My Genealogy Hound

JUDGE LEVI WENTZ, formerly Associate Judge of Carbon County, is a leading and well known citizen of Aquashicola. He is a native of Northampton County, Pa., where his birth occurred on the 12th of January, 1824, and in a family of six sons and six daughters, he is the only surviving son.

The parents of the Judge were Jacob and Magdalena (Keefer) Wentz, both natives of the Lehigh Valley. The grandfather of the former, John Y. Wentz, was a native of Germany, and the founder of the family in Northampton County. Jacob Wentz learned the trade of coopering, which occupation he followed for a number of years, and later turned his attention to agricultural pursuits. His death occurred about 1864, and that of his wife in 1852.

The boyhood of our subject was passed in Northampton County. After attaining his majority, he was employed by a brother who was conducting a mercantile business at Kuntz’s Ford. In the fall of 1846 he became a resident of Weissport, Carbon County, where he engaged in clerking for several years. He next entered into partnership with George Horn, and embarked in mercantile business for himself. They successfully conducted the enterprise until 1856, when Mr. Wentz purchased his partner’s interest, thus becoming sole proprietor. A year later, however, he sold out the business and removed to this place, of which he has since been a resident. In 1862 he again engaged in merchandising, in which he continued for a number of years in this town.

Judge Wentz was the second Postmaster in Aquashicola, and served in this capacity until elected to the important position of Associate Judge of Carbon County, when he resigned his place as Postmaster. The former position he tilled acceptably for a period of six years. While occupying that responsible place he was noted for his impartial and wise decisions on all matters, and for the integrity with which he discharged his duties. Politically he is a Republican, and is an active temperance man, inclining toward Prohibition principles. For several years he was identified with the slate industry, in which he had money invested.

The Judge was married January 1, 1850, to Sarah Bowman, who was born January 19, 1834, in this county, and is a daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth (Weiss) Bowman, both natives of Carbon County. Mrs. Wentz’s brother is the well known Bishop Thomas Bowman, of Chicago, who is a Bishop in the Evangelical Association. For many years her father ran a hotel at Lehigh Gap near the Chain Bridge, the place being known as Bowman’s Hotel. Mr. and Mrs. Wentz have four living children: Rev. Thomas, who is now stationed at Matamoras, Pa.; Annie M., the wife of Franklin Ash; Jennie E., Mrs. A. W. Kistler; and Mary A. Mrs. Wentz’s sister, Mrs. Carrie Snyder, resides in Allentown, and her brother James lives in Wilkes Bane, Pa. Another brother, Wesley W., is a resident of Slatington, Pa., and Mrs. Perry Wannemacher lives at Macungie, this state.

The education of our subject was obtained in the public schools of Northampton County, and he also for a time was a student in Professor Vanderveer’s Private Academy at Easton. He is a gentleman of extended knowledge and wide information, and has always kept up his studies and general reading. He is President of the Towamensing Farmers’ Fire Insurance Company, a local organization, and has been interested in many industries of the community. With his wife he holds membership with the Evangelical Association, and is now serving his fiftieth year in the position of Class-leader. He has a wide acquaintance in the Lehigh Valley, and enjoys the esteem and regard of his many friends.