The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1906-12-20
Pioneer Grocer Of the City Died
Thursday Evening at AIexian
Hospital 10 Chicago
LONG PROMINENT IN KEN0SHA
Was Formerly City Clerk of the City
and Was Actively Connected
With Its Business Interests
for Many Years

Philip Lentz, aged 77years, former
city clerk of the city and a prominent
business man of Kenosha for more
than fifty years, died at the Alexian
Brothers Hospital in Chicago just
after eight O'Clock Thursday evening.
The end came suddenly for while Mr..
Lentz had been suffering from chronic
was not thought that the end was so
near. The deceased had been an in
valid for many months and seven
weeks ago he went to the hos pital.
For several days it had been known
that he was growing weaker and a
short time before his death his re1a-
tives had been summoned to the bed
side. They arrived just little after
he had passed away.
The funeral was held from St.
Georges church on Sunday afternoon
at 2 clock.
The death of Philip Lentz marks
the passing of one of the best known
of the German pioneers of Kenosha
and Southport. Mr.. Lentz had been
actively connected with the affairs of
the city for more than fifty years and
his honesty and integrity made him
a man greatly respected by his
business associates and one greatly
beloved by those with whom he came
in contact in the inner circles of his
private life.
For many years Mr.. Lentz was
active in the political world of Keno
sha. He was thrice elected to the
office of city clerk and served for
several terms as alderman for his
ward. He was also a member of the
County Board for number of years
and was at one time the candidate of
the Democratic party for the Office of
city treasurer. His public life was
absolutely stainless and as city clerk
he gave the city one of its best adj
ministrations of the Office.
The deceased was native of Ger
many. He was son Of the late Peter
and Eliza beth Lentz and was born at
Bittburg in the Rhine Province
August Is, 1929. He received liberal
educational advantages and at the
age of fifteen years he entered the
business of his father and learned the
trade of baker. Later he served in
the German army for six months but
in 1880 when the revolution broke out
in Germany he sympathized with the
revolutionists and came to this
country. He reached Southport the
same year and with his wife took I'D
his home in this city. For numb er
of years he worked on a farm but in
1862 he returned to Kenosha. He
worked for some time as bookkeeper
for William Ernst after which he
! formed a partnership with Maurice N.
Funck in the grocery business. For
three years William Fisher was con
nected with the firm.
For more than thirty-fve years the
firm of Lentz & Funck was one of che
! Three years ago Mr.. Lentz was forced
to give up his active participation in
the business on account of continued
i'll health, and the interest was turned
over to his grandson, Otto Scholer.
In 1849 at Bittburg Mr.. Lentz
was united in marriage to Miss Cath
crime Smith, who died a number of
years ago. They had three children,
but only one, Mrs. Elizabeth Scholer,
| lived until womanhood. She died Ia
1884 leaving four children, Frederick
Scholer of Chicago, Otto Scholer Of
Kenosha, Mrs. Lena Wienheimer of
Kenosha, and Mrs. Catherine Sucker
now living in Cologne, Germany.
Mr.. Lent was for years one of the
most influential members of St.
Georges Roman Catholic church, and
his funeral will be held from that
church. The remains will be Inferred
by the side of those of his wife and
son in the family plat at ST. Georges
cemetery.