Petz, Theodore 1889-1941

PETZ, CARLSON, FIGGETT

Posted By: Lydia Lucas - Volunteer (email)
Date: 7/15/2022 at 07:51:56

From the Sioux County Capital, May 1, 1941:

Two suicides Wednesday brought shock to neighbors and relatives and friends and awakened the quiet of law enforcing officers in the county after several weeks of unusual quiet. Few thefts, no shooting and very little trouble has been reported to the county sheriff and coroner during the past month but yesterday changed this.

The first suicide was that of Theodore Petz of' Granville, 55 years of age and a mineral sales man. He was found at a little before 8 a. m. Wednesday by Mr. Overman, a neighbor. Mr. Petz shot himself while in bed with a 410 shot gun. He had blown off the top of his head. No reason could be given for the act. He leaves a married daughter and one son, neither at home. County officers were called to make the investigation and the deceased was declared a suicide.

[The other suicide was Benjamin H. “Harry” Lindekugel, whose obituary is posted separately.]

* * * * * * * * * * *

From the Alton Democrat, May 9, 1941, Granville news:

Theodore Petz was found dead in his bed on Wednesday morning from self inflicted injuries from a shot gun. About 7:30 A.M. Pete Oberman entered the Petz home and discovered the body on the bed. He immediately notified his brother and the proper authorities.

Theo. Petz was well known in Granville, coming here to live several years ago from Struble. He was a distributor for the Standard Stock Powder products, through which business he was well known throughout the country.

His body was taken to Sioux Center where the funeral services were held and was buried in the Nassau township cemetery at Alton. Mr. and Mrs. Joe Leppert of Everly and Laurence Petz attended the funeral. Pall bearers were Joe Miller, LeRoy Perlot, Lee Mouser, V. J. O’Connor, Ray Bussaumus and Pete Oberman.

* * * * * * * * * *

RESEARCH NOTES

The Sioux Center News (May 1) published a briefer obit but added that Mrs. Petz has been in Cherokee for some time, and there is one son, whose whereabouts is unknown, and one daughter residing at Everly, Iowa.

His death certificate (informant Mrs. Dorothy Lepper, Everly, Iowa) has Theodore Petz, about 52 years old, birth date unknown, born in Berlin, Germany, parents’ names unknown; married, wife [M? J?] Carlson; occupation, selling hog remedies; died at 6:00 a.m. April 30, 1941; cause, gunshot wound in forehead, self-inflicted, suicide; buried at Alton, Iowa.

He is not listed in the Sioux County Cemetery Index, and there does not appear to be a FindaGrave.com page for him.

Ancestry.com has a marriage return for Dorothy Myrtle Petz to Joe J. Lepper, February 1941, that gives her residence as Spencer, Iowa, born in Marcus, Iowa, parents Theodore R. Petz and Myrtle Carlson.

The Woodbury County marriage register for 1918/1919 has groom Theodore Petz, age 28, resident of Marcus, Iowa, a farmer, born in Germany, parents Albert Petz and Guste Figgett; bride Myrtle Carlson, age 19, resident of Marcus, born in Chicago, parents Frank Carlson and Mathilda Svenson; married in Sioux City, Iowa, September 4, 1918.

The 1920 U.S. census for Tilden Township, Cherokee County, Iowa, has Theo. R. Petz, age 29, born in Macklenburg[?], Germany, immigrated 1910, first papers, a farmer renting his farm; wife Myrtle F., age 20; son Lawrence, age 6/12; and a hired man.

The 1930 U.S. census for Marcus, Cherokee County, shows Theo. Petz, age 41, born in Germany, immigrated in 1909, an alien, farming with his son Lawrence (10) and daughter Dorothy (8). It says he is married, but no wife is listed; instead, the family has a housekeeper, Sophie Cantreen[?], age 47, widowed.

The 1940 census shows Theo. F. Petz, age 52, living alone in Granville; marital status M[crossed out and replaced by ?]; still has just his citizenship first papers; occupation, salesman feed compound; lived in Plymouth County, Iowa in 1935.

The Marcus News (Feb. 9, 1928), Cherokee County Board of Supervisors, claims allowed, include a payment to L. J. McGivern, taking Mrs. Petz to Woodward [now, and presumably then, the location of a care facility]. The submitter found no additional information on her committal. In the 1940 census, Myrtle F. Petz, age 40, born in Illinois, married, is an inmate at the Cherokee State Hospital for the Insane, where she also resided in 1935.

Theodore Petz’s World War I draft registration card (June 1917) shows him age 27, born Nov. 4, 1889 in Waldike, Germany, an alien, single, farming on his own account at Marcus, medium height and build, blue eyes, brown hair.