George J. Lenth George Lenth, a successful and prominent business man of Elkader, Iowa, was born March 17, 1875. He is of German parentage, his father, Joachim, having been born in Mecklenburg, Germany, and the mother was a native of the historic Rhine region. Joachim Lenth was a prosperous farmer of Clayton county, who died July 3, 1913, but his wife still lives and conducts the home farm. To their union were born eight children: Bertha, who is the wife of W. M. Grube, of South Dakota; Emma, married to J. K. Rupp, and living in Monona, Iowa; William C., of Evanston, Illinois; Charles, died in India as missionary; Henry F., who is a farmer at Riceville, Iowa; George, with whom this sketch is concerned; Louis C., who is a feed merchant in Elkader; and Ella, who is the wife of Charles Harbrichter, of Monona, Iowa. George Lenth remained on the home farm until he was twenty-one years of age, then started out to make his own way in the world by first working on neighboring farms for a period of three years, after which he gave up agricultural pursuits and started upon his busy and varied career as a business man by entering the employ of a livery firm for one year, then buying a half interest in the firm. Continuing in this occupation a term of three years, having enlarged it by the purchase of a dray and bus line and by the addition of a coal and fuel business, he finally disposed of his interests in everything except the coal and ice business. In 1913 he widened his field of activities by opening a music store, the only one of its kind in Elkader. This business has grown so rapidly and to such large proportions that in 1915 he disposed of his ice, feed and coal interests in order to devote his time entirely to his music business. To the latter he added the sale of Edison Diamond Disc phonographs, of which in less than two years he sold a car load. On November 15, 1897, he married Ella Schock, a native of Elkader, and they have one child, Lawrence, born in July 1904. Mr. Lenth's great and absorbing business affairs have precluded any active participation in political work, but he is a local member of the Republican party. He belongs to the Masonic fraternity and to the Order of Eastern Star, and is affiliated with the Congregational church. source: History of Clayton
County, Iowa; From The Earliest Historical Times Down to
the Present; by Realto E. Price, Vol. II; page
247-248 |
