Wiley Lentz was born in North Carolina about 1836. In the late 1840s the family moved to Murray County, Georgia.

The 1850 Census listed the Lentz family living in Murray as: Charles Lance, age 50; Susanah Lance, age 45; Michael Lance, age 17; Solomon Lance, age 15; Wiley Lance, age 14; Louisa Lance, age 12; Washington Lance, age 10; Sarah A. Lance, age 9; James K. Lance, age 5; Calvin W. Lance, age 3. Every member of this family was born in North Carolina.

The father, Charles Lentz, was the son of John Jacob Lentz (1777-1867) and Mary (Yost) Lentz (1778-1867) of North Carolina.

Charles married Suzzana Simmons in Rowan County, North Carolina, March 14, 1826.

Charles and Sussana had 4 children who were no longer living at home when the 1850 Census was taken. These were: Jacob, born about 1827; Peter, born about 1827; Catherine S., born about 1830; and Jesse E. Lentz, born about 1831.

The 1860 Census showed the Lentz family, recorded in the Census as Lance, living near Spring Place. The father and mother, along with Sarah, James, and Calvin lived in one household, while in a different house nearby lived three of their family members: Wiley, age 24; Louisa Gentle, age 22; and Charles W. Lance, age 20. Apparently Louisa had married because her family name was recorded as Gentle, but no information was found about her husband.

Family genealogy gives more complete names for some of those listed above: Eva Louise Lentz; Charles Washington Lentz; Sarah Ann Lentz; and Calvin Wesley Lentz.

If the information in his Confederate Army records is correct, Wiley Lentz (spelled Lents in these records) died of disease less than two months after he enlisted. The records indicate that he enlisted as a Private in Company E, 60th Georgia Infantry Regiment on May 16, 1862, and died on July 9, 1862 at a Danville, Virginia military hospital.

Murray County Families