USA > Pennsylvania > Lebanon County > Biographical annals of Lebanon County, Pennsylvania : containing biographical sketches of prominent men and representative citizens and of the early settled families > Part 3
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Lieut. Richards received his preliminary education in the public schools of the city of Reading. Pa., to which place his father removed. from Easton. Pa .. in March, 1851. and where he died while pastor of Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church. On June 30. 1860, he entered the Reading High School. at the head of all the male applicants, graduating from the same in 1864. In June, 1863. at the age of fourteen years, he enlisted as a private (doing duty as a drummer ). in Company A, Twenty-sixth Emergency Regiment, Pennsyl-
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vania Volunteers, and served through the Gettysburg campaign, participating in the battle of Gettysburg. In disguise, he and his brother penetrated into the midst of Early's Corps of the Confederate army, and were the first to give notice of its retrograde movement from Harrisburg towards Gettysburg. On July 10, 1864, he re-enlisted, as a private, in Company A, One Hundred and Ninety-fifth Pennsylvania Volunteers, and served in West Virginia, under Gen. Sheridan. In July, 1865, he entered the United States Naval Academy at Newport, R. I., as a midshipman, graduating from the same in July, 1869, at Annapolis, Md. During this time he ranked at the head of his classes each year, never falling below number three, and graduated a "star" pupil, the highest honor, when he was publicly complimented by Admiral David D. Porter, and given his diploma by Gen. U. S. Grant. In 1866 he made a cruise along the coast of the United States on the U. S. S. "Macedonian"; and in 1867, on the U. S. S. "Savannah, ' he made a cruise to Europe and participated in the great naval ovation to the Empress Eugenie, at Cherbourg, France ; and in 1868 he cruised among the islands on the west coast of Africa on the U. S. S. "Savannah," having previously visited the United States Military Academy at West Point. During 1869-70-71, on the U. S. S. "Juniata" and the U. S. Flagship, "Franklin," he cruised about Europe and Africa.
In April, 1870, Lieut. Richards was at Tunis, Africa, to avert a threat- ened fanatical outbreak against the Christians ; actively engaged in the Franco- German War of 1870-71, being with the German army in July, 1870, prior to the battles of Worth and Gravelotte; with the French fleet off Heligoland, in the German Ocean, in August, 1870, awaiting the attack of the German fleet, but dispersed by a hurricane ; with the German fleet at Wilhelmshaven, in September, 1870; in Havre, France, October and November, 1870, during the advance of the German army ; with Bourbaki's defeated army in Switzer- land in January, 1871 : and at Marseilles in April, 1871, during the Com- munistic Outbreak. In January, 1871, he was on active duty in Spain during the outbreak of the Carlist Insurrection, and at Naples and Civita Vecchia, Italy, in March, 1871, guarding American interests during troubles incident to the occupation of Rome by King Victor Emmanuel and the deprivation of the Pope's temporal power.
During these years, Lieutenant Richards passed through many exciting adventures. In April, 1870, he narrowly escaped death in the Bay of Tunis, while on boat duty during a tempest ; in February, 1871, he made a dangerous ascent of Vesuvius during an eruption ; had a hazardous experience in cross- ing the Alps, in March, 1871, by the Simplon Pass, after a winter's storm;
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and was attacked and nearly captured by Spanish brigands in the vicinity of San Roque, outside of Gibraltar, in May, 1870.
During 1872. Lieutenant Richards was on duty at the Torpedo Station, Newport. R. I., attached to the nitro-glycerine department, at which time he invented a circuit closing fuse, far superior to anything then in use, which was adopted by the government. In 1873-1874 at the personal solicitation of its commanding officer. Commander (now Admiral) George Dewey, he was attached to the U. S. Steamer "Narragansett," on surveying duty in the Pacific Ocean. The charts now in use of the Peninsula of Lower California, the Gulf of California, the Mexican Coast and various islands in the Pacific Ocean were mainly the result of his work. At this time occurred the "Vir- ginius" difficulty with Spain, when Commander Dewey asked to be ordered to attack Manila, in the Philippine Islands, in case of war, which he so gallantly captured in 1898. While at Panama in April, 1873, a severe revolutionary outbreak occurred, when Lieut. Richards volunteered for active service and was sent on shore in performance of same, which was of a dangerous char- acter. He also volunteered for and was given charge of a hazardous boat expedition to Las Tres Marias Islands, February 22, 1874. and saved the vessel from shipwreck on La Roca Partida, of the Revillagigedo Group of Islands. March 28. 1874. Lieut. Richards was commissioned Ensign in the United States Navy, on July 12, 1870; commissioned Master, on July 12, 1871, and was promoted to Lieutenant in November, 1874. After these years of arduous and faithful service, to the regret of his commanding officer, he decided to tender his resignation as an officer in the United States Navy, to take effect January 1, 1875. to enable him to be more with his family, as, during ten years of service, he had only been able to remain home some six months in all.
