Monday, July 22, 2019

John Deitz-3rd Great Grandfather

Family History Research
Repinski Family Tree
Deitz Family Branch
John Deitz-3rd Great Grandfather


Today, July 22nd, 2019 is the birthday of my 3rd Great Grandfather.
He would have been 195 years old.

John immigrated from Germany before 1851 but I am unsure of the year as I have not found a record of his immigration or naturalization as a citizen of the United States.
John was a veteran of The Civil War fighting on the side of the Union.
John was also the ancestral great grandfather of quite a few people.

A little of the life of John F Deitz Senior follows:



Forward

I have not been able to find anything about his origins in Germany but I continue to research and am hopeful that someday there will be a link somewhere that will shed light on who his parents and family were and more of his family ancestry. Deitz/Dietz is a very popular name in Germany and it is also one of the surnames of the royal family that eventually would come to rule the Netherlands (Dietz-Nassau).

What I do know of his life is the following..... he was the 3rd Great Grandfather of myself and my siblings Jane, James, Jacklyn Repinski and the 4th Great Grandfather of my nephews and nieces, Josh Ligumo, Jennifer and Ashley Reinert, Nathan, Ethan and Carter Repinski, and Hailey Brown. 
 John F Dietz Senior was our ancestral great grandfather and a bit of him lives in all of us.


John F Deitz Senior

 (3rd Great Grandfather)




My Family Line to John F Dietz Senior

John Deitz is the third great grandfather of John, Jane, James, Jacklyn & Jeff Repinski

1. The above are the children of Marlene Grace (Dietz) Repinski 
2. Marlene is the daughter of Raymond Harold Dietz 
3. Raymond is the son of Henry Chester Dietz 
4. Henry is the son of Henry Dietz 
5. Henry is the son of John F Deitz Senior 

Life Sketch


John was born July 22, 1824, in Hesse, Darmstadt, Germany. 
He died May 15, 1913, at Rice Lake, Barron County, Wisconsin, and was buried there in Meadow Creek Cemetery. 
His gravestone is inscribed "John Dietz, Co. C. 1 Wis. HV Arty." 



Marriage & Children

In 1851, John was united in marriage to Almira Swart, by Rev. West of the Dutch Reformed Church at Middleburg, Schoharie County, New York.   on December 17, 1851.
They emigrated to Wisconsin prior to 1859 as Charles was born in Wisconsin in 1859.

(Almira was born September 23, 1831, died April 20, 1891, aged 59 years, 6 months and 27 days, and was buried in the family plot in Meadow Creek Cemetery. 
Her gravestone is inscribed "Almira Wife of John Dietz Died Apr. 20, 1891 Aged 59 Yrs 6 Mos 27 Ds.")


Almira and John would have seven children. I have only been able to find the names of four of his sons as of the current time:


William Wallace Deitz
1853–1915
 *Henry Dietz (My 2nd Great Grandfather)
1854–1937
Charles Dietz
1859–1859
John F Deitz
1861–1924


John & Almira immigrated from New York to Wisconsin in May of 1855.
The family first settled in Winnoconne and then moved to the Rice Lake area of Northern Wisconsin in or around 1869 according to family history I have found. The journey reportedly took over a month in a covered wagon.
It was in the wilds of this pioneer Indian frontier that they raised their four sons and would help to grow Rice Lake and thus populate that area with many descendants including my 2nd Great Uncle, John F. Deitz, who would gain fame as "The Defender of Cameron Dam".

In the 1870 U.S. Census, John Dietz was listed as a 45 year old farmer with $800 worth of real estate and $100 worth of personal property, living in Barron, Barron County, Wisconsin, with his 14 year old son Henry Dietz.

In the 1880 U.S. Census, John Dietz was listed as a 52 year old farmer living in Rice Lake Township, Barron County, Wisconsin, with his 47 year old wife Almiar and their two children, 24 year old Henry Dietz and 19 year old John Dietz.

