Sarah Elizabeth “Sadie” Muffley was listed as a seamstress in an 1890 census substitute (city directory) of Quincy. Sadie was living with her mother Julianna Wilhelm Muffley at the rear of 518 Vermont Street. Brothers Franklin, Joe, and Will were all married and living elsewhere.At that time, William Henry Lentz was also living in Adams County, Illinois, and was presumably still a harness maker (as he was in the 1880 census). I suspect that he was known to Joe Muffley, a harness maker at Schott Saddlery then. Henry Lentz’ first wife Mary “Maggie” Wiester died in October, 1891, and was buried in the family plot in Halstead, Harvey County, Kansas. W.H. and Maggie had 5 surviving children. I have been in contact with a descendant of one of these kids (William Arthur Lentz), and from this descendant I have received the photos of W.H. Lentz, the tombstones, and newspaper clippings. Particulars of this Lentz family may be found at Ancestry.com, under Johannes Adam Lentz. Information on Sadie is in the Howlett-Muffley tree at Ancestry.com
Sadie Muffley and William Henry Lentz were married on October 11, 1892. They moved to farm at Halstead, Kansas. Sadie’s mother Julia Muffley went to stay with Sadie for “an extended visit”, according to the 7 July, 1893, edition of Halstead Independent. The following week, this weekly periodical announced the 10 July birth of the son of Mr. and Mrs. W.H. Lentz: Harold Leland Lentz. (pictured below). There was an announcement on 24 November, 1893, that W.H. Lentz was building an addition to his house, located in the south of Halstead.
Julia A. Muffley died on March 8, 1894. Her body was transported by train from Halstead to Quincy. Accompanying her body were Sadie and her husband. At Kansas City, they were joined by Will and Lillie Kimmel Muffley, who had come down from their home in Omaha. The arrival of the train, and the funeral on March 10, 1894, were announced in The Quincy Daily Herald. The location of the burial is unknown.
In the 1900 census of Halstead, the Lentz household consisted of Sadie, William, his kids Ivy and Floyd, and Harold, age 6. Harold Leland Lentz later married Evelyn Shriver. Their daughter Leona Lentz Monroe reported that family photographs and records were lost when a basement flooded.