After leaving the naval service, Mr. Richards entered the employ of the Philadelphia & Reading Railway Company, in the office of its General Super- intendent, at Reading, Pa., and later, that of the Engineer of Machinery, where he remained until the fall of 1878. During this time occurred the ter- rible labor riots of 1877. resulting in much bloodshed and loss of property at Reading, when he assisted in organizing a company of Coal and Iron Police, composed of veteran soldiers, and served in the same during the continuance of the disturbances. From the fall of 1878 until August, 1881, Lieut. Rich- ards was associated with Charles M. Roeder, of Reading, in the insurance business, when he was offered a prominent position in the growing Bolt and Nut Works and Rolling Mill of J. H. Sterbergh. of Reading, which he accepted, and with which business he lias since been identified.
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When a war with Chile was threatened. in 1892, he volunteered for ser- vice, and again volunteered. in April, 1898, so soon as a war with Spain became evident. His services were accepted and he resumed his position as a Lieutenant (Senior) in the United States Navy, was immediately ordered on duty and served during the entire war, at the front, as Executive Officer of the U. S. S. "Supply," one of the large trans-Atlantic passenger steamers of the International Steamship Company, American Line, fitted out by the Government as an auxiliary cruiser and supply ship. He was at Guantanamo Bay, off Santiago, with the "Cristobal Colon" at the Jacuro Anchorage, on the blockades of Manzanillo and Cienfuegos, at the Isle of Pines, on the blockade off Bahia Honda, Cabanas, Muriel, Havana (during the last engagement of the war), Matanzas, Cardenas, and at San Juan and Palominos Island, off Porto Rico. He carried his vessel safely through the vortex of a terrible West India hurricane on the way to San Juan. He reached Gibara, Cuba, upon the cessation of hostilities, just as the only surviving Spanish man-of-war, "La Infanta Isabella," had entered. and anchored beside her, and was probably the first United States naval officer to exchange friendly greetings with a free Spanish naval officer, on the close of the war. Some months after the close of the war he was given his honorable discharge, with the thanks of the Government.
Lieut. Richards then resumed his position in the iron business, and upon the consolidation of his and various other large establishments. on September I, 1899, into the American Iron & Steel Manufacturing Company, he was made its General Auditor, and a member of its board of directors, which necessitated his removal to Lebanon, Pa., where the general offices of the company were located, and that city has been his place of residence since. At the annual meeting of the company, held in February, 1901. he was elected Treasurer. During the strike of its employes, beginning in May, 1902, and culminating in terrible riots and bloodshed in September, which was only terminated by the timely arrival of troops, he was shot in the right side, while defending the company's property.
In June. 1893, this distinguished officer was appointed by Gov. Pattison a member of the commission to locate and describe the forts of Pennsylvania used for defense against the Indians prior to 1783. His exhaustive report on the "Frontier Forts of the Blue Range" was ordered printed by the Legisla- ture, and has become the standard work on that subject. Besides this, he is the author of many historical works, among which may be mentioned : "Citi- zens of Gettysburg in the Battle." published in the Century Magazine. Janu- ary. 1887: "Quarter-Centennial History of St. John's Lodge, No. 435, F. &
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A. M., book form, issued in February, 1894: "Pennsylvania's Emergency Men at Gettysburg," issued in book form in February, 1895; "Pennsylvania's Military Methods during the French and Indian War," published in the Amer- ican Historical Register of April-May, 1897; "The German Leaven in the Pennsylvania Loaf," for the Wyoming Historical and Geological Society, published in book form in December, 1897; "The First Discoverers of Amer- ica, German not Latin," Vol. VIII, Pennsylvania-German) Society, 1898; "The German Emigration from New York Province into Pennsylvania" (in collaboration with his brother, Rev. Prof. M. H. Richards, D. D.), Vol. IX, Pennsylvania-German Society, 1899; "The Descendants of Henry Mel- chior Muhlenberg," Vol. X, Pennsylvania-German Society, 1900; etc.
