Ira Lantz, son of Samuel and Elizabeth

Ira Lantz was born 16 July 1873 in Howard County, Indiana.

He first appears on the 1880 census with his parents, Samuel and Elizabeth.


1880 U.S. Census, St. Joseph County, Michigan, population schedule, Mottville Twp., p. 503B (stamped), s.d. 1, enumeration district (ED) 283, sheet 8, dwelling 83, family 84, Samuel Lantz household; Ancestry. com (http://www.ancestry.com : 18 May 2001); citing NARA microfilm publication T9, roll 603.

Lantz, Samuel, W, M, 32, Farmer, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Ohio
--, Elizabeth, W, F, 29, wife, Housekeeping, Indiana, Ohio, Ohio
--, Ira, W, M, 6, son, Indiana, Ohio, Indiana
--, Nancy S., W, F, 5, daughter, Michigan, Ohio, Indiana
--, Ora R., W, F. 3, daughter, Michigan, Ohio, Indiana
--, Levi, W, M, 1, son, Michigan, Ohio, Indaina
--, Gepha, W, M, 29, brother, laborer, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Ohio

By 1900, he has married. We can be fairly certain that he married by 1896 based on the ages of his children in the 1900 census. The 1900 census identifies his wife as Mabel B. Jacob Lantz's compiled genealogy which does contain many errors identifies her as Mabel Mills. [Lantz, Jacob W., The Lantz Family Record: Being a Brief Account of the Lantz Family in the United States of America. (Cedar Springs, VA: The author, 1931.), p. 87.]

1900 U.S. Census, McPherson County, Kansas, population schedule, Superior Twp., p. 207A (stamped), s.d. 7, enumeration district (ED) 151, sheet 5A, dwelling 80, family 81, Ira Lantz household; Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : 24 Sept 2012); citing NARA microfilm publication T623, roll 488.

Lantz, Ira, Head, W, M, Jul 1873, 36, M, 4, Indiana, Ohio, Indiana, school teaching
--, Mabel B., wife, W, F. Oct 1876, 23, M, 4, 2, 2, Michigan, Michigan, Michigan
--, Elly M., daughter, W, F, May 1897, 3, S, Kansas, Indiana, Michigan
--, Ira V., son, W, M, Feb 1900, 3/12, S, Kansas, Indiana, Michigan

Following the family becomes a bit more challenging at this point. In the 1910 census, I have been unable to find Mabel and the children; however, I did find Ira. There are some discrepancies in the record. He's in Washington, D.C. in what I would assume to be a large apartment complex or hotel. I need to find something that will tell me what was at the address at the time. He is listed as single, and the mother's birthplace is wrong. The mother's birthplace could be an error on the enumerator's part in recording or in copying it. There are numerous possibilities as to why he is listed as single, but the most probable one is that it is simply because the informant did not know his family was still out west and not living with him.

1910 U.S. Census, Washington, District of Columbia, population schedule, Precinct 6, p. 115B (stamped), enumeration district (ED) 115, sheet 17A, dwelling 300, family 365 [i.e. 375], Iral Lantz; Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : 24 Sept 2012); citing NARA microfilm publication T624, roll 152.

Lantz, Iral, Head, M, W, 37, S, Indiana, Ohio, Maryland, English, clerk, Interior Dept.

The next family finds him reunited with his children, but his wife is missing. He is still listed as "married," but it's possible that is erroneous and that he is already widowed. He has literally crossed the country. He is now found in Alameda County, California.

1920 U.S. Census, Alameda County, California, population schedule, Oakland Twp., Albany City, Ward 3, p. 66A (stamped), s.d. 5, enumeration district (ED) 162, sheet 10A, dwelling 207, family 207, Ira Lantz family; Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : 24 Sept 2012); citing NARA microfilm publication T625, roll 92.

Lantz, Ira, Head, M, W, 45, M, Indiana, Ohio, Indiana, Special Agent, U.S. General Land Office
--, Edith, daughter, F, W, 22, S, Kansas, Indiana, Kansas, none
--, I. Vernon, son, M, W, 19, S, Kansas, Indiana, Kansas, none
--, Elizabeth, daughter, F, W, 17, S, Oklahoma, Indiana, Kansas, none

From this 1920 census, I learned that Ira had been in Oklahoma around 1902 or 1903. I used that information when trying to locate the family in the 1910 census. I still was unable to locate them. I'd really like to ask Ira where he hid his family while he was clerking in the nation's capital.

1930 U.S. Census, Alameda County, California, population schedule, Berkeley City, Pct. 96, p. 115B (stamped), s.d. 8, enumeration district (ED) 297, sheet 15B, dwelling 261, family 284, 2430 Jefferson Street, Ira Lantz household; Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : 24 Sept 2012); citing NARA microfilm publication T626, roll 111.

Lantz, Ira, Head, O, 7500, M, W, 57, Wd, Indiana, Ohio, Indiana, Lawyer, U.S. govt
--, Edith, daughter, F, W, 32, S, Kansas, Indiana, Michigan
Smith, Laura Lee W., boarder, F, W, 26, M, 23, Ohio, Kentucky, Ohio, Teacher, university

Ira was fortunate enough to be enumerated twice in 1940--once in Los Angeles and once in Berkeley.

1940 U.S. Census, Los Angeles County, California, population schedule, Los Angeles, 44 Assembly Dist., Carmalmame D9 ward, p. 1921 (stamped), s.d. 14, enumeration district (ED) 60-745, sheet 83A, visit T, Stowell Hotel, 416 S. Spring St., Ira Lantz; Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : 24 Sept 2012); citing NARA microfilm publication T627, roll 378.

Lantz, Ira, guest, M, W, 66, M, Indiana, Berkley, Alameda, Calif., special agent, Dept. Interior

1940 U.S. Census, Alameda County, California, population schedule, Oakland Twp., Berkeley City, p. 1883 (stamped), s.d. 6, enumeration district (ED) 1-121, sheet 14A, visit 325, 2430 Jefferson Avenue, Ira Lantz household; Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : 24 Sept 2012); citing NARA microfilm publication T627, roll 188.

Lantz, Ira, head, M, W, 68, M, California, same house, attorney, federal
--, Carrie, wife, F, W, 65, M, California, same house

We can assume that Ira married second wife Carrie sometime before 1835 since she was living in the same house in 1935.

Ira's death is found via the California death index. I will need to acquire the vital record in the future.

"California Death Index, 1940-1997," database, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 24 Sept 2012), entry for Ira Lantz. 10 Apr 1950.

Ira Lantz
Soc. Sec. #: none
Sex: M
Birth date: 16 Jul 1873
Birthplace: Indiana
Death date: 10 Apr 1950
Death place: Alameda
Mother's maiden name: Kennedy
Father's surname: Lantz

This death index does provide some support to his mother's maiden name although his children are likely the informants.

I really think that I need to visit the National Archives in San Francisco which has records of the General Land Office where Ira worked. I would also like to see if there are records of his time clerking in the nation's capital, but those will likely be in the DC area.