Margaret Rule ^{3 4 5 7 8}

   Another name for Margaret was Margaret Ruhl.^{6 9 10 11}

  Noted events in her life were:

• She appeared on the 1870 US Census in Walnut Township, Marshall County, IN on 24 June 1870. ⁸

1870 US Census
Page 35, Dwelling 283, Family 278
Walnut Township, Marshall County, Indiana
Margaret Gantz..36..OH..Keeping House
(Living with husband and 6 children.)

NOTE - If her birth date was 22 Nov 1834, then her age should have been 35 instead of 36.
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• She appeared on the 1880 US Census in Walnut Township, Marshall County, IN on June 1880. ³

page 213A, T9-0298
Walnut Township, Marshall County, Indiana
Margaret Gantz...Wife..45..OH..Keeps House
(Living with husband and 7 children.)
.

• She appeared on the 1900 US Census in Walnut Township, Marshall County, IN on 19 June 1900. ⁴

1900 US Census
Sheet 9A, District 83, Dwelling 187, Family 187
Walnut Township, Marshall County, Indiana
Farm owned, no mortgage
Married 44 years
Margaret Gantz..Wife..Nov 1834..65..OH..10/6
(Living with husband, daughter, and granddaughter.)
.

• She appeared on the 1910 US Census in Walnut Township, Marshall County, IN on April 1910. ⁵

Sheet 6A, Household 127, District 115
Walnut Township, Marshall County, Indiana
Wife..Margaret Gantz..75..OH
(Living with husband.)
.

• She was buried after 25 October 1919 in the Gilead Church Cemetery in Argos, IN.

Find A Grave Memorial #60375976
. ⁷

• Her obituary was published in the Bourbon News-Mirror on 6 November 1919 in Bourbon, IN.

Margaret Rule, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George Rule, was born November 22, 1834 in Richland County, Ohio. Here she grew to maturity, and on September 11, 1856, was united in marriage to John Gantz. In 1865, they moved to Indiana. For many years she with her devoted husband lived on their farm southwest of Argos, Indiana.

Early in life she joined the Lutheran church, but afterwards united with the Methodist Episcopal church in Argos, Indiana, and remained a faithful member of the same to the time of her death.

During the last few years of her earthly life she was in declining health and for more than a year previous to her departure she was confined to her bed. But she bore all of her suffering with the patience and fortitude that is characteristic of one who has a true faith in God.

She departed this life from the home of her daughter, Mrs. J. B. Smith, at South Bend, Saint Joseph County, Indiana, October 25, 1919, aged 84 years, 11 months and 3 days.

She is survived by her husband, three daughters, Mrs. (Alverta) Simon McGriff, Mrs. (Hannah) J. B. Smith, of South Bend, Indiana, Mrs. Eva McAfee, of Argos, three sons, Frank, of Argos, John, of Plymouth, George of Pleona, Kansas, 32 grandchildren and 31 grandchildren (sic).

(Source: Bourbon News-Mirror, Bourbon, Marshall County, Indiana, 6 Nov 1919, page 1)
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Margaret married John Lightfoot Gantz, son of George Keller Gantz and Penelope Lightfoot, on 11 September 1856 in , Morrow County, OH.^{1 2 3 4 5 6 7} (John Lightfoot Gantz was born on 8 May 1834 in York Township, York County, PA,^{3 4 5 6 8 9 12 13 14 15} died on 16 July 1924 in Walnut Township, Marshall County, IN ^{6 9 15} and was buried after 16 July 1924 in Argos, IN ^{9 15}.)

  Noted events in their marriage were:

• They appeared on the 1870 US Census in Walnut Township, Marshall County, IN on 24 June 1870. ⁸

1870 US Census
Page 35, Dwelling 283, Family 278
Walnut Township, Marshall County, Indiana
John Gantz..36..PA..Day Laborer
Margaret Gantz..36..OH..Keeping House
Franklin Gantz..12..OH
Martha J. Gantz..11..OH
Alverta Gantz..8..OH
George R. Gantz..6..OH
Hannah Gantz..3..IN
Eva M. Gantz..1..IN
.

