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Submitted: 8/8/19 • Approved: 8/8/19 • Last Updated: 8/11/19 • R820711-G0-S3
Mar 28, 1826 Dauphin Co. PA
Oct 9, 1884 Adair Co., MO
Tobias Lankard was born in Mifflin Township of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, in 1826, the son of Joseph Lanker/Lankard (1801-1865) and Margaret/Margaretta (Enterline/Enderlein) Lanker/Lankard (1804-1892). Because this family was from Germany, the translation of the names has caused spelling differences.
Tobias' paternal grandfather (name unknown) was the immigrant who brought this line of Lankards to America from Germany. Reportedly, this grandfather was a Hessian soldier who fought on the side of England during the Revolution.
Tobias' maternal grandfather was John Paul Enterline who was born in Bavaria. His great grandfather, Rev. John Michael Enterline, emigrated from Palatine, Germany with his family to America in the 1760s as a Lutheran missionary. He served many churches and organized several more in the Lykens Valley of Pennsylvania.
Tobias' parents lived in Lykens Valley, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, until the late 1830s. All of their eleven known children are believed to have been born here, although the Lutheran Churches in this area record only 9 of them. It is believed that repeated flooding in the Lykens Valley drove the Lankard family westward over the Allegheny Mountains into Armstrong County, Pennsylvania. Here, Tobias' father purchased 180 acres of land in Redbank Township of Armstrong County in 1837. It was here that Tobias and his siblings grew up, one-half mile from the small town of New Salem.
Tobias' siblings were:
Peter Lanker 1822-1896
Mary Ann (Lanker) Haupt 1824-1853
George Lanker 1828-1889
Catherine (Lanker) Haupt 1829-1869
Daniel E. Lanker 1831-1891
Elizabeth (Lanker) Wise 1832-1901
John Paul Lanker 1834-1907
Sarah Lanker 1835-
Joseph W. Lanker 1836-
Samuel E. Lanker 1838-1864
Around 1847, Tobias married Sarah Ann Reitz (1826-1907), daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth "Betsy" (Wagner) Reitz. Sarah Ann's great grandfather was also a German immigrant who settled in Pennsylvania.
Tobias and Sarah Ann had twelve known children:
Mary Ann (Lankard) Haupt 1848-
Jacob R. Lankard 1849 - 1878
Elizabeth (Lankard) Elliott 1851-1882
Molly (Lankrad) Miller 1853-
Emanuel Lankard 1855
John Lankard 1857-1885
Joseph Lankarad 1859-1923
Benjamin E. 1863-1882
Sarah Frances (Lankard) Redington 1886-
Rebecca Lankard
Infant Lankard
Infant Lankard
In the 1850 federal census, Tobias, his wife, and their first two children were living in Redbank Township, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania. By 1854, they had 4 children. In the spring of that year, Tobias and Sarah Ann decided to move west with their four children, accompanying two of Sarah Ann's brothers Manuel and Edward Reitz. They took passage on the steamer "Golden Eagle" bound for St. Louis, Missouri. They arrived at their destination 14 days later.
From there, they took another boat to Davenport, Iowa, where they scouted out the country for a place to settle. Manuel Reitz contracted colera in this location, which frightened the Lankards and they set out to return home to Pennsylvania. The Reitz brothers went their separate way from Tobias and his family, and decided to go to Savanna, Carroll County, Illinois, where one of their uncles was living. The uncle's name was Jacob Wagner, brother of their mother Elizabeth "Betsy" (Wagner) Reitz. The Lankerds soon changed their course and followed Sarah Ann's brothers to Illinois to Jacob Wagner's home. They apparently decided to stay in this location for a while because in 1855 Tobias and Sarah Ann's fifth child Emanuel was born in Illinois.
Within a few years, Tobias and his family moved on to Anderson County, Kansas, where he is listed in a history of that county as being one of the prominent settlers south and west of Mineral Point, Kansas. This town no longer exists, but it was located southwest of Kansas City, Missouri. Two of the Lankard sons, John and Joseph, were born in Kansas in 1857 and 1859. However, the next Lankard child, Benjamin, according to census records, was born in 1863 in Illinois. So, the family must have once again returned to Illinois.
In 1865, Tobias moved his family to Ringo's Point (later just called Ringo Point), Liberty Township, Adair County, Missouri where he established a farm and ran a store. Tobias's sister, Catherine Lankard, had married a wealthy man back in Pennsylvania named Jonathan Haupt who several times financed colonies coming to settle the west. One such venture for Jonathan Haupt in 1865 was to purchase the town site of Ringo's Point and much of the surrounding farm land. Jonathan and Catherine Haupt lived on a 200 acre farm there. It is almost certain that Jonathan summoned his brother-in-law to come and join him in this rich Chariton River bottom farm land. He may have also been the one to set Tobias up with the store he ran at Ringo Point. Jonathan was known for having established stores in other places he had lived. Tobias and his family must have liked it here as they would spend the rest of their lives in this location.
The 1880 census of Adair County, Missouri lists Tobias, age 54, as a farmer and a merchant. His wife Sarah Ann 53 was listed as "keeping store." Four children were in the home at this time, John 22, Joseph 21, both farmers, Benjamin 16, a clerk in their store, and Sarah F. 14.
Tobias died in 1884 and was buried at Ringo Point Cemetery. Two of his sons, John and Benjamin, are also buried at this cemetery, along with other relatives. Wife Sarah Ann Lankard died in 1907 at the age of 81 and it is presently unknown where she is buried; she does not seem to be buried at Ringo Point. In the 1900 census, Sarah was living with her daughter Sarah Frances (Lankard) Redington in Van, Woods County, Oklahoma. By 1910 when Sarah Frances had moved back to Missouri, her mother Sarah was not with her. It is assumed that Sarah died in Oklahoma, but her grave has not yet been found.
- Written by Blytha (Dennis) Ellis, wife of Donald Ervin Ellis, 3great nephew of Tobias Lankard. Tobias' sister Catherine (Lankard) Haupt was Donald's great great grandmother.
NOTE: This writer was contacted in February, 2012, by Pam Reitz who is a great granddaughter of Edward Reitz (brother of Sarah Ann Reitz Lankard) mentioned above. Pam said she had a drop-leaf cherry desk that Edward's brother Manuel Reitz made about 1860. She used it for 40 years, then returned it to the family farm, Cloverdale, near Brookville, Pennsylvania, a few years ago. She is the one who gave me the name of the uncle the Lankards and the Reitz brothers visited in Illinois, Jacob Wagner, mentioned in this bio. She stated that he married Sarah Sally Seiler.
Photo donated by Larry and Susan Olson
Contributed on 8/8/19
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Record #: 820711