PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL ALBUM.
page 477
ADAM LENHART, Superintendent of the Orphan's Home at Springfield, has been ably managing the institution since 1885. The Home is pleasantly located about two miles from the heart of the city, and every effort has been made to surround the inmates with such comforts and benefits as shall make them honored and useful citizens of the State, although deprived of their natural guardians and protectors. Mr. Lenhart and his amiable wife are endeavoring conscientiously to do all in their power to second the efforts of the projectors and supporters of the institution, an sexercise a wise and affectionate oversight of their charge.
The grandfather of our subject was Henry Lenhart,
a farmer in Westmoreland County, Pa., who is believed to have been a native of
England. His son Abraham was born in the Keystone State, and there reared and
married to Leah Shetler, who was of German parentage, and also born in Westmoreland
County. They lived there until
1859, when Mr. Lenhart sold the farm, and removing to Ohio settled in Hamilton
County. Here he engaged in farming four years, after which he operated a large
farm near Belle City, Hamilton County, Ill., for a gentleman named Buckingham,
whose home was near Cincinnati. After
living upon that farm for two years Mr. Lenhart removed to Abilene, Kan., where
be died in 1877, at the age of sixty-four years. His widow is still living there.
The subject of this sketch is one of nine
children born to Abraham and Leah Lenhart, all of whom reached years of
maturity. His natal day was June 8,
1840, and his birthplace the farm near Greensburg, Westmoreland County, Pa.
He was reared and educated in his native county, and came to Ohio with
his parents, residing with them in Hamilton County, and removing with them to
Illinois in the spring of 1864. He
was engaged in farm labors there until 1867, when he spent a few months in
Kansas City, Mo. Returning to Illinois he settled in Clay County, where he
resided until 1874, engaged in farming and engineering.
His next removal was to Springfield, Ohio, where he was employed as
foreman in the stand department of the St. John Sewing Machine Company.
For nine and a half years he occupied that position, and he then
resigned, having in the meantime been elected Infirmary Director.
It was not long until he was elected to the position he is now filling so
satisfactorily and judiciously.
Realizing that it is not good for man to live
alone, Mr. Lenhart took a companion in life, choosing Miss Isabella Bolen, a
native of Sciota County, with whom he was united in October, 1864.
She is a daughter of Nelson Bolen, who was born in the same county, and
whose father, Henry Bolen, was a native of one of the Southern States.
Grandfather Bolen was a pioneer in Sciota County, where he located about 1810,
buying a tract of timber land on Pine Creek.
He built a round-log cabin, but later put up one of hewed logs, in which
he resided many years. Finally, about 1848, he sold and removed to Logan County,
where he bought land. Thence he removed to Union County, where he remained until
after the death of his wife, Margaret McCreary, a Southern lady.
He then returned to Logan County, and died at the home of a son.
The father of Mrs. Lenhart grew to man's estate in his native county,
his early life being spent upon a farm. He
learned the trade of a carpenter, and became a contractor of buildings and
bridges. He removed to Logan County about 1850, and thence, in 1869, went to
Flora, Clay County, Ill., still continuing his contracting, and also in the
Prairie State engaging in farming. He
resided there until his death in 1875. In his native county he had married Miss
Sarah A. Tubbs, a native of South Carolina, who died in 1855.
To. Mr. and Mrs. Lenhart one child has been born, Elsie B., now the wife of Dr. John G. Kennan, of Springfield. Mr. Lenhart belongs to Ephraim Lodge, No.146, I. 0.0. F., and to the Red Star Lodge of the Knights of Pythias. He and his wife belong to the First Baptist Church.
22 Mar 2000