BIO: Edwin E. KANTZ, Clearfield County, PA
 
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From Twentieth Century History of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania,
and Representative Citizens, by Roland D. Swoope, Jr.,
Chicago: Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company, 1911, pages 864 & 865.
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  EDWIN E. KANTZ, of Burnside, Pa., who is prominently connected with the coal 
mining industry, as mine superintendent and owner, was born at Patchinsville, 
this county, in 1877, a son of Reuben and Susannah (Bowder) Kantz.  His paternal 
grandfather was John Kantz of Snyder county, who married Sarah Ann Baker, and 
who came to Patchinsville in 1846.
  Reuben Kantz was born in Snyder county, Pa., and in addition to lumbering and 
carpenter work, engaged in agriculture, which occupation he has followed up to 
the present time, being now sixty-three years old.  His wife, Susannah, who is 
living at the age of sixty-one, is the daughter of Jacob and Anna (Bennord) 
Bowder, the former of whom met an accidental death in 1877.  The children of Mr. 
and Mrs. Reuben Kantz were as follows:  Charles E., who is a physician 
practicing in Philadelphia; Howard S., a resident of Burnside, Pa.; Milton L., 
who resides in Oklahoma; Paul S., who is a school superintendent in Idaho; Guy 
V.; Violet Elizabeth, who is a teacher residing at home; Geneva, also at home; 
Pearl, who died in infancy; and Edwin E., subject of this sketch.
  Edwin E. Kantz after attending school until the age of sixteen years, engaged 
in farming with his father, and during the winter worked at the stone masons' 
and carpenters' trades, also learning the creamery business.  At the age of 
twenty he entered the mines, in which he worked for three years, for two years 
subsequently being engineer on the railway for hauling coal.  He was then 
engaged in prospecting for coal for two years, locating mines for his company 
and opening up the Bellwood coal mines.  In 1895 he passed the state examination 
for mine foreman and took charge of the Bellmore mines until 1910, when he 
resigned the position to take that of superintendent for the Bellmore Coal 
Company, in which he now owns a one-third interest.  He is also interested in 
the La Soya Oil Company of Oklahoma.  Mr. Kantz was elected councilman on the 
Prohibition ticket and is now serving his second term in office.  He belongs to 
the Methodist Protestant church, and is superintendent of the Sunday school.  He 
belongs also to the order of Redmen at Patchinsville, Lodge No. 522.
  Mr. Kantz was married May 14, 1902, to Sarah Elizabeth Bellis, who was born at 
Buckley, North Wales, in 1875, daughter of Thomas and Ellen (Lamb) Bellis.  Her 
paternal grandparents were Robert and Elizabeth (Lewis) Bellis, botn natives of 
Wales, the former being a merchant and miner, who died in his native land in 
1895.  Thomas Bellis, father of Mrs. Kantz, was also a miner, entering the Welsh 
mines at the age of eight years as trapper boy.  Subsequently, after a residence 
of three years in Lancashire, England, he came at the age of twenty-nine years 
to America, accompanied by his wife and children, this being about 1880.  He 
settled at Philipsburg, Pa., where he was engaged in mining until 1890 and then 
removing to Urey, Indiana county, was foreman and superintendent of mines there 
until his death, which took place in 1910.  His wife, to whom he was married in 
Buckley, N. W., in 1870, was a daughter of Thomas and Mary (Jones) Lamb, her 
father being a brick molder.  To Mr. and Mrs. Kantz have been born four 
children, namely - Thomas Bellis, aged eight years; Ellen V., now six; Alice, 
and Lillian Ruth.