Leonard Hontz (1791 - 1875)

Born 29 Nov 1791 in Lynn Township, Lehigh, Pennsylvania, United States

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 27 Dec 1875 at age 84 in Mahoning Township, Carbon, Pennsylvania, United States

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Biography

Leonard Hontz Jr. was born on November 29, 1791, in Lynnville, Lehigh, Pennsylvania. He was the son of Leonhardt Hontz Sr. and Anna Maria Nothstein.

He served in the War of 1812 from 1812 to 1814, in the Pennsylvania Militia, 101st Regiment, as a private and in the Northampton County Militia, 1st Battalion, as a corporal.^[1] He received a Survivor's Pension of $8.00 per month (paid quarterly) which was approved February 14 1871 (ref Pension Paper No. 5052).^[2][3][4]

Leonard married Maria 'Barbara' Sandel in 1818 in Pennsylvania. They had twelve children - Sarah Ann, Reuben, Elizabeth, Thomas, William, Joseph Edward, Julia Ann, Nathan John, Wilson Henry, Louisa, Catherine, and Amanda.

From 1820 to 1840, Leonard and Barbara lived in East Penn, Northampton, Pennsylvania, with a shifting household of children. In addition to the couple, in 1820, there was 1 male under 10, and 1 female under 10 (children Sarah and Reuben).^[5] In 1830, there was 1 male under 5, 2 males 5-9, 1 female under 5, 1 female 5-9, and 1 female 10-14.^[6] In 1840, 1 male under 5, 2 males 5-9, 1 male 10-14, 1 female under 5, 1 female 5-9, and 2 females 10-14.^[7]

In 1850, the couple lived with a number of children in Mahoning, Carbon, Pennsylvania (renamed from East Penn, Northampton), where Leonard was working as a laborer (their three sons in the household were working as boatmen).^[8]

His wife Barbara died in July 1854. In 1860, Leonard was living next to/with his daughter Louisa Weiss and family in Mahoning, Carbon, Pennsylvania, and working as a mason.^[9] In 1870, he was living with his daughter Sarah Haupt and family in Mahoning, Carbon, Pennsylvania, and was retired.^[10]

Leonard died in Lehighton, Carbon, Pennsylvania, on December 27, 1875, at the age of 84. He was buried at Gnaden Huetten Cemetery in Lehighton, Carbon, Pennsylvania.^[11]

Notes

The following is an excerpt from a draft biography written by T. Hamlet Hontz (the great grandson of Leonard's brother Jacob):

"Leonard Hontz, Jr. was born 29 NOV 1791 in Lynn Twp (near Lynnport), Lehigh County, PA. He was the son of Leonhardt and Anna Maria (Nothstein). Known brothers & sisters were: Rebecca, Peter (of whom nothing definite is known), Maria (perhaps unmarried), Jessie, Lydia, Daniel, Jonas and Jacob. I have not been able to find out what Leonard Jr. did from the close of the war (which ended in 1814) until about 1842 but we are convinced that he lived in the Mahoning Valley, possibly near Lehighton. In 1842 he purchased a farm adjacent to and West of the Lehighton Fairgrounds where he lived until 1866, when he sold the property to Joseph Krum of Heidleberg Twp., Lehigh County, PA. He was, then, about 75 years of age. It has been told (to me) that Leonard Jr. became a prominent businessman later in life and owned canal boats, horses & mules which he leased to individuals and businesses transporting coal and other commodities in the Lehigh Canal. During this period, he is said to have always been well dressed, in the fashions of the day, with hands placed in his front pockets and sporting a great beaver hat. He was fair in his business dealings and expected the same in return. He particularially "insisted" that members of his family be temperate, kind and home lovers. An incident is recalled in which a son-in-law, failing to live-up to this standard, was soundly "thrashed" by the old war veteran (about 58 years old, at the time). Leonard Jr. retired to the farm of Benjamin Haupt (his son-in-law) and wife Sarah. The Haupt farm was located near Frederick's Grove about midway between the New Mahoning Highway and RTE 443, today probably referred to as the Bredbenner Farm. Leonard Jr. died, at the farm, on 27 DEC 1875." His will, filed by his two sons (Nathan and Wilson) reveals the true loving nature of this man. He provided full shares for each of his living children (Joseph, Thomas and Reuben having preceded him in death) as well as his orphaned Grandchildren (Moses Hough, Annie Kiefer, Emma Miller, Clara Flickinger, Granville Hontz, Henrietta Hontz, Sabrina Martin, Susan Miller, Amanda Barry, Lucy Hontz and Alice Boller). T. Hamlet Hontz, Circa 1950"

BURIAL - Gnaden Hutten Cemetery (Section B, Lot 135) Records indicate that he was buried by Rev. Theodore Heinke (we have not been able to determine what church, if any, Rev. Heinke served). Leonard was in all probability a Lutheran as records prove that the early Hontz's were overwhelmingly of that faith. Leonard Jr. is surrounded by a number of deceased descendants. He had purchased a rather large block of cemetery plots specifically for his children, grandchildren, etc.

WILL - Carbon County Courthouse, Jim Thorpe, PA. Administered by his son, Nathan, and executed 16 FEB 1883. The will was filed in 1875. All signatures were written "HONTZ"! Source: John Waugh, Lehighton, PA

http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83032231/1876-02-26/ed-1/seq-3/

submitter: aanderson2671414 submitter: kahontz2687566 From Ancestral Files familysearch.org

Sources

1. ↑ Ancestry.com. Pennsylvania, U.S., Veterans Burial Cards, 1777-2012 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Image
2. ↑ Ancestry.com. Pennsylvania, U.S., War of 1812 Pensions, 1866-1879 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012. Image
3. ↑ Ancestry.com. Pennsylvania, U.S., War of 1812 Pensions, 1866-1879 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012. Image
4. ↑ Ancestry.com. U.S., War of 1812 Pension Application Files Index, 1812-1815 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2010. Image
5. ↑ Ancestry.com. 1820 United States Federal Census. Year: 1820; Census Place: East Penn, Northampton, Pennsylvania; Page: 228; NARA Roll: M33_104; Image: 239. Image
6. ↑ Ancestry.com. 1830 United States Federal Census. Year: 1830; Census Place: East Penn, Northampton, Pennsylvania; Series: M19; Roll: 156; Page: 235; Family History Library Film: 0020630. Image
7. ↑ Ancestry.com. 1840 United States Federal Census. Year: 1840; Census Place: East Penn, Northampton, Pennsylvania; Roll: 479; Page: 157; Family History Library Film: 0020553. Image
8. ↑ Ancestry.com. 1850 United States Federal Census. Year: 1850; Census Place: Mahoning, Carbon, Pennsylvania; Roll: 762; Page: 379b. Image
9. ↑ Ancestry.com. 1860 United States Federal Census. Year: 1860; Census Place: Mahoning, Carbon, Pennsylvania; Roll: M653_1089; Page: 976; Family History Library Film: 805089. Image
10. ↑ Ancestry.com. 1870 United States Federal Census. Year: 1870; Census Place: Mahoning, Carbon, Pennsylvania; Roll: M593_1320; Page: 180B. Image
11. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #9578744

• 1870 US Census: https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MZGS-C8Z
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