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Hans Peetz - Father of Otto Peetz and my Great Grandfather was born on August 27, 1840 in Schleswig—Holstein, Germany. He was baptized at the age of 12 in a nearby river. He married Anna Peterson in Germany and they came to the United States in March of 1865 after reading letters that Carl had sent home. After leaving Germany they sailed to New York City, moved to Chicago and took up residence near Lake and Wabash Streets after their arrival in the United States. They had three children while they lived in Chicago: 3 acres of the land were fenced in to hold cattle bought from area farmers by buyers for the Chicago stockyards. Hans' Tavern was a staging area for the buyers who would hold their cattle there for a few hours before taking them to the stockyards after 6:00 P.M. when no one would be on the roads. Pigs were hauled on large boxwagons and fowl taken in crates. The roads were narrow gravel paths. Hans became a popular businessman because of the way he did business. When he first opened his saloon, men would cash their paychecks and spend all their money drinking in the saloon causing their families to suffer. Hans worked out a way where after he cashed their paychecks he would give them enough money to get drunk. He would take the remainder to the front room where he would give the remainder to the wives.
Hans raised chickens, ducks, geese, and pigs, butchered meat for farmers, made sausage, cured and smoked meats. He made great wine and brandy: Elderberry, dandelion, grape, blackberry, and black currant (which was used as medicine). Hans became popular enough to become the first president of the village of Posen and he held that position for 17 years from 1889 - 1906.
Hans Peetz was issued a certificate of Naturalization to the United States – on January 24, 1874. Previous allegiance: “The Emperor of Germany”. Hans received Citizenship to US October 15, 1894 Number 17140. In 1902 Hans took a trip to Germany to visit his three sisters - Charlotta, Margetha, and Magdalene who lived in Magdeburg, Germany. In 1903 Hans went to Walla Walla, Washington, to visit his brother, Carl.
On March 1, 1906, Hans Peetz passed away at the age of 66.
After Anna passed away, Hans never remarried. Their daughter Caroline took over the housekeeping with the help of two neighbors - Kate Tietje and Ann Miller. Anna Peterson Peetz had a brother, George Peterson, who settled near Ida Grove, Iowa.
- Caroline Peetz was born on August 17, 1866.
- Carl (Charlie) Peetz was born in 1868.
- Henry Peetz was born in 1870.
Hans contracted a near fatal case of Cholera in 1869/1870, so after his recovery they moved out of Chicago to what is now Posen Illinois. Hans bought 7 acres of land at 145th and Western and built a home on the land. The house had 4 rooms downstairs and 3 rooms upstairs. On October 8, 1871, the Great Chicago Fire raged and lit up the skies, Hans and Anna had moved from where the fire had been the worst. Two more children were born to this union:
- Anna Peetz was born on October 1, 1872.
- Otto Peetz – my grandfather - was born on March 14, 1876.
Before 1889 he built a large one story saloon
Anna (Peterson) Peetz – my Great Grandmother died February 1, 1879. Her body was kept at home till the day of the funeral, then placed in the casket with a heart shaped wreath of Forget-me-nots. One. lock of her auburn hair was given to each child to remember her by. Because of the deep snow, the casket was taken to Thornton Township Cemetery on a bobsled directly over the fields.
Caroline Peetz was born August 17, 1866 in Chicago, Illinois.
Caroline left school when her mother died in 1879 to take care of the house. When she was 18 years old, she became a maid for Dr. Jesse Kauffman. When she was 21, Caroline married Henry Reuss on November 26, 1887 and they had six children: Hedwig (Hattie) on July 14, 1888, Alamanda was born September 30, 1889, Henry was born March 11, 1891, Alfred was born January 4, 1893, Otto — born December 3, 1895, Maria who was born February 1, 1899 and George who was born February 12, 1907.
Carl Peetz (Charlie)was born in Chicago in 1868. He married Julia Nitsche but they never had children. Charlie drank a lot, until he bought the Henry Young house on Broadway in Blue Island, Illinois. John Krich had the mortgage and told Charlie that “The first time you miss a payment, I’m going to foreclose”. Charlie never touched a drop after that.
Henry Peetz was born in Chicago in 1870 and lived 68 years. He married Mamie Quinn and thay never had children. Henry and Mamie owned a tavern
Anna Peetz was born on October 1, 1872 and married Christopher Schmidt. They had eight children: Minnie, Marie, Anna, Andrew, Lydia, Allen, Christopher, and William. Anna and Christopher Schmidt moved to Michigan in 1906.
Otto Jochiam Peetz – my grandfather - was born on March 14, 1876 and lived for 66 years. He married Augusta Manske who came from Germany when she was 9 years old. They had 7 children: Alma; born on August 17, 1901 and lived 76 years, Mabel, Ray, Arthur born March 1, 1906, Robert, Ethyl, and Harry. Otto was a mortorman for the street cars in Chicago. He also worked as a brakeman for the railroad, losing some of his toes in an accident. He operated the saloon in Posen that Hans built.
