BIO: Christian DIETZ, Cumberland County, PA
  
  Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Joe Patterson
  OCRed by Judy Banja
  
  Copyright 2004.  All rights reserved.
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  >From Biographical Annals of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania,
  Chicago: The Genealogical Publishing Co., 1905, pages 128-129
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      CHRISTIAN DIETZ (deceased), who for many years was one of the 
    representative men of Mechanicsburg, Pa., was born in York county, this 
    State, Oct. 3, 1832. He was of German-American origin, being a son of 
    Daniel and Lydia (Stoner) Dietz, whose ancestors came from Germany and 
    were among the early settlers of the Keystone State.
      When Christian Dietz was but five years of age his parents came to 
    Cumberland county, settling in East Pennsboro township, in 1837, with 
    their six children: David, Mary, Zacharias, Christian, Lizzie and Nancy. 
    All are now deceased except Nancy, now Mrs. Martin Brinton.
      On Jan. 24, 1856, Mr. Dietz married Miss Elizabeth Wilt, of Cumberland 
    county, a daughter of John and Elizabeth Wilt, both natives of Lancaster 
    county and descendants of German parents. The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. 
    Dietz was blessed with children as follows: George W. (deceased) married 
    Elizabeth Shuman, and they had three children, Christian S., Frank and 
    Walter. Alice J. married Fred S. Mumma, and had seven children, Ralph, 
    Milton, Edith, Frederick, Frank, Robert and William. Rebecca married 
    Frank Basehore, and had four children, Samuel, Mary, George and Mabel. 
    Milton married Flora Schaeffer, and they had two children, Wilber and 
    George. Catherine married M. W. Hertzler, and had one daughter, Cora E.
      In politics Mr. Dietz was a Democrat, and served in various township 
    offices, being a conscientious official. His religious affiliations were 
    with the St. John Lutheran Church. At the time of his death he owned 
    four of the best farms in Cumberland county, having been an active and 
    prosperous farmer for many years. In 1889 he removed to Mechanicsburg, 
    where he lived retired in his beautiful home at No. 319 East Main 
    street. His death occurred in April, 1902, and the city thereby lost one 
    of its
  
  CUMBERLAND COUNTY.  129
  
    solid, reliable men and excellent citizens, while in his home his memory 
    is ever green. In addition to his other interests Mr. Dietz was 
    president of the Mutual Fire Insurance Co., and in all his operations he 
    displayed the traits of character which gained him success - sterling 
    honesty, steadfastness of purpose and unlimited capacity for hard work.
      Since her husband's death Mrs. Dietz has resided at her home on Main 
    street, where she is surrounded by the comforts provided by his 
    devotion, and dispenses a gracious hospitality to her large circle of 
    friends, who admire her many virtues. In the Lutheran Church she is a 
    very active factor, and her charities are many, although oftentimes 
    unknown except to the recipients.