As a child growing up, I heard from my mother and my grandparents, the story of how one of my great uncles on my mother's side of her father's family gained fame in the early 1900s by being involved in a Northwoods shootout with a big logging company on their family farm.
A story that was talked about nationally at the time it happened and even appeared in the New York Times and years later the story of what happened was written by a man named Malcom Rosholt.
My mom bought me a copy of the book titled "The Battle of Cameron Dam" on my 12th birthday and it has been one of my most treasured books I have ever owned.
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| One of my most treasured family heirlooms |
While researching my Dietz family tree this morning, I came across a few photos that are housed at the Wisconsin Historical Society depicting the incident.
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| The family in front of their cabin |
Come along as I share an abridged version of the story of John Dietz, my famous Great uncle, and his time in the spotlight in the lumberjack era of the untamed wilds of Northern Wisconsin.
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| Historical Highway Marker a few miles from the Homestead |
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| My 3rd Great Uncle John F Dietz brandishing a Pistol in Front of his Cabin |
In 1904, John F. Dietz and his family purchased a farmstead on the Thornapple River about 8 miles southeast of the Village of Winter. Dietz soon discovered that the Cameron Dam, one of the many logging dams on this important tributary of the Chippewa River, lay on his property. He thereupon claimed that the Chippewa Lumber 7 Boom Company, a Weyerhauser affiliate, owed him a toll for logs driven downstream. For four years he refused to permit logs to be sluiced down the Thornapple, defending “his” dam at gunpoint and successfully resisting attempts to arrest him. At least one deputy and two of Dietz’ children were wounded in confrontations. In becoming an outlaw, Dietz also became a folk hero with a nationwide following. In October 1910, a large sheriff’s posse surrounded his house. In the ensuing gun battle, Oscar Harp, a deputy, was killed.
John Dietz surrendered and was sentenced to life in prison. He served ten years, but public pressure eventually convinced Governor John J. Blain to pardon him in May 1921. Dietz died in 1924. Cameron Dam has long since disappeared. Several books and even a play have been written about the Battle of Cameron Dam.
John Dietz surrendered and was sentenced to life in prison. He served ten years, but public pressure eventually convinced Governor John J. Blain to pardon him in May 1921. Dietz died in 1924. Cameron Dam has long since disappeared. Several books and even a play have been written about the Battle of Cameron Dam.
