Gottlieb Dietz, the subject of this sketch was born in 1812, in Spielberg, Baden, German, in that old country where civilization and intelligence had been foremost among the nations for centuries. Born and reared in a home of warm religious atmosphere, where love to God and fellow-men was the first principal taught and practiced. His father was an architect by profession. Of the many public and government buildings that his father had charge of it was a wonted pleasure for him to speak of frequently. At the age of twenty-one he became inspired by the oft-told wonders of America, to come to that far-famed country. Admiring his own country's institutions he thought another might contain all his native land possessed, and in his ideality he was not disappointed, and to the day of his death he was a stanch supporter of his adopted country, and withal never failing to give due tribute to his fatherland. Arriving in New York in the spring of 1833, he found employment in the city at his own profession, that of a millwright. But in the winter milling business he sought and found employment in the country with a farmer, who gave him steady work, good wages, and great kindness, savored with that Samaritan hospitality which was never forgotten by him. Several years thus employed he ventured farther west. Ohio as a state had taken a front rank and employment was then to be found in building mills, and on the construction of the canal. Coming to Taylorsville he was employed at that place for two years, on the finishing of the locks, when a position as head miller, in a flourmill at Duncan's Fall was offered him and acceptably filled for a number of years.
At Taylorsville he was united in marriage to Miss Caroline Young, who also came to America from Germany with her parents about the same year young Dietz did. In 1853 he moved to Lowell, Washington county. At this time his family consisted of four children, Fred. C., twin daughters, who were remarkable for their extreme likeness to each other, and Theobald; and here he took the management of the Lowell flourmills, for several years. He finally bought a flourmill on Duck creek, at a place now known as Whipple. Here he lived and prospered. He was noted for the excellent flour sent from his mills. In all his dealings with his fellow-men painstaking was a characteristic. Living at this place until 1863, his oldest son Fred left home to enter the service of his country, and his father finding business more burdensome in advanced years, bought some land near Zanesville and contented himself in garden culture. His son returned after capitulation at Appomattox, after participating in fourteen battles. His sons married and settled near him. Theobald carrying on garden culture in a scientific manner. Both sons occupied many positions of honor and trust and like their father acquitted themselves with credit. In the M. church and I.O.O.F. he occupied a prominent place. To such noble characters at Gottlieb Dietz, Ohio owes much of her celebrity. Coming to this country when the dense forest were cut away, the Indians were driven farther to the west, there was much need of men who were inspired by good purposes to lay their willing hands to building up of our public institutions. With his high standard of morality, his industry, his fidelity to exemplify the golden rule, there can be no better representative of the pioneer emigrant. To his adopted country he gave a loyal heart, to his fellow-men kindness, to his family and friends a memory hallowed by the purity of his life. In 1878 he passed away. Thus ended a quiet, peaceful life. To such as he, our government gives a welcome hand, for sustaining her national, social, and religious privileges.
Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Muskingum County, Ohio: Chicago, 1892: The Goodspeed Publishing Co.