Biography :

Petrus (Peter) LANDSCHOOT, son of Petrus Johannes LANDSCHOOT and Joanna Marie DEVILLERS, was born 8 January 1823 at St. Jan in Eremo, near Eeklo, Province of West Flanders. The date of his departure to the United States is not yet known but we do have a copy of the certificate of militia, dated February 17th, 1851, that was likely delivered before he emigrated. In this document we read that Petrus LANDSCHOOT was called to the service in the 1842 lottery, but was freed from the obligation in 1849, after his brother was killed while in the military service.

In the USA, he married on November 25th, 1857 in the St. Clement Church of Centerline, Michigan, Miss Catherine CURLEY, born on December 13th, 1835 in New York and they settled in Sterling, Macomb Co., a place where houses were still quite spread out at the time, and became a salesman. 
During the Civil War, when the Northern States began to use conscription, at 41y, he was enrolled on October 8th, 1864 in Pontiac, as a simple soldier, and on November 11th was assigned to G Company of the Michigan 12th Infantry. 

In February 1865, Peter LANDSCHOOT was sent in garrison with his regiment at Duvall's Bluff, Arkansas. He was assigned to guard duty almost every night for the rest of winter. The weather was rainy and the regiment was encamped on low swampy ground. Fatigue and bad climate took their toll on his health. He began to suffer from chronic diarrhea and from rheumatism. The doctor sent him to the hospital, but Peter refused to go, as the hospital was a terrible place that all tried to avoid as much as possible. He was treated at the camp. This condition weakened him so that when the regiment left for Washington, Arkansas, in the Spring of 1865, he fell several times and an officer had to allow him to put his gear on a wagon so he could continue to walk. Peter remained in Washington waiting until October 1865 when he was returned to civilian life in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Peter LANDSCHOOT took up his business but tried himself at making barrels. He had to give this up quickly as his rheumatism were just too painful (it was quite difficult for him to lean over the barrels).

In 1879, Peter LANDSCHOOT went to Port Huron, St. Clair Co., Michigan and, his health permitting, worked in the garden. He died December 19th, 1908 at Port Huron, at the age of 85 years. 
His wife, Catherine CURLEY, who had died on October 7th, 1893, had born him 5 children:
- Mary Ann, born July 14th, 1864
- Louise, born May 17th, 1867
- John Henry, born January 25th, 1869
- Rosalie Alma, born June 24th, 1871
- Julia Emily, born October 26th, 1873 

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