Untitled
Surnames: Turnich, Hambitzer, Wiese, Simmerman, Kuchenberg, Breuer, Manning, Teasdale
From Commemorative Biographical Record of the Counties of Rock, Green, Grant, Iowa and Lafayette, Wisconsin, publ. 1901 - page 239-240
PETER VOIGT. This prominent early settler of Grant county is one of the leading German-American citizens of Cassville. He was born in Prussia in 1836, a son of Theodore and Agnes (TURNICH) VOIGT, also natives of Germany, where the father died. In 1852 the widowed mother, with her eight children, came to the United States, sailing from Antwerp. They came to Gothenburg, Iowa, by way of Milwaukee, and after residing there for a time moved to Cassville, Wis., where the mother died in 1872. The children were Margaret, who died in Glen Haven, Grant county; Mary, who wedded Dr. HAMBITZER, of British Hollow, Grant county, where her death occurred; Clara, Mrs. WIESE, a resident of Cassville; Celia, Mrs. SIMMERMAN, of Dubuque, Iowa; Gertrude, Mrs. KUCHENBERG, of Cassville; Hubbard, who served through the Civil war in the same company as his brother Peter, and subsequently died in Kansas; and Peter, subject of this review.
It was in 1853 that Peter VOIGT took up his residence in Grant county, where he secured 120 acres of government land, making several trips to the land office at Mineral Point for that purpose. In his farming operations he prospered; and became one of the most successful agriculturists of his community. Feeling that his adopted country needed his services during the war of the Rebellion, Mr. VOIGT enlisted, at Glen Haven, Aug. 14, 1862, in Company D, 33d Wis. V.I., for three years or during the war, and was mustered in at Camp Utley, Wis. He participated in the siege of Vicksburg, where he lay in the trenches for forty-two days, and later took part in the engagement at Natchez, after which he returned to Vicksburg. He was in the Meridian and Red River expeditions up to the engagement at Opelamas, and subsequently took part in the battle at Tupelo, Miss., after which he went with his command up the White River, taking part in the engagements at Clarendon, Duvall's Bluff, and other points along that stream. They followed Price through Missouri, and were in the engagements at Cape Girardeau, Jefferson City and Warrensburg. Capturing 1,100 prisoners, they took them to St. Louis, and from there went to Nashville, and later to Lawrenceburg, Clifton, Savannah and Eastpoint, participating in the engagements at these places. After spending the winter of 1864-65 at Eastpoint they went to Corinth, and from there to New Orleans, and subsequently took part in the battles of Mobile, Spanish Fort, and Tuskegee. The war having ended. Mr. VOIGT was honorably discharged at Vicksburg, Miss., in August, 1865, and returned to his home in Cassville on the 14th of that month.
In 1866 our subject as united in marriage with Miss Gertie BREUER, also a native of Germany, and a daughter of Peter BREUER, who came to America in 1857. After his marriage Mr. VOIGT engaged in farming and mining for some years, but is now engaged in lime burning. To him and his wife have been born four children, namely: Margaret, Mrs. MANNING, a resident of La Crosse, Wis.; Clara, Mrs. TEASDALE, of Cassville; Rosa; and Peter.
Mr. VOIGT was a charter member of the Grand Army Post at Beetown, but is now connected with the one at Cassville, of which he was commander in 1899. He affiliates with the Republican party, and takes an active and commendable interest in political affairs. He is a loyal and devoted citizen, true to the interests of his adopted country, and is highly respected and esteemed wherever known.
This biography generously submitted by Carol Holmbeck