In the 1890 U.S. Census, Special Schedule, John Deitz was listed as living in Stanley Township, Barron County, Wisconsin, and as having served as a Private in Company C of the 1st Wisconsin Heavy Artillery, from September 1, 1864, to June 16, 1865, for total service of 9 months and 15 days.

On March 8, 1890, John filed Application No. 759,630, for an Invalid Veteran's Pension, which was approved under Certificate No. 951,214.

John was a Civil War veteran having enlisted September 1, 1864, at Madison, Wisconsin, to serve three years as a Private in Company C of the 1st Wisconsin Heavy Artillery. On September 9, 1864, he was mustered into Federal service with the Regiment at Madison, Wisconsin. At that time he received 1/3 of his $100.00 enlistment bounty and was listed as a 38 year old, 5'7" tall farmer, with dark hair, blue eyes and a fair complexion, born in Hesse, Darmstadt, Germany. 

During his service John suffered ruptures on both sides of his abdomen on or about December 20, 1864, near Chattanooga, Tennessee, when he fell while crossing a ditch carrying a heavy, squared off timber. On June 16, 1865, he was mustered out of Federal service with Company C at Knoxville, Tennessee. On the muster out roll it was noted that he was due 1/3 of his enlistment bounty.

After his discharge, John returned to Wisconsin, where he resided in Oshkosh and Winneconne, for about two years, before moving in the spring of 1868, to the Township of what is now known as Stanley, Barron County, Wisconsin, where he established a homestead.

On March 8, 1890, John filed Application No. 759,630, for an Invalid Veteran's Pension, which was approved under Certificate No. 951,214.



Death and Obituary


OBITUARY FROM THE RICE LAKE NEWSPAPER OF 1913

John Dietz was born in Hessan, Darmstadt, Germany, on July 22, 1824 and died at the home of his son, W.W. Deitz, in this city on May 15, 1913.

Mr. Dietz came to America in 1847 and settled in Middleburg, New York, where he was married in 1851 to Almira Swart. Mr. and Mrs. Deitz moved from New York to Oshkosh, Wis., in May 1855.

In September, 1864, Mr. Deitz enlisted in Co. C, 1st Wis. Heavy Artillery, and served to the close of the Civil war. In the spring of 1868 Mr. Deitz took a homestead in what is now known as the town of Stanley, Barron county, and the family moved there in Oct. 1871.

Seven children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Deitz, of whom three survive the deceased. 
Those living are William W. Deitz, Rice Lake, Wis.; Henry Deitz, Danbury, Burnett Co., Wis.; and John F. Deitz whose family reside at Mayville, Wis. Relatives from out of town who were present at the funeral were Henry Deitz, Hattie E. Deitz of Mayville, and Mr. and Mrs. Herman Voigt of Cameron, Wis.

The funeral was held Saturday from the Evangelical church and the remains interred in Meadow Creek cemetery by the side of those of his wife who died in 1891. Rev. Maschman officiated at the funeral services.

Had Mr. Deitz lived until July 22d, he would have reached the 89th milestone of his life. During the nearly 42 years he lived in Barron county, John Deitz was known as an industrious upright citizen, highly esteemed by all who made his acquaintance. Of late years he had made his home with his children in this city and his face was familiar one on our streets. His was a kindly, generous disposition and he always had a cheery word of greeting for every one of his acquaintances.

His death closed a long life which was well spent and cleanly lived. [Thursday, May 22, 1913, The Rice Lake Chronotype, Rice Lake, Wisconsin.]

Card of Thanks

We the undersigned wish to express our sincere thanks to the neighbors and friends, the Relief corps and Militia in the burial of our father, John Deitz. 
W.W. Deitz
Elizabeth Deitz
Henry Deitz
HattieE. Deitz

Happy Birthday Grandpa!


Sources/ Citations/ Further Reading

https://www.familysearch.org/tree/lite/families/L2JF-CBR
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/7320827/john-dietz
https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Deitz-314
https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/sources/L2JF-CBR

No comments: