Jerry Berentz

JERRY BERENTZ, who arrived in Labette county, in 1869, is one of the leading agriculturists of Hackberry township, where he is located in section 22, township 34, range 20. He was born in Washington county, Ohio, in 1842, and is a son of Rev. C. W. Berentz.

Rev. C. W. Berentz, for many years a minister in the Reformed church, is deceased. He was a native of Germany, and was a child when he came to America. He married Henrietta Oakes, who was born and married in Pennsylvania. Six sons and four daughters were born to them, one of the sons being located at Oswego, Labette county, Kansas.

Jerry Berentz was reared in Ohio until 1859, when, at the age of seventeen years, he went to Illinois. In 1861, he enlisted in Company C, 12th Reg., Ill. Vol. Inf., and participated in all but one of the engagements of his company. He was in the service four years, and was mustered out at Springfield, Vermilion county, Illinois. He was then engaged in farming and sheep raising there until he moved to Kansas, in August, 1869, and located in Labette county, in Elm Grove township, a few miles southwest of Edna. He brought with him some fine rams, valued at $200 each, and expected to engage in sheep raising. His animals died, however, and he turned his attention to general farming. He took as a claim the farm now owned by Ed. Clark, improved it, and resided upon it, until the fall of 1890, when he sold out and went to the "Nation." Returning to Labette county in the spring of 1898, he purchased the Dorland farm of 120 acres in Hackberry township, in section 22, township 34, range 20, which was a finely improved piece of property. He has a six-acre orchard, which is bearing well, and fine, large maple shade trees. The farm is fenced off in 20-acre lots, by hedge, which is kept well trimmed, and it presents a very fine appearance. He follows diversified farming, makes corn his principal crop, and has also 60 acres in clover. At first he did his trading at Kingston, where he helped in the erection of the Presbyterian church, which was subsequently moved to Edna.

Mr. Berentz was united in marriage, in Illinois, with Emma Jane Olmsted, who was born in Washington county, Ohio, and reared in Illinois, and they became the parents of three children, namely: Maude; Mabel; and W. T., who is a prominent hardware merchant of Bartlesville, Indian Territory, associated with R. H. Muzzy, of Edna. In politics, Mr. Berentz is a Republican. Fraternally, he has been a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen for the past twenty years. He is a member of the G. A. R., Knoxville Post, of Edna, Kansas. In religious views, he is a Presbyterian.