Lieut. Richards is a member of the following societies: Pennsylvania Society, Sons of the Revolution ; Pennsylvania Commandery, Military Order of Foreign Wars of the United States, in which he was national delegate; Pennsylvania Commandery, Naval Order of the United States, of which he is a member of the council and historian ; Pennsylvania Commandery, Naval and Military Order of the Spanish-American War: Grand Army of the Republic, national aid-de-camp, quartermaster of McLean Post. No. 16, De- partment of Pennsylvania, from November, 1875, to January, 1900, etc .; Naval Academy Graduates Association : Navy Athletic Association ; Pennsyl- vania-German Society, of which he is secretary : Historical Society of Penn- sylvania ; Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania: American Academy of Political and Social Science: Wyoming Historical and Geological Society of Pennsylvania ; Historical Society of Montgomery county. Pa .: Historical Society of Berks County. Pa. ; Historical Society of Lebanon County, Pa., of which he was vice-president; St. John's Lodge, No. 435. F. & A. M., of Reading, in which he is past master by merit.
In the Evangelical Lutheran Church, the church of his ancestors, Lieut. Richards has been actively at work since his return from military service, and has been prominently identified with various of its important operations. He. served as superintendent of Trinity Lutheran Sunday-school, at Reading, Pa., from the early part of 1881 until the close of 1899, during which time he brought about many improvements and many important advances. Upon his removal to Lebanon he was elected a trustee of Salem Evangelical Luth- eran Church, and became actively engaged in the work of its Bible School. He has since become identified with the St. James' Evangelical Lutheran . Congregation of Lebanon, recently organized, and was elected the superin- tendent of its Bible School.
On December 26, 1871, Lieut. Richards was married to Ella VanLeer,
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who was born November 8, 1848, a daughter of Branson and Drucilla (Tur- ner ) VanLeer, on her paternal side a descendant of the German noble "von Loehr" family, having its origin in Werner von Loehr, mayor of the city of Mayence, who was raised to the nobility June 13, 1521 ; on her maternal side descended from the English families of Washington, West, Gilpin, Penning- ton, etc., and, through them, from the old reigning families of England, Scotland, Ireland, Germany, France, Spain, the Byzantine Empire, the Holy Roman Empire and Scandinavia, the records remaining unbroken in authentic data for 2,400 years, and extending through the Irish traditional lineage to the Jewish royal line, and thence back to Adam. Their offspring are Rev. Henry Branson Richards, pastor of St. James Evangelical Lutheran Church, of Lebanon; Charles Matthias, a practicing physician at Reading. who married Anna Alfarata Harner; and Florence and Alice, both of Lebanon.
JUDGE JOHN H. KINPORTS (deceased). One of the best known and prominent citizens of his time in Lebanon county, was the late Judge John H. Kinports, a leading merchant and banker of Annville, and ex-clerk 'of the Orphans' Court, and of the Court of Quarter Sessions of Lebanon county, and an ex-Associate Judge of the Lebanon County Court. He was a son of John Kinports, a native of Lancaster county, Pa., who removed thence to Lebanon county, and subsequently to Dauphin county, where he died in 1855. John Kinports was a farmer by occupation, was twice mar- ried, and the father of twelve children. His first wife was Barbara Huber, of Lancaster county, by whom he had the following children: John H .; Jacob; Barbara; Catherine; Anna; Mary: Elizabeth. The second wife was Elizabeth Hess, by whom he had children as follows : David; Daniel; Abraham; Lydia; and Veronica.
John H. Kinports was born January 21, 1821, on a farm in Lebanon county, where he spent his early life. When fifteen years of age he entered the employ of James Bingham, of Annville, with whom he continued for three years, and continued a citizen of Annville until his election to the office of clerk of the Orphans' Court and of the Quarter Sessions Court, when he removed to Lebanon city, and there resided during his incumbency of that official position. Returning to Annville, he engaged in merchandising in partnership with C. H. Killinger. later with H. H. Kreider, and still later with D. O. Shenk, continuing with the latter gentleman under the firm name of Kinports & Shenk until Judge Kinports' death. At that time the Judge was succeeded by his sons, George W. and H. Lucien, the style now being
2
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Shenk & Kinports. Judge Kinports was one of the organizers of the Ann- ville National bank, became its first president, and was holding that office at the time of his death, on March 8, 1893. For ten years he served as an associate judge of the Lebanon County Court.
Judge Kinports married Mary Ann Stein, of Annville, who died Janu- ary 5, 1898, and their children were as follows: George W., Anna, Barbara, Rebecca, John H., Philip, Frank, Lizzie, Charles and H. Lucien.
