The following letter was written by John W. Dietz (1841-1898), the son of Garet W. Dietz (1812-1889) and Margaret Coon, (1811-1894). From his letter, datelined from Belden, Illinois, in mid-November 1861, we learn that John had numerous correspondents serving in Illinois regiments but that he was tending store and farming in McHenry county—a county bordering the State of Wisconsin. When he registered for the draft in 1863, he was identified as single and with no prior service in the military. I have not found any evidence that he ever volunteered or was drafted. His obituary follows:

“John W. Dietz was a native of New York, and was born in Oswego County Feb. 21, 1841, and was therefore 57 yeara old at the time of his desease which oc- cured July 16, 1898. When a child his parents removed to McHenry County Ill., where he remained until after his marriage with S. Louise Cook in 1863. In 1871 Mr. Dietz came to Iowa and settled at Cedar Rapids where they remained but a year, returning to Illinois. They remained in Illinois until 1881 when they came to Osceola county [Iowa] and settled near Sibley where they remained until seven years ago when they moved to Sibley where they have since resided. To Mr. and Mrs. Deitz were born four children, two sons and two daughter. All of these live to revere an honored father save one daughter who died in infancy. In this demise a wife loses a faithful and affectionate husband, the sons and daughters a loving father, the community a faithful and upright citizen. His associations are of a pronounced character. Those who knew him best thought the most of him.”

Transcription

Belden, Illinois
McHenry County
November 15th 1861

Cousin George,

I received your much welcomed letter last Friday and take this opportunity to answer it but you must excuse me with a short letter for I don’t have more than three minutes to write at once. I have nothing interesting to you to write. It is different me writing you than you writing me for there is no body or anything here that you are acquainted with that I can write about but it is not so with you. I am acquainted there and like to hear from you and other old friends. But I find you are all not very punctual in writing. I have written to several of the boys in your place but do not get any answers. I did once get a partnership letter from Bill Every, Add Barnes, John Walley, and two or three others. I answered each one separately the next day but have not heard from them since. I don’t know but they are all gone to the war. If they have gone, [if] any of them write me what company and what regiment they are in, I will write them once more for luck.

I get the war news pretty regular now. I have dix correspondences in the 15th Illinois Regiment, two in the 36th Illinois Regiment. Both are now in Missouri—one at Rolla, one at Springfield. I also have three correspondence in the 8th Illinois Cavalry Regiment now at Washington. They write each one once in two weeks so you see my time is occupied what little I have.

I have been for the past month and a half tending store and have about sick with the ague which I know don’t agree with me. Two months ago I weighed 160 lb. but now I weight only 145 lb. so you can see something don’t agree with me. George, I will give you a faint idea of about how much farming has paid here for the past two years. Wheat has been worth 45 to 95 cents. Now worth 50. It has yielded about ten to 15 bushels per acre. Oats worth from ten to fifteen cents per bushel. Corn about the same although I believe corn has been worth as high as 20 cents in Chicago. This year corn is good. I know places that goes 1.25 bushels ears to the acre about 75 bushels shelled. You may think we cannot make a living at such prices and crop but we do and a good living too. So what do you think when we get from 20 to 40 bushels wheat per acre and from $1 to $1.50 per bushel for it. and oats 75 cents, about 90 cents. Then is the time we make money. We keep a Dutch diary as usual. Got 1 cow, 10 horses and colts, 8 or 10 young cattle, 260 sheep. The sheep pays big although we sold the wool rather cheap this year. Sold for 29 cents.

We think some of trying a hop yard. I thought that will pay. Big hops is worth in Chicago more than that in New York all the time. I must close for the present. Write soon. Your coz, — John Dietz

P. S. George, I will send you a couple papers today. You spoke about sending my likeness. I will as soon as I go where I can get it taken good and have time. Send yours as soon as you can. — John