Cronhardt/Georgia Lynde (Mrs. Malvern Lynde)

Fritz Cronhardt was born in Gelnhausen, Germany , on January 5, 1831, the son of Johann Adreas and Catharine (Röder) Cronhardt.  He lived there until about 15, spending much of that time in school.  Coming to the United States in 1846 in am American vessel, Fritz landed in Baltimore, Maryland, where he remained until 1852 and learned the shoemaker's trade.  In 1852, he went to Richmond, Virginia, and operated a boot and shoe store for one year.
In 1853, Fritz moved to Missouri and settled in Calhoun, Henry County, where he opened a small store.  Moving to Warrensburg, be became the first shoe cobbler in Johnson County, operating that business for about three years before moving to Knob Noster.
Fritz Cronhardt married Miss Catharine Endrick on June 25, 1854, in Warrensburg.  She was the daughter of John Wilhelm and Dorothea Endrick and was born March 23, 1834, in Germany, coming to America in 1851.  The children born to this union included:  William F., Charles John, Laura, Anna, Fritz Jr., Andrew J., Louis F., and Alice.  The Cronhardts moved to Knob Noster where Fritz was engaged both in farming and the shoe trade.  IN 1863, he was burned out and lost heavily.  When his health began to fail, he devoted his full attention to farming.  They stayed on the farm near Knob Noster for 25 years and them moved to a 500-acre farm of choice land in 1881.  In 1986, 120 acres of this land remain in the family, now owned by his great-granddaughter, Georgia (Cronhardt) and her husband, Malvern Lynde.  Georgia is the daughter of William Henry Cronhardt, son of the above-named Charles John Cronhardt.
Georgia Lynde describes the farm as follows:
"My great-grandfather gave $40 an acre for this land.  It is in a beautiful part of Johnson County and is a very good piece of ground.  It has produced many row crops and through the years conservation was practiced.  This year (1986), it has a real good crop of corn growing.
The farm is ideally located in a good community and on a good road and very close to D Highway.  It has had many grain crops planted and of course, has periodically been put back to grass and hay, as up until now, rotation of crops was always practiced by progressive farmers.
During childhood, my grandparents, uncles, aunts, and their families all lived close by, so there were many happy memories connected to the land.
My great-grandfather was a progressive citizen and farmer, charter board member of the Knob Noster Bank, school board member, father of a large family and came from Germany as a young man to settle here."
Fritz was also a charter stockholder of the Knob Noster Bank and a director until his death on October 10, 1884.  Both were buried in the Pleasant Grove Cemetery, Johnson County, Missouri.

The ancestry of the Cronhardt family is as follows:

Peter Cronhardt 
(about 1617-1754) Gelnhausen, Germany
	His origin is in question.  His last name is spelled correctly, but is not German.  He could have come from Scandanavia, France or Russia.

Phillip Nicolaus Cronhardt 
About 1660-1759, Gelnhausen, Germany

Johann Phillipp Cronhardt
1688-1759, Gelnhausen, Germany

Johann Phillipp Cronhardt
1717-1784, Gelnhausen, Germany

Johann Heinrich Cronhardt
1756-1814, Gelnhausen, Germany

Johann Andreas Cronhardt
1793-1860, Gelnhausen, Germany

Fritz Cronhardt (Friedrich)
1831-1888, Cohessan, Germany