Notes for Karl Gottlieb Petznick

The Generations of Thomas Pine Petznick

Generations

Thomas Pine Petznick

Notes for Karl Gottlieb Petznick

[Thomas Pine Petznick.FTW]
The Story of Petznick's Grove
from the pages of
The Creston News Advertiser
Creston, Iowa (date Unknown)
Fred Petznick was my half-Great Uncle. My Great-Grandfather was Charles Petznick.
"Petznick's Grove - remembered by older residents as community picnic grounds - was
the dream of a German immigrant boy.
Fred Petznick was born in Germany, came to America with his father in response to
stories of the wonders of the new world. That was around 1869 - because they
decided to come as far west as the railroad line.
Today his daughter, Queenie Young of Afton has written some comments about him
and about the famous Petznick's Grove just east of Creston. Her story follows:
By Mrs. Queenie Young
"Before Creston had the beautiful McKinley park, hundreds spent many happy hours in Petznick's
grove. They walked out, came in buggies, and hacks. They could gather flowers, pick
gooseberries, gather hazel nuts, and dig small trees. Fred Petznick had only one request, and
that was that the gate be kept closed.
For some of the older residents of Creston, Fred Petznick's life story might be intersting. He
was born in Germany and lost his mother at the age of five; two older sisters cared for him, one
Mrs. John Luke, later lived in Creston. His father remarried and they had one son Charles who
lived many years in Creston. The step-mother was kind and treated both boys the same.
He was educated in Germany and later worked at farm labor. Having heard of the wonders of
America their one desire was to come, and when they had earned the money for transportation
they arranged to come on a certain date, but the mother took sick and died. Then it took the
funds for sickness and death. Again they worked and earned the money and came on the vessel.
Fred's father said, from New York we will go west as far as the railroad is built and their trip
terminated at Cromwell, Iowa. None of the group could speak English.
Learned English
Fred's father rented a little house in Cromwell for himself and Charles and Fred went into the
country to find work. Fred went to Mr. Brown, father of Richard and Howard who were
attorneys in Creston, and was hired. They were a fine family and daughters in the home taught
Fred to speak English, and read, and write his name. He was there some time, later going to
Creston and worked nights in the round house shoveling coal for $.90 per night.
First two months he went up town in the evening and spent what he had left, after he had paid
for room and board and washing. He knew he needed counsel so he made himself the counselor
and a decision was made that night and no more he spent his money foolishly. He then banked his
money and bought 40 acres of land four miles east of Creston - the Petznick home where he
lived till 91 years of age.
There were many hardships in the early day. Only crop land was fenced and here is one
experience; he bought a mowing machine. The Union Co. farm did not have one and they hired him
to mow their hay land about seven years. His cattle roamed in the government land, later the
Petznick grove, and one night after mowing all day he went to hunt his cattle and found them
near Highland Center near Mr. Baldwin's farm. In all he walked about eight miles after a long
day's work.
Shelled by Hand
Here is another experience. He raised his corn crop. He bought a hand sheller and would shell a
wagonload of corn in afternoon, haul it to Creston in morning, and shell another load in afternoon,
etc., till the crop was shelled and sold. He later bought the 80 acres with the grove and fenced
it and bought some other pieces of land around the homestead.
When he worked in Creston he boarded with Mr. and Mrs. Pontow who ran a grocery store in
their home. And the Germans were building their church and he helped some on that. Most of his
old friends are gone on. He always thought lots of Fred Ide who still lives in Creston.
In 1879 he married Mary Kirkpatrick of Creston and they had a son William and a daughter
Queenie. They made a good home for their family. All have passed on except Queenie who lives
in Afton, Iowa. She has a daughter Madge and a son Marion. William had three daughters,
Marie Petznick and Helen Merritt of Creston and Irene Adamson of Adel, Iowa.""
Petznick Family Page

