Levi Benjamin Wantz

Levi Benjamin Wantz was born on June 23, 1830 in Preble County, Ohio, the son of John Peter Wantz and Susannah Lock Wantz. In 1846 Levi's mother died and his father married Delilah Argerbright, widow of Abraham Argerbright. Delilah was the daughter of John Eaton and Christina Moyer Eaton. Delilah had five children of her own - Jackson, Elizabeth, Soleman,Dermida and Abraham Argerbright. On the 24th day of April, 1853, Levi married his step-sister, Elizabeth Argerbright in Monticello, White County, Indiana. Elizabeth was born on November 2, 1837 in Rockingham Co., Virginia. Levi enrolled at Liberty Mills, Indiana on October 5, 1861 as a private in Co. B 47th Indiana Volunteers. He was honorably discharged December 13, 1863 and re-enrolled December 14, 1863. He was honorable discharged at Baton Rouge, LA on October 23, 1865. After the war, Levi returned to his family in Indiana, moving to Wabash County, Indiana. In the 1870's Levi and Elizabeth and their children moved to Butler Co., Kansas. In 1889 Levi again moved his family, this time to White Cloud, Newaygo Co., MI. Here he was engaged in the livery work and in a feed store. Levi died on March 9, 1918 at White Cloud, MI. A vain conflict with cancer of the stomach, combined with liver trouble of long standing. he was buried in the Prospect Hill Cemetery at White Cloud, MI. The cemetery is now called The White Cloud Cemetery. Elizabeth lived until February 3, 1923 in White Cloud and is buried next to her husband. Levi and Elizabeth had seven children - Thomas Benton (b. 3-26-1854); Mary Catherine (b. 6-26-1856); Fredrick (b. 6-20-1858-d. 8-2-1858); John Silvester (b. 4-02-1860 d. 3-8-1861); Margaret Jennie (b. 6-26-1862); Sarah Augusta (b. 11-23-1866 d. 1-26-1879); and May Ida (b. 4-04-1869). Thomas Benton Wantz married Elizabeth Knoop and moved to the White Cloud area about 1902. They raised a family of nine children. Thomas died April 29, 1937, his wife, Elizabeth, died August 11, 1928. Mary Catherine Wantz married a John Walker. Margaret Jennie Wantz married Irvin P. Parker. Irvin died in 1882 and Margaret married Charles Shonts. She had a total of four children. May Ida Wantz married George Walter Oakes. May dies on April 17, 1903 and is buried in the White Cloud Cemetery. Their son, Hugh Oakes, died in 1911 and is also buried in the White Cloud Cemetery by his mother.

Return to Family Tales

Return to Home Page