Shaver, F. A., Arthur P. Rose, R. F. Steele, and A. E. Adams, compilers.  "An
Illustrated History of Central Oregon." ("Embracing Wasco, Sherman, Gilliam,
Wheeler, Crook, Lake, & Klamath Counties")  Spokane, WA: Western Historical
Publishing Co., 1905.  p. 476.
 
CARL PEETZ

     a retired farmer of Sherman county, is now living at Moro. He was born in
Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, as were also his parents, Otto and Lena (Lock)
Peetz. The date of his nativity was November 12, 1831. The father followed
farming and died in his native place in 1807. The mother's death had occurred
there in 1863. Our subject was educated in the public schools and remained on
the farm with his father until 1861, when he enlisted in the Schleswig-Holstein
army. During 1863-64, he was in active service in the war with Denmark and
received a wound in his arm. He served in all, three years and two months. After
his honorable discharge, he returned home and purchased a farm, conducting the
same for five or six years. In 1876, having sold his property he came to the
United States, and the first six months were spent in Iowa. Then he took a
homestead in Massachusetts where he remained for seven years. He did well until
the grasshoppers came, working-winters on the railroad and farming in the
summers, but these pests nearly ruined him financially. Selling his holdings for
enough to bring the family west, he came to Puget Sound where he lived for
thirteen years. Having procured land on the Snoqualmie river, he suffered the
loss of everything by two overflows and he was left in much the same condition
as in Minnesota. Finally he landed in Sherman county with two horses, a wagon
and a plow and a little cash. He purchased a half section of land from the
government, paying four hundred dollars in cash. He improved the same with a
good residence, barns, outbuildings, orchard and so forth, and then the military
land company claimed the property and took it from him. He lost the land and the
government still has his four hundred dollars. Then he bought three-fourths of a
section again and made a new start. He finally purchased the half section place
back again from the land company, paving ten dollars per acre for it. Recently
Mr. Peetz sold his farm to his son Lonie. who is mentioned elsewhere in this
volume. This move was induced both because Mr. Peetz had acquired a fine
competence for use in the later years of his life and because he was so
afflicted with rheumatism as to render active life impracticable.
     In October, 1865, while still in Germany, our subject married Katrina
Schachtt, a native of Schleswig-Holstein. Mr. Peetz has one brother, Hans,
living in the suburbs of Chicago, and three sisters : Lottie, wife of George
Goodchart; Marguerite, wife of Carl Rath; and Christina, the widow of Mr.
Marquotz, all in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany.  To Mr. and Mrs. Peetz seven
children have been born, named, as follows: Otto H., county assessor and
mentioned elsewhere in this volume; Louie L., a farmer, mentioned elsewhere;
Fred, with Louie on the farm; Benjamin, deputy sheriff of Sherman county,
mentioned elsewhere; Lena, wife of Mr. Messenger, of Klondyke, Sherman county;
Emma, at home; Annie, wife of Mr. Montgomery.
     Mr. Peetz is a member of the I. O. O. F., and in politics is a stanch and
active Republican:  For four years he was road supervisor. For ten years he was
on the election board, being judge and chairman; for two terms he was school
director, and for eight years he was constable in King county, Washington. Our
subject and his wife are both members of the Lutheran church.
     He owns a comfortable cottage in Moro, which is the family home.  Mr. Peetz
has been a very active and successful business man, despite the reverses he has
met, and deserves great credit for the labors he has performed.

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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in November 2010 by Diana Smith.
Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned
above.