Jacob S. Gantz Biography


	This biography appears on pages 256-259 in "History of Dakota Territory" 
	by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. IV (1915) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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				JACOB S. GANTZ.  

	Jacob S. Gantz, of Rapid City, has for twelve years been clerk of 
the courts and for a quarter of a century has held public office, his 
unusual record being proof of his ability and public-spirited service. 
He was born in Hagerstown, Maryland, on the 23d of September, 1850, a 
son of Henry and Catherine (Shoop) Gantz. His father was a contractor 
of public works and was seventy years old at the time that he retired. 
He passed away on the 28th of November, 1908, when eighty years of age, 
his demise being much regretted by all who had come into contact with 
him. He belonged to one of the old families of Maryland. His widow is 
still living at the advanced age of eighty-eight years and makes her 
home with her sons in Deadwood and Rapid City.  

	Jacob S. Gantz is the oldest in a family of three children. He 
received his preparatory education at Lawrenceville, New Jersey, and 
took his college course at Lafayette College, Pennsylvania, from which 
he was graduated with the class of 1872. Four years later he removed to 
Sidney, Nebraska, and in 1877 he arrived in the Black Hills and located 
at Rapid City. From 1879 until 1882 he served as clerk of courts and in 
1882 was elected register of deeds and served three terms, until 
January 1, 1889. He served as deputy county auditor in 1899 and 1900, 
and in November, 1902, was elected clerk of courts. He has served 
continuously since, his record being again endorsed by reelection in 
1914. He is naturally systematic and methodical and has so arranged the 
work of his office as to secure the greatest efficiency with the least 
waste of time and effort.  

	Mr. Gantz was married on the 4th of May, 1882, to Miss Mary Addie 
Soule, a native of Maine and a representative of one of New England's 
oldest families. On the 20th of October, 1911, she passed away and 
interment was made at her old home in Maine. Mr. and Mrs. Gantz became 
the parents of six children: Katherine Von der Lieth, deceased; Saxe 
P., a graduate of the South Dakota State School of Mines; Mrs. 
Frederick H. Clarkson, who is a graduate of the New England 
Conservatory of Music; Ben Soule, who is an alumnus of Harvard 
University; Gardner, who is a student in Lafayette College of Easton, 
Pennsylvania; and Frank E., who is now attending a preparatory school 
at Stamford, Connecticut.  

	Mr. Gantz is a democrat and is one of the leaders of his party in 
the Black Hills district. He has been a loyal member of the Masonic 
order since September 26, 1871, and since the organization of the 
Knights of Pythias in South Dakota in 1882 he has belonged to that 
order. He is also a charter member of the Rapid City Lodge of the 
Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, His religious affiliation is with 
the Christian Science church. Mr. Gantz has seen a great deal of the 
development that has changed South Dakota from a pioneer section into a 
prosperous commonwealth and has worked constantly and willingly to 
further the progress of his own section of the state. He is held in the 
highest esteem in Pennington county and is respected as a man and as a 
public official, his record being without a shadow of suspicion. 
Personally he is genial, courteous and kindly, and few men have a 
larger circle of sincere friends than he.