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Mary Smull was the third child of Peter Smull and Mary Waggoner. She was born in Centre County, Pennsylvania on 08 Jul 1824. While still living in Pennsylvania, she married John Meyers of whom little is known. They had a son named Jacob Meyers, who was born about 1847 in Centre County. John died on 18 Feb 1848.
George Daniel Frantz of Clinton County married Mary on 31 May 1849 and would reside in Dakota, Stephenson County, Illinois beginning in late 1854. Their farm was on the border of the village of Dakota. They, along with several other relatives, like the Kryder brothers, who married Catherine and Sarah, were some of the area's earliest settlers. The Frantz's had three children: Anna, Henry T. and George McClellan Frantz.
George died 03 Nov 1889 in Dakota. Their daughter Annie would live with her mother until her own untimely death in 1902. Mary lived on until 27 Feb 1908.
1. Jacob Meyers: A mystery. I am unable to locate him in Wisconsin at all (nothing fits) though according to Mary's obituary, he was living in Elkhorn, Walworth County at the time of her death in 1905. In Daniel Meyer's obit (his uncle by marriage), there is reference to Jacob and a daughter attending the funeral in 1918.
2. Lenna Anna "Annie" Frantz: Born Dec 1852 in Centre County, Pennsylvania. She never married and died at age 49 on 16 Nov 1902 in Dakota.
3. Henry T. Frantz was born 24 Dec 1863 in Dakota, Stephenson County, Illinois. He married Estella Virginia Fahs on 05 Apr 1885 in Stephenson County. Estella was born 21 Mar 1869 in Cedarville, Stephenson County. They had two daughters, Myrtle, born 06 May 1886 in Dakota; and Florence, born 02 Feb 1892 in Dakota. Henry's family resided in Cedarville. Henry died on 30 Mar 1935 in Dakota and Estella on 20 Aug 1940 in Freeport, Stephenson County.
4. George McClellan Frantz was born in about 1865 in Stephenson County. He married Letitia Myrtle Smith in 1896. She hailed from Spring Mill, Montgomery, Pennsylvania and was born 02 Oct 1875. They didn't head west as most settlers seemed to do, but headed to Starbuck, Manitoba, Canada. Their story is pretty interesting:
George and Letitia Frantz arrived in Starbuck, Manitoba, Canada on 07 Apr 1907 with their three boys, Donald, Clark, and Allen. Later Mary and Lois were born. The Frantz's came from Dakota, Illinois.
Mr Frantz purchased two 240-acre farms at W1/2 2-9-2W and 14-0-2W. One of the farms was later sold and is now owned by Wilfred Masse. The other farm where Clark still lives was on the edge of the "swamp." Clark recalls the tremendous number of wildlife in that swamp and later in the summer how the area was dotted with hay stacks. The hay was "bucked" up to the stacks by horses and it was quite an art building a stack that would be waterproof. He also commented on a neighbor. Mr Curzy, who had oxen and even hitched up a horse and oxen on a wagon. Mention was made of the Graf family and how during a severe snowstorm Mr Graf tied a ball of twine to house and barn to guide him. Otherwise he would likely have been lost. He was often amazed later how the Olsen brothers could "strike out a furrow" so straight - a mile long.
The house in which Clark and Eva live was built in 1911 and with some alterations has been well preserved. Here their children Alvin, Verne, Patricia, and Neil grew up and are now all married. Alvin lives in Steinbach, Verne and Patricia in Winnipeg and Neil in Starbuck.
The Frantzs were keenly interested in good farming, gardening and planting trees. Visitors were always welcome. George Frantz and Ben Fetterman were great friends. However, we used to feel a little cheated when we listened on the telephone and couldn't understand them because they were talking what we referred to as "Pennsylvania Dutch."
Donald and Allen moved to the United States. Donald has since died and Allen lives in Alton, Missouri. Mr Phineas Cole, a neighbor, nicknamed Allen "Buckshot." Mary married Jim Tanner and they live in Brunkild and their daughter is a medical secretary. Lois married Harold Lake and they live in St Vital; their son works for the Federal Department of Fisheries.
Starbuck Seedlings, A History of Starbuck and Vicinity, by Flora Olsen, 1973
George died 31 Jan 1953 in Starbuck. Letitia on 19 Apr 1965 in Winnipeg.
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