Mr. Dietz was early appointed a justice of the peace, and continued in
office either by appointment or election for a great length of time.
He was active in the affairs of the town and an energetic man of
business. He was a long time in mercantile business, and his store,
which was situated where now stands the brick building occupied by the
First National Bank, was the center of a lively trade for those times.
Mr. Dietz accumulated an extensive estate, and reared a large family
of children. He became the owner of extensive tracts of land, some of
which are now occupied by the streets and residences of the village.
Some of his representatives are now living in the west and are
deservedly esteemed where they reside.

At about the date last mentioned, one Schoolcraft erected a modest
structure on the site of the Susquehanna House. Schoolcraft's house
became in a short time the leading tavern of the community, where poor
grog and worse food were dispensed to the villagers and wayfarers,
doubtless much to the gratification of their primitive tastes.

About the same period, 1804-5, one Joseph Westcott, from the present
town of Milford, erected a store nearly opposite the residence of D.M.
Miller. These stores--Dinninny's, mentioned in the preceding chapter,
Dietz's and Westcott's--were all of the most primitive order, and,
especially the first named, contained but a meagre stock of goods, the
stock generally consisting of a barrel of New England rum of the most
violent nature, several old bull ploughs, a little crockery ware, a
few cooking utensils, and a small amount of dry goods. There was but
little money and the merchant's trade was carried on mostly in the way
of barter, the tradesman exchanging his merchandise for grain, lumber
and shingles.