eggs; 30 acres Indian corn, 1300 bushels;
5 acres oats, 200 bushels; 10 acres wheat, 150 bushels; 3 acres apples, 100 trees;
1 vineyard, 1250 lbs grapes
1880 census Taylor Co IA p47b, Dallas twp, Memory village
H W Zentz 44 OH/PA/OH
wife Mary 40 IN/VA/Long Island
dau Clarice 20 IN
son Elmer 18 IN
m-i-l Mary Bowman 82 NY/CT/CT
He is a preacher.
[Dallas twp is on the western boundary of the county, 6 miles south of the northwest corner.
It contains the town of New Market (section 32).]
Where is he on the 1870 census?
1860 census Allen Co IN p655b, Aboite twp, Ft Wayne post office
Henry Zent 23 OH
Mary 21 OH
Charles 4/12 IN
He is a farm laborer. His personal estate is valued at $50.
[Charles should be Clarice.]
[Aboite twp is on the western edge of the county, 12 miles north of the southwest corner.]
1850 census Stark Co OH p138a, Sandy twp div 138
Thomas Price household
Elizabeth Zentz 28 OH [looks like Yents]
Henry Zentz 14 OH
Thomas Zentz 9 OH
He attended school within the year.
[Sandy twp is the southeast corner of the county, immediately west of the notch. It contains the town
of Waynesburg.]
1840 census Stark Co OH p13b
George Zentz (looks like Lentz) 1 M <5, 1 M 20-30, 1 F 20-30
[Henry is 4]
Hinds Site: Genealogy of Ken Hinds -- page 623
I strive for accuracy, but I cannot guarantee this information
is correct or complete. Hard references are given where I have them,
but otherwise you should verify this information.
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