Joseph
Dietz
A HISTORY OF KENTUCKY AND KENTUCKIANS By E. POLK
JOHNSON 1912 The Lewis Publishing Company
Transcribed by Kim Mohler
JOSEPH DIETZ
– Campbell county is signally favored in the personnel of its executive officers
at the time of this writing, and one of the able and highly esteemed members of
the corps is Mr. Dietz, the efficient sheriff of the county and a valued
resident of the city of Newport.
Joseph Dietz was born in Newport, this county, on the 27th of May, 1861, and is
a son of Adam C. and Mary L. (Schultz) Dietz, both of whom were born in Germany
and both of whom were children at the time of the emigration of the respective
families to the United States. Adam Christian Dietz has been one of the honored
citizens of Newport for many years, and here he and his wife still maintain
their home, being now of venerable age and having here resided since the time of
their marriage. Of their eleven children seven are now living, and the present
sheriff of Campbell county was the third in order of birth. Adam C. Dietz
devoted the major portion of his active career to the shoe business, and his
life has been characterized by sterling integrity of purpose and by well
directed industry. At the time of the Civil war he was unreservedly loyal to the
cause of the Union and made an attempt to enlist in its service but he was
rejected on account of being unable to pass the required physical examination.
Sheriff Dietz was reared to manhood in Newport, to whose public schools he is
indebted for his early educational training, which was limited in scope, as he
early assumed the practical responsibilities of life. At the age of twelve years
he secured employment in a shoe factory in the city of Cincinnati, Ohio, on the
opposite shore of the Ohio river, and he continued to be thus engaged for
several years. At the age of twenty years he began work at the trade of
plasterer and lather, and to this vocation he gave his attention for a number of
years, working both in Kentucky and Ohio. In 1896 he was appointed a member of
the police force of Newport, and he continued in this department of the city
service for six years, during which he made an admirable record for
discrimination and efficiency.
Thereafter he continued in the work of his
trade until the autumn of 1909, when he was elected sheriff of Campbell county,
as candidate on the Republican ticket, and he assumed the duties of his office
in January, 1910. He was elected for a term of four years, and his
administration of the office has well justified the selection for the exacting
and important position. Mr. Dietz is a member of the Junior Order of United
American Mechanics and also is affiliated with the Knights and Ladies of Honor.
Sheriff Dietz has been twice married. On the 10th of October, 1882, he wedded
Miss Caroline Rich, who was born and reared in the city of Cincinnati, and of
the four sons of this union three are now living – Charles, Harry and Earl. Mrs.
Dietz was summoned to the life eternal in 1898, and in 1900 Mr. Dietz was united
in marriage to Mrs. Cora Megerle, who was born in Covington and who has one son,
Charles, by her first marriage.