LANTZ GENEALOGY

     This office corresponded to our county judges and had more
     honor or at least more responsibility.  I remember it cost
     him his home and nearly all his property.  Some Northern
     soldiers had been captured by the Southern Army and in
     passing through the county the Southern soldiers were
     overpowered by a mob and the Northern soldier killed when
     orders were issued by the Northern officer to arrest father
     for he was the trial justice and Colonel Rinker who com-
     manded the soldiers that allowed them to be mobbed.
     They were also ordered to burn their dwellings.      They
     burned father's house but not until they gave his slaves ten
     minutes' time to carry out the household goods, and after
     these things had been carried out they also burned them.
     Some Southern officer sent a flag of truce and a note that for
     every house burned they would kill ten Northern prisoners.
     This note was too late for my father's house but did save
     Colonel Rinker's.  Later they arrested father but released
     him for some cause I do not think he ever knew.
     He was active in politics.  Was a Democrat but sided
     with the Readjusters and I think was headed for the Repub-
     lican party.  I remember in the beginning this movement
     was very strong, in fact they carried the state for four or
     five years.
          Harry  Riddlebarger was our U. S. Senator and he
     wanted father to stump the state.  This he refused to do
     but did promise he would challenge any one in the county.
     This he did and many were the joint discussions.  I saw
     many fights, in fact it looked to me as if every one was
     fighting at one meeting.  I remember father taking M. L.
     Walton by the arm and pleading that the Funders had
     listened to him and his friends should now listen to Mr.
     Walton; that he was entitled to a reply and he could answer
     his questions.  Strange to say I do not think any one that
     spoke in those discussions ever got mad with father.
     Father never felt happier than when he could play a
     joke on some one.
        Isaac Holler afforded him much amusement.  One time
     he persuaded him to go with him to a neighbor's melon
     patch.  Father then told the neighbor the plans and had him
     watch the patch.  Mr. Holler was on time and after each had
     gotten some melons they were discovered.  They were told to
     halt, father said "Run Ike: run." The neighbor fired his
     gun.  Father pretended to be shot and called to Ike to come
     get him but Ike was falling down and getting up too fast

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