Meeker County MN Archives Biographies.....Lenhardt, Michael F. 1827 - 
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Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 January 8, 2020, 8:52 pm

Source: Alden, Ogle & Co.
Author: See Below

    MICHAEL F. LENHARDT, a respected and enterprising farmer, who resides on section
1, Litchfield, was born in Saxon-Meiningen, Germany, on the 30th of October, 1827,
and is a son of Michael and Margaret Lenhardt. He remained with his parents in his
native land until 1853, when he came to America, landing in New Orleans shortly
after the great yellow-fever scourge had abated. He located in St. Louis and
remained there for two years, then went to Kansas, but, not being favorably
impressed with the outlook there, he returned to St. Louis, and, the following year
(1856), he came to Meeker county, Minn., and took a claim on section 11, Litchfield
township, where the village of Litchfield now stands. The following year he gave up
that place and took a claim on section 1, in the same township, where he still
lives. In 1859 he was married to Rebecca Louhan, a native of Kentucky, and two
children were born to them, one of whom is deceased, and the other— Minne — is the
wife of Frank Maetzold, of Litchfield. In 1863 Mrs. Lenhardt, the wife, and youngest
child, died. In 1872 Mr. Lenhardt made a visit to his native land, and while there
was united in marriage with Margaret Peipus, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Peipus.
Four children were the result of this union— Ricke (deceased), Anna, August, and
Bertha.

   At the time of the Indian outbreak, in 1862.  Sir. Lenhardt was operating his
farm in a quiet way. He did not become much alarmed at first, but soon felt the
gravity of the situation, and, on Wednesday following the massacre at Acton, he
started with his family for Clearwater. The road en route was literally alive with
people and stock, and the woods were full of panic-stricken beings. After remaining
in Clearwater a short time, he concluded the matter was more a scare than anything
else, and went back to his farm, He was not long in discovering, however, that the
people were not terrorized without cause, and, therefore, took his family to Forest
City for safety, arriving there just before the Indians made the attack on the fort.
After spending about one month at Forest City, Mr. Lenhardt went back to his farm
for the winter, and the following year put in his crops and has since made that his
home. He devotes his entire attention to farming and stock raising, and has a most
pleasantly situated and comfortable home, He is one of the most highly respected old
settlers and substantial citizens of the county.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:
Illustrated Album of Biography
Meeker and McLeod Counties, Minnesota
1888


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