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Romain Spitz, farmer of Rock Township, and the only child of Dominique
and Elizabeth (Loos) Spitz, was born in Alsace, France, in 1824.  His
parents were born in 1796 and 1777, respectively.  They were married
about 1821, and in 1853 came to the United States.  The mother died
while en route from New Orleans to St. Louis, and was buried in the
State of Mississippi.  The father and son came on to Jefferson County,
and settled on Sugar Creek, three miles south of Fenton, where the
father died in December, 1854.  Romain secured a good education in the
common schools, and came with his father to Jefferson County, where he
was married in 1853, to Miss Magdalena Flothau, a native of Lorraine,
France, born in 1826.  After her marriage she came with Mr. Spitz to
the United States, and here three children were born to their union,
viz.: Otto, Romain and George.  Mrs. Spitz died in 1861, and in 1862
Mr. Spitz married Miss Catherine Rush, who bore him three children:
Henry (deceased), Louis and Paul.  Mr. Spitz has lived on the tract 
on which his father first settled ever since he has been in Jefferson
County.  He now has 180 acres under a good state of cultivation, and
is an industrious, enterprising citizen.  He is an ardent advocate of
universal education, a member of the Catholic Church, and a Republican
in politics, casting his first vote for Lincoln, in 1860.  Previous to
coming to America, and from 1845 to 1852, he was a soldier in the 
French Revolution, in 1848-49, under King Louis Philippe and under
Napoleon III.