[Thomas Pine Petznick.FTW]
[Thomas Pine Petznick.FTW]
The Story of Petznick's Grove
from the pages of
The Creston News Advertiser
Creston, Iowa (date Unknown)
Fred Petznick was my half-Great Uncle. My Great-Grandfather was Charles Petznick.
"Petznick's Grove - remembered by older residents as community picnic grounds - was
the dream of a German immigrant boy.
Fred Petznick was born in Germany, came to America with his father in response to
stories of the wonders of the new world. That was around 1869 - because they
decided to come as far west as the railroad line.
Today his daughter, Queenie Young of Afton has written some comments about him
and about the famous Petznick's Grove just east of Creston. Her story follows:
By Mrs. Queenie Young
"Before Creston had the beautiful McKinley park, hundreds spent many happy hours in Petznick's
grove. They walked out, came in buggies, and hacks. They could gather flowers, pick
gooseberries, gather hazel nuts, and dig small trees. Fred Petznick had only one request, and
that was that the gate be kept closed.
For some of the older residents of Creston, Fred Petznick's life story might be intersting. He
was born in Germany and lost his mother at the age of five; two older sisters cared for him, one
Mrs. John Luke, later lived in Creston. His father remarried and they had one son Charles who
lived many years in Creston. The step-mother was kind and treated both boys the same.
He was educated in Germany and later worked at farm labor. Having heard of the wonders of
America their one desire was to come, and when they had earned the money for transportation
they arranged to come on a certain date, but the mother took sick and died. Then it took the
funds for sickness and death. Again they worked and earned the money and came on the vessel.
Fred's father said, from New York we will go west as far as the railroad is built and their trip
terminated at Cromwell, Iowa. None of the group could speak English.
Learned English
Fred's father rented a little house in Cromwell for himself and Charles and Fred went into the
country to find work. Fred went to Mr. Brown, father of Richard and Howard who were
attorneys in Creston, and was hired. They were a fine family and daughters in the home taught
Fred to speak English, and read, and write his name. He was there some time, later going to
Creston and worked nights in the round house shoveling coal for $.90 per night.
First two months he went up town in the evening and spent what he had left, after he had paid
for room and board and washing. He knew he needed counsel so he made himself the counselor
and a decision was made that night and no more he spent his money foolishly. He then banked his
money and bought 40 acres of land four miles east of Creston - the Petznick home where he
lived till 91 years of age.
There were many hardships in the early day. Only crop land was fenced and here is one
experience; he bought a mowing machine. The Union Co. farm did not have one and they hired him
to mow their hay land about seven years. His cattle roamed in the government land, later the
Petznick grove, and one night after mowing all day he went to hunt his cattle and found them
near Highland Center near Mr. Baldwin's farm. In all he walked about eight miles after a long
day's work.
Shelled by Hand
Here is another experience. He raised his corn crop. He bought a hand sheller and would shell a
wagonload of corn in afternoon, haul it to Creston in morning, and shell another load in afternoon,
etc., till the crop was shelled and sold. He later bought the 80 acres with the grove and fenced
it and bought some other pieces of land around the homestead.
When he worked in Creston he boarded with Mr. and Mrs. Pontow who ran a grocery store in
their home. And the Germans were building their church and he helped some on that. Most of his
old friends are gone on. He always thought lots of Fred Ide who still lives in Creston.
In 1879 he married Mary Kirkpatrick of Creston and they had a son William and a daughter
Queenie. They made a good home for their family. All have passed on except Queenie who lives
in Afton, Iowa. She has a daughter Madge and a son Marion. William had three daughters,
Marie Petznick and Helen Merritt of Creston and Irene Adamson of Adel, Iowa.""
Petznick Family Page
Charles Petznick headstone
http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=image&guid=bb189884-b8da-4401-bbdd-71daed3928ab&tid=3310678&pid=-1750157174
Charlie Petznick marriage record
http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=image&guid=8fc6d2b9-3a25-40eb-9982-b3b88515c669&tid=3310678&pid=-1750157174
Petznick Immigration record
http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=image&guid=1de331c9-aeb9-430f-b7ee-cee2359efd3d&tid=3310678&pid=-1750157174
1900 Creston Iowa Census - Charles Petznick and family
http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=image&guid=89c4684e-6e3b-4b3d-aa69-e43451d47423&tid=3310678&pid=-1750157174
1905 Creston Iowa Census - Charles Petznick and family
http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=image&guid=131c75d8-8f17-4123-985a-f1f017ca4a13&tid=3310678&pid=-1750157174

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