COL. A. FRANK SELTZER, a prominent member of the Lebanon County Bar, was born on the old Seltzer plantation at Union Water Works, in Lebanon county, and is descended from two of the oldest families in the county. The name Seltzer is derived from Seltzer Springs, in the Duchy of Nassau, Germany, from which place Mathias Seltzer, the founder of the American branch of the family, emigrated. He located at Union Water Works, Leba- non county, in 1730. There his grandson, Jacob Seltzer, was born. Jacob married Eleanor Clark, who was born in Lebanon county, a daughter of Ben- jamin Clark, also a native of the county.
John Clark Seltzer, son of Jacob and Eleanor and father of A. Frank, was born at the old homestead at Union Water Works, and became a promi- nent man. He was the first postinaster at Mt. Nebo, then called Seltzer- ville. In politics he was an old-line Whig, and on the disintegration of that party became a Republican, and he was always active in public affairs. He married Elizabeth Faber, a native of Lebanon county, and a daughter of Jacob Faber, a granddaughter of Philip Faber (born in Lebanon county), and a descendant of Adam Faber, who emigrated to America in the seven- teenth century.
A. Frank Seltzer is an alumnus of Franklin and Marshall College, and received from that institution the honorary degree of Master of Arts. He entered the United States military service in June, 1862. as first lieutenant of Company G. One Hundred and Fifteenth Regiment, Pennsylvania Volun- teers, Third Brigade, Second Division. Third Corps, Army of the Potomac. He was promoted to captain in July, 1863, and participated in some of the most important battles of the war. among which were Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville and Gettysburg. He was honorably discharged from the service on March 30, 1864, on account of physical disability. In 1865 he was admitted to the Lebanon County Bar, since which time he has been in continuous and successful practice of his profession, taking high rank. He is a member of the Bars of both the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania and of the United States. From January, 1893, to January, 1896, he served as
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district attorney of Lebanon county. In 1899 he was appointed aid-de-camp on the staff of Gov. William A. Stone, of Pennsylvania, with the rank of lieutenant-colonel, which position he holds at the present time. Col. Seltzer is active in Grand Army circles. He is a charter member of Sedgwick Post. No. 42, G. A. R., and a past commander of same. He is a member of the Lebanon County Historical Society, of the Pennsylvania German Society, and of other organizations.
Some years ago Col. Seltzer contributed humorous articles to a number of well known journals, under the nom-de-plume of "Paul Grave." He also delivered humorous lectures before Teachers' Institutes and other assemblies throughout the eastern part of the United States. Col. Seltzer has been an active Republican campaigner. In successive State and National contests he addressed many important meetings. He made a tour of the world in 1898, and before and since that time has been an extensive traveler.
CYRUS RESSLEY LANTZ. The history of a state as well as that of a nation is chiefly the chronicle of the lives and deeds of those who have conferred honor and dignity upon society. The world judges the character of a community by that of its representative citizens, and yields its tribute of admiration and respect for the genius, learning or virtues of those whose deeds constitute the record of a State's prosperity and pride. Time's long scroll contains many names of citizens who have reflected credit on classic Lebanon, but none are written in better form than the honored one which appears at the head of this sketch. It is not a light thing to write biography. Space forbids but the mere chronicling of facts. Those who peruse must "read between the lines" for lessons of noble endeavor and victory of spirit over flesh.
Cyrus R. Lantz, prominent lawyer and financier of Lebanon, Pa., was born August 26. 1842, and is a native of Cornwall township, in the county where he has passed his entire lifetime. His pre-scholastic training was thor- ough, and the foundation thus laid proved amply adequate for the later splendid educational equipment which he added by self-exertion. Not that Mr. Lantz is profoundly educated in book lore, for the great Civil war claimed his youthful energies in the collegiate period of his life-but he is educated in that broader sense, that he had for his tutor the experience of practical life. . He left the school room at the age of fourteen, and matricu- lated in the greater educational institution referred to, entering the mercantile establishment of Isaac Hambleton at Cornwall. A year's experience there was followed by a change in the current of his life, he entering the school
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room as a teacher. Mr. Lantz was but a mere lad, fifteen years old, but so well had he applied himself to his books, and so thoroughly was he possessed of the teaching instinct-teachers are born, not made-that his first term in North Lebanon township was not less successful than his later efforts. For three years he taught country schools, then with the idea of taking higher work he stood successfully an examination before the present deputy State Superintendent, Hon. Henry Houck. The school room, with its humdrum monotony, was, however, not destined to be the arena of action for Mr. Lantz. Like many youths of spirit he had chafed against the fate that kept him from being among the first to answer his country's call, and taking counsel of nothing but valor, he signed for the defense of Old Glory and the constitution, on the very day of the examination, August 13. 1862. As a private soldier our subject did his duty. The fame of the officers in the Civil war has been sung in song and story, but every true patriot realized that the war was fought to a successful finish by the boys whose only shoulder straps were battle scars.
