P[eter] F[rancis] HETZER, farmer, section 4, Middle Fork Township, was born in Meigs County, Ohio, March 10, 1828. His parents were Phillips and Sarah (DERNBERGER) HETZER, natives of Maryland and Pennsylvania. They reared a family of eight children - Phillip, John, George, Augustus, Peter F., James W., Sarah and Columbus.

Mr. HETZER resided in his native county until twenty-seven years of age. He was reared a farmer, and obtained his education in the common schools. At the aged of twenty-two he was employed on a steamboat on the Ohio and Mississippi rivers, where he remained several years.

He was married in 1855 to Miss Catherine GILBERT, a native of Athens County, and that same year came to Iowa and located in Mahaska County, where he resided about three years; then came to Ringgold County and settled upon his present farm, in Middle Fork Township, where he has since resided. He owns 120 acres of as good land as can be found in the township, and it is well cultivated and well-improved. He has a good story-and-a-half residence, well furnished, surrounded with shade trees, out-buildings for stock, and is engaged in general farming and stock-raising.

Mr. and Mrs. HETZER are the parents of two children - Cerilda and Keziah, who is a successful teacher. Mr. and Mrs. HETZER are worth and consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal church, and politically he is a Democrat. Postoffice, Delphos.

NOTE: Philip HETZER was born in Pennsylvania on February 6, 1794, and died May 19, 1870, Olive, Meigs County, Ohio. He married August 13, 1818, Weed County, West Virginia to Sarah DERENBERGER, the daughter of John Peter Von DERENBERG. Sarah was born in Germany near Dresden October 19, 1795, and died March 31, 1880. Phillip and Sarah were interred at Hetzer Cemetery near Reedsville, Ohio.

Peter Francis HETZER's birth date according to cemetery transcriptions was March 11, 1827, and he died December 29, 1911, Red Lodge, Carbon County, Montana. He married April 8, 1855 to Catherine GILBERT, the daughter of David and Keziah (GRIEM) GILBERT. Peter often said that he would "swim across the Ohio River" for Catherine. Catherine was born August 4, 1834, Athens County, Ohio. Peter and Catherine were interred at John Henry Cemetery, Red Lodge, Montana.

Keziah HETZER was born June 24, 1865, Ringgold County, Iowa, and died July 1, 1918, Red Lodge, Montana, interment at John Henry Cemetery. Keziah married February 23, 1887 Wapello County, Iowa, to Morris James ROYSDON, the son of Nathan and Elizabeth (WILLIAMS) ROYSDON. Morris James ROYSDON was born December 27, 1860, Ringgold County, Iowa, and died in 1936, Wanatchee, Washington with interment at John Henry Cemetery. Keziah and Morris' daughter Keota ROYSDON was born in Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa, on August 14, 1895, and died April 24, 1985, El Dorado, Arkansas, the wife of James Thomas NEWELL (1891-1957).

SOURCES:
Biography & Historical Record of Ringgold County, Iowa, Pp. 298, 1887.

WPA Graves Survey

Transcription and note by Sharon R. Becker, January of 2009

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