"Portrait and Biographical Record of Portland and Vicinity, Oregon." Authors: "a
compilation of this work....by a number of writers".  Chapman Publishing Co;
Chicago, 1903. p. 299.
 
CARL VON WINTZINGERODE
 
     Ere the building of the railroads which connect the great northwest with
the older portions of the country, ere the institution of movements and measures
which have brought about the present condition of the state and promoted its
material development Carl von Wintzingerode established his home in Oregon. He
has been a resident here since 1858 and has therefore witnessed much of the
progress and improvement of the northwest. He was born at Kirchohmfeld, in the
province of Saxony, Prussia, on the 16th of February, 1827. His father,
Frederick von Wintzingerode, was an officer in the Prussian army and resigned
his position in order to accept the office of treasurer of a district court. He
continuously acted in that capacity until he resigned on account of old age and
was pensioned for long and faithful service during the remainder of his life. He
is a member of an old and distinguished family of the fatherland whose
representatives have won many decorations and have been prominent in military
affairs. The family name has been enrolled on the records of the military
defenders of the country in the wars of 1866 and of 1870-71. Carl von
Wintzingerode was one of a family of five sons and three daughters, of whom two
sons and a daughter are yet living. He was the eldest son, the others being
Robert, who was a major in the Prussian army, serving in the wars of 1866 and
1870-71; Frederick, now deceased; Adolph, who is a professor of languages in a
government high school in Russia; and Lewis, who was a German officer and was
killed in the war of 1866 in the battle of Sadowa.
 
     Carl von Wintzingerode was educated in the common school and under private
instruction, after which he entered the gymnasium, in which he continued his
studies until he reached his eighteenth year. He then took up the study of
agriculture on a large domain in Prussia, but in 1847 he put aside personal
considerations in order to aid in the military service of his country, enlisting
in the army. He served in the revolution of 1848 and after the close, in 1849,
he again resumed the study of agriculture. He became inspector of a Bismarck
estate and occupied similar positions on other estates, continuing his residence
in the fatherland until 1853, when he severed the connections that bound him to
Germany, having decided to try his fortune in the new world. He had friends in
California and from them he received favorable reports concerning this part of
the United States, and its opportunities. Taking passage in Hamburg on a sailing
vessel carrying passengers and also freight for San Francisco, Cal., he was upon
the water for fully six months and seasick from the start for more  than  six
weeks.    Before  reaching  Cape Horn the ship encountered most severe storms,
which kept the passengers in their quarters; however, the much-dreaded Cape was
reached in safety and rounded under full sails. Off the coast of Chile the wind
again became furious, the ship making only little headway. The captain, fearing
he might run short of fresh water made land with his ship at the Falkland
Islands and again at Valparaiso, reaching the harbor of San  Francisco in
November, 1853, in safety, and without any further delay. Mr. Wintzingerode had
intended to go to the mines, but conditions being unfavorable he accepted the
offer of his friend to cultivate his land he had pre-empted across the bay from
San Francisco. On account of the very low prices of all the products harvested
from about one hundred and forty acres of first-class land, he quit farming and
located in San Francisco, where he engaged in different well-paying enterprises.
In 1861, however, he determined to obtain land in Oregon, and was advised by
friends in San Francisco to go to Eugene City. This advice he followed and in
that locality he rented land and followed farming for a short time. In 1861 he
came to Portland, where he held positions in well-known wholesale business
firms, in one for eleven years. In 1874 he opened a store of his own, carrying a
line of German books, stationery, notions, periodicals and newspapers. He was
first located on Stark street for a time, and afterward removed to First street,
remaining in business until 1891, when he sold out. Throughout his business
career he carefully conducted his interests, making the most of his
opportunities and gaining for himself an enviable reputation as an honorable man
whose loyalty to the ethics of commercial life was above question.
 
     Mr. Wintzingerode also became prominent in public affairs. He has always
been a stanch Republican, and was a strong Union man at the time of the Civil
war, working for the cause at Eugene City and also at Portland. His first
presidential vote was cast for Abraham Lincoln. In 1878 he was nominated and
elected to represent Multnomah county in the state legislature. He has never
been an aspirant for official honors, yet has been an earnest party worker. He
has always labored for the abolishment of misrule in municipal affairs, and for
honesty in political work. Appointed notary public, he served in that capacity
for a number of years, and in 1894 was appointed by the Emperor of Germany as
German consul for Oregon and Idaho, filling that position for eight years, when,
on account of advanced age and ill health, he resigned. Mr. Wintzingerode did
much to advance the interests of his fellow countrymen in America and to secure
for Oregon a large contingent of German-American citizens. While he was in
office in 1900 he was instrumental in having twenty-six German ships enter the
Portland harbor, and in 1901 there were thirty-six German vessels, thus the
German shipping was greatly increased. Being in a position to assist the German
citizen he has done much helpful work in this direction, and when he resigned
his office he received special and honorable mention for the ability with which
he had conducted its affairs. He has since enjoyed a well-earned rest.
 
     Carl von Wintzingerode was married in Portland in 1871, the lady of his
choice being Miss Caroline Haak, a representative of a respected German family.
They had one daughter, who reached years of maturity, Amanda, now the wife of
Henry Mett, connected with a large German firm in Vladivostok, as purchasing
agent. They have two children, Carl and Margaretha. In 1885 Mrs. Wintzingerode
died, and in 1888 he was again married, his second union being with Emma Nickel,
who was born in Marienburg, West Prussia, Germany. In 1887 she came to America
to visit her sister and here met and married Mr. Wintzingerode. There is one
daughter by this union, Elsa, who was born in 1891 and is now a bright and
diligent student in the public schools. In 1878 our subject purchased a lot and
erected his present home. Later he built another house thereon and this he
rents.
 
     On the membership roll of Minerva Lodge, No. 19. I. O. O. F., the name of
Carl von Wintzingerode is found, and he is also connected with Encampment No. 2
of the same order. He has passed all of the chairs of the subordinate lodge and
he served for several years as deputy grand master. He is a member of the German
Veteran Society, in which he holds the position of commander, and he belongs to
the Pioneers' Association of Oregon and has for many years been a member of the
German Aid Society. He is kindly disposed towards his suffering fellow-citizens,
always ready to help in his own way the deserving poor, and has been deeply
interested in all movements and measures pertaining to the progress and
improvement of his adopted city, state and country. He is a high type of our
German-American citizen—an element which has been of great value in the
colonization and improvement of the country.
 

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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in July 2016 by Diana Smith.  Submitter
has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.