The war record of Mr. Lantz is thus briefly stated. A private soldier, Company E, One Hundred and Twenty-seventh Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, he was mustered in at Harrisburg August 16th, moved to Washing- ton, and became part of Jennings' Brigade, Abercrombie's Division, and engaged in the defense of the capital until Dec. 2d; the regiment was then brigaded with the Twenty-fourth and Twenty-eighth New Jersey and Twenty- seventh Connecticut, and joined the Second Division of the Second Army Corps under Gen. Howard, doing camp duty till May, 1863. The regiment was then brigaded with the Nineteenth and Twentieth Massachusetts and Forty-second and Fifty-ninth New York, and saw service as follows: on duty Arlington Heights till August 23d; Chair Bridge, Dec. 2d; Falmouth, Dec. 6th-gth. from this point to Fredericksburg. where it participated in some of the hottest actions of that disastrous battle from the 10th to the 15th. The regiment first took positions at Lacey House, where it remained under fire until nine efforts to cross on pontoons had been frustrated by the galling fire of the enemy's sharpshooters ; finally it succeeded and drove the skirmish line of the Thirteenth, Seventeenth and Eighteenth Mississippi and Fifth Florida back to Princess Anne street, being the first Federal brigade to cross the river; it held advanced position under heavy artillery fire during the 11th, 12th and 13th. On the latter date the men made assault on the famous "stone wall," held by McLaw's Division, but were repulsed and lay in front of Confederate lines until night; then they withdrew and remained in town until the 15th, when they returned to camp at Falmouth; next came picket
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and outpost duty near Fredericksburg. December 17th to May 2d. 1863, and the Chancellorsville campaign from April 27th to May 6th. In this campaign the regiment crossed to Fredericksburg on May 3d, assisted in the assault which Sedgwick made on Mayries Heights, pursued the enemy toward Chan- cellorsville. and did fatigue duty the nights of the 3d and 4th, occupied Fredericksburg the night of the 5th; returned to Falmouth ; and on May 14th embarked for home and was mustered out at Harrisburg on the 29th. In the attack on the stone wall at Fredericksburg Mr. Lantz was shot three times, but escaped with little injury. The first time he was shot through the cap. the second bullet struck him in the breast, hitting a pocket Bible which his sister gave him, and which undoubtedly saved his life; the third shot struck the lock of his gun and just grazed his fingers. With the exception of this slight wound our subject returned from service without harm, and with the consciousness of duty bravely done. He also served eight years as captain of Company E. Eighth Regiment, National Guard. Pennsylvania.
Picking up the thread where it had been broken, Mr. Lantz entered the schools of Lebanon as a teacher. also receiving the appointment of United States marshal for purposes of draft in the township of Cornwall, at South Annville. Still successful in the schoolroom, he was promoted from one grade to another until he had reached the grammar school. In connection with his duties he had taken up the study of law with Hon. Josiah Funck, of Lebanon, and in the summer of 1869 passed the examination and was admitted to the Bar.
In this new field of endeavor Mr. Lantz immediately took an advanced position. He was appointed a notary by Gov. Geary, and was deputy treasurer of Lebanon county for two years. In 1871 he was elected district attorney of this county, in which position he served three years. Further political preferment came to him in 1880, when he was nominated by the Republicans of his district for State Senator in Garfield's campaign. The campaign which followed was the high-water mark of political pyrotechnics in Lebanon. Under the leadership of Mr. Lantz a tabernacle was erected on the public square, and nightly meetings were held, attended by uniformed wide- awakes from every part of the county. Carrying the day, Mr. Lantz became a vigorous and helpful member of the State Senate, serving on some of the most important committees and being heard in carefully prepared efforts in the advocacy of good measures on the floor. He was particularly strong in the special sessions, called by Gov. Pattison for the purpose of forcing a reap- portionment bill upon the Republicans, in which attempt he ingloriously failed. Since his senatorial experience Mr. Lantz has contented himself with work-
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