Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-07-30
PETER WINTER HAS LIVED IN COUNTY FOR
FIFTY EIGHT YEARS; CAME HERE In WAGON

For the past fifty-eight years Peter
Winter has been a resident OF Wa.
pello county and during the last four.
| teen years has lived in Ottumwa with
his daughters. Misses Rose and Mary
Winter at 22O5 East Main street. Few
of the pioneers have a richer fund OF
recollections of the early days in the
county than Peter Winter whose farm
lies east of the city near Sugar creek.
The original homestead is with a few
changes still in his possession although
he has bought and sold much land
since making his home on the original
JIG acres which has been added to I'M.
til at present 10 acres comprises what
he still calls the home place despite
the fact that in December 1900 he
moved from the farm into Ottumwa.
Mr.. Winter was one Of the pioneers
that came to Wapello county in a
wagon. Born in Prussia east Of Metz,
March 20. 1924 the then sturdy young
German saw possibilities in the new
country and came to America. He
landed in New Orleans in 1S41. Max.
ing the trip up the father Of waters.
Mr.. Winter who was then lad of II
years stopned enroute in Cincinnati
but for a short time going on to Rush
county. Indiana. where he arrived in
the town of Madison, July 4, 1s41 He
made his home in the Hoosier state
until December 1S4S and went back to
Cincinnati
Was Married in 1947.
May 81 1S47 he was united in mar
rage with Catherine Hirschauer and
1r,l~ l. to- No ~
lowing year he states that his Dosses-
stems consisted Of a wife. a babe and
81 in money. But he had youth and
vigor. both of which remained with
him for many years afterwards. and he
was willing to work and got work to
do He was in Cincinnati when the
cholera nlague broke out in 1S49 and
was in the midst of it but was FORUM
ate enough to escape its clutches.
Recalls Cholera Plague
The energetic Young German found
employment in the boiler making in
dustry and this gave him considerable
employment for some time. 1t was
while working as boiler maker that
he was most exposed to cholera for
steamboats, coming up the river from
New Orleans would often have cases
aboard and he has boarded the boats
on which members Of the crew and
passengers died of the dread plague.
To make boiler repairs he has often
been called to these boats and speaks
CT the cholera period with horror.
The qualities that have character
lied the we'll known pioneer since
coming to Wapello county and which
are responsible for his later success,
had already been formed in the young
man for it was not long after he en-
tered the boiler making industry until
he was made foreman of gang and
often had to work seven DAYS week
fer there was great need of the men
of that craft in those days. He re.
manned seven and half years In Gin
cinnati and despite the fact that the
first year e was employed at the
business he received but one dollar per
day for his services. he managed by
careful and economical habits to
amass $4,000 before he quit the Ohio
city.
Came Here In Wagon.
Mr. Winter was not in any sense
but he could and did see pos
sibilities ahead for the young man
who came west in an early day. and
upon April %. 1856 he gathered his
small family about him and all took
passage on a boat which brought them
to Keokuk. Iowa. They had heard of
Ottumwa and set their course for this
place. Having bought new farm
wagon for his use on the farm he ex.
pected to buy after coming to Wapello
he loaded most Of his effects
in this wagon but found that he need