This popular and talented young physician is a graduate of the Chicago Homeopathic College, having taken an exceptionally thorough course, since he studied for this end some years previous, and also having shown his erudition and ability both in the state examination of Idaho as well as in his extensive and constantly increasing practice since coming to Ilo. He is now one of the substantial men of the town and is operating a nice drug business in addition to his practice.
John G Lenz was born in Rock Island County, Illinois, on July 17, 1875, being the son of Nicholas and Cynthia A. (Strubble) Lenz. The father was born in Germany in 1845 and died in 1893. He came to the United States with his parents in 1857. The mother of our subject was born in Pennsylvania in 1849 and is now living in Nez Perces County, having come here in an early day.
Our subject lived in Illinois until fifteen, when the family went to Nodaway County, Missouri, settling near Marysville. A year and one half later the mother came west, settling in this County. John G went to a business college and then took a course preparatory to his medical course in the state university of Iowa. We next see him in the Chicago Homeopathic Medical College, whence he graduated with honors. He came west and selected Ilo as the point for settlement. Ho was then only thought of, but the aggressiveness and farsightedness of the Doctor was put into play and he with Mr. Leggett, who is mentioned in the work elsewhere, established the town. They erected the building where Mr. Leggett is now and then the Doctor built his drug store and the town was launched and has shown itself a worthy child.
In Iowa City, on June 8, 1807, Doctor Lenz married Miss Ada M., daughter of William T. and Lydia F. (Heil) Scheib. The name used to be Scheibel. Mr. Scheib was born in Pennsylvania in 1840, was a merchant and farmer and had devoted many years to the work of the educator. He served in the Civil War, in Company H, Sixteenth Iowa Volunteer Infantry. He was wounded in the wrist at the battle of Shiloh and also in the head at Island No. Ten. Following this he was discharged and now draws a pension. Mrs. Scheib was born in Iowa, in October 1854. Both are living. Mrs. Lenz was born in Jackson County, Iowa, on July 12, 1875. She received a good education from the state university and also took a course of training as nurse. She has the following brothers and sisters: Jennie, deceased; Bessie: Bernice, deceased; Harry; Nellie: Lersy and Herman, deceased. Dr. Lenz has the following brothers and sisters; Mary, deceased; Elizabeth; Elmer.
Dr. Lenz is a member of the I. O. O. F. the M. W. A. and the Brotherhood of American Yeomen, and is examiner for the last two orders. Politically, he is a Democrat. He is also a member of the Central Congregational church in Chicago. He is deeply interested in educational progress and has always been a liberal contributor for general improvement. To Mr. and Mrs. Lenz there has been born one child, Camilla B. C. She was born on September 7, 1901, and died on September 21, 1901.
Back to: Nez Perce Biographies
Source: An Illustrated History of Northern Idaho, Embracing Nez Perce, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone Counties, Western Historical Publishing Company, 1903