• They appeared on the 1880 US Census in Walnut Township, Marshall County, IN on June 1880. ³

page 213A, T9-0298
Walnut Township, Marshall County, Indiana
John Gantz...Head..46..PA..Farmer
Margaret Gantz...Wife..45..OH..Keeps House
Alverta Gantz...Dau..18..OH
George Gantz...Son..16..OH..Works On Farm
Hannah W. Gantz...Dau..13..IN
Eva M. Gantz...Dau..11..IN
Ida B. Gantz...Dau..8..IN
Minnie E. Gantz...Dau..5..IN
John Gantz...Son..2..IN

NOTE - The oldest daughter, Martha Jane, is not shown at home in the 1880 Census. She would have been about 21 years old and had moved to Reno, Kansas. I don't yet have any info to show if she was married or why she went to Kansas. Her uncle, Henry Rule had also moved his family to Reno, Kansas so maybe she went to be near him. Also gone from the household in 1880 is the oldest son, Franklin, who would have been about 22 years old. He was living with another family and working on his own.
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• They appeared on the 1900 US Census in Walnut Township, Marshall County, IN on 19 June 1900. ⁴

1900 US Census
Sheet 9A, District 83, Dwelling 187, Family 187
Walnut Township, Marshall County, Indiana
Farm owned, no mortgage
Married 44 years
John L. Gantz..Head..May 1834..66..PA..Farmer
Margaret Gantz..Wife..Nov 1834..65..OH..10/6
Eva M. Gantz..Dau..Apr 1869..31..IN..Servant
Fern Gantz..GDau..Mar 1890..10..IN..At School

NOTE - I can not tell for sure who the parents of Fern Gantz were with only a description of "Granddaughter". With a surname of Gantz, one would expect her father to be one of the sons but I can find no record of any of them having a daughter named Fern nor any reason why their daughter would have to be living with the grandparents. Another thought is that Fern may be an illegitimate daughter born to one of the daughters. And the fact that the 31 year old Eva was still living at home and listed as single makes her a prime suspect to be the mother of Fern. Several other daughters were married but their exact marriage dates are not yet known. It may be possible that any one of these daughters lost their husband through divorce or death and Fern was sent to be raised by the grandparents. There just is not enough information to know for sure exactly who Fern Gantz was.
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• They appeared on the 1910 US Census in Walnut Township, Marshall County, IN on April 1910. ⁵

Sheet 6A, Household 127, District 115
Walnut Township, Marshall County, Indiana
Head..John L Gantz..75..PA
Wife..Margaret Gantz..75..OH
.

  Marriage Notes:

John Lightfoot Gantz was born in York County, Pennsylvania in 1834. At the age of 3, he was taken with the family to a small community of Woodbury in Morrow County, Ohio. John grew to manhood here and on 11 Sep 1856, he married Margaret Rule. Five children were born here, then the family moved to Bourbon, Indiana, where one child was born. Then they moved to a farm 2 miles southwest of Argos, Indiana, where the land had to be cleared, and the house built. Later a few acres at a time were added until he had acquired 22 acres. Here four more children were born. Tragedy struck during the process of clearing the land, when in 1881, a daughter, Ida, age 10 years got too close to stumps that were burning. Her dress caught fire and she burned to death.

Grandfather Gantz spent much time working as a carpenter in the summer time and during the other times he worked at the David and Asher Boyce saw mill. He built his barn in 1876 and also, what is now very rare, the above ground type of cave where he stored fruits and vegetables. He was noted in the community as a good base singer and was a member of the Methodist Church choir for 30 or more years.

Visitors were always made welcome at the farm, especially in the summer time for the grandchildren, with fish to be caught in the creek running through the barn lot, the smell of hams and bacon cured in the old fashioned smokehouse (and chickens for the minister on Sunday, who made a point of informing Grandmother in advance of his coming) and always the blackberries and sweet corn in August.

I cannot remember of ever seeing Grandmother (Margaret Rule) Gantz angry; she also was a very hard worker. At the age of 76, Grandfather John Gantz suffered a stroke of apoplexy which gradually affected his sight until the age of 78, he was completely blind but they stayed on the farm until 1919 when old age and infirmities compelled them to leave. Grandmother died at the age of 84 in the home of a daughter, Hannah, and Grandfather died six years later at the age of 90 in the home of his son, Frank. The are buried in Gilead Cemetery about 6 miles southwest of Argos, Indiana.

(Written July 10, 1948)
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Name: John Gantz
Event Type: Marriage
Event Date: 11 Sep 1856
Event Place: Morrow, Ohio, United States
Age: 21
Birth Year (Estimated): 1835
Father's Name: G. K. Gantz
Mother's Name: Pernelipo Gantz
Spouse's Name: Margaret Rule
Spouse's Age: 20
Spouse's Birth Year (Estimated): 1836
Spouse's Father's Name: George Rule
Spouse's Mother's Name: Mary Rule
Reference ID: pg 218-219
GS Film Number: 317297
Digital Folder Number: 004016297
Image Number: 00086

Citing this Record:
"Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-2013," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XZSJ-XWV : 8 December 2014), G. K. Gantz in entry for John Gantz and Margaret Rule, 11 Sep 1856; citing Morrow, Ohio, United States, reference pg 218-219; county courthouses, Ohio; FHL microfilm 317,297.
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