F. W. Volz
Submitted by: Katherine Maystadt
Frederick William & Josephine Mary (Lofland) Volz
Frederick William Volz was born in Germany, and came to the U.S. in 1876 (1910 Census of Coconino County, Arizona ED # 26). He had at least two brothers who also came to the USA, Walter E. Volz of Chicago, IL, 1858-1953, and William A. Volz 1860-1918 of Anadarko/Ft. Cobb, Oklahoma. Fred W. Volz established and was known as the trader longest at Canyon Diablo Trading Post in Arizona (1886-1910). Trader Volz was appointed Canyon Diablo Postmaster in 1893 ( Coconino Weekly Sun July 1, 1893). He is also mentioned in The Indianapolis Star Sunday, October 6, 1912 in connection with Meteor Mountain, Arizona. Arizona Sketches by Joseph A. Munk M.D. has several references (Ch. III, V, and XI) to Fred Volz, his study of the Navajo people, and his interest in the meteorite. Trader Volz is also mentioned in Burton Homes Travelogues Volume Twelve 1920. He managed two other trading posts. One was called “The Lakes” due to standing water when it rained, the third was near Oraibi (a large Moki Indian village) Each year at “The Lakes“, Volz held a two day tournament with prizes for contests and races, as well as feeding all in attendance (about 400 people) for two days. It was considered the grandest social function of the year, and some traveled 150 miles to attend.. He married Josephine Mary Lofland in Neosho, Missouri in 1898 when she was 24, and he 42. During their stay at Canyon Diablo they played a role in documenting the Canyon Diablo Shootout. See Canyon Diablo (Devil’s Canyon):A Brief History; A Shootout and Its Bizarre Aftermath by Harry McNeer (2001).Frederick William Volz
In addition, F.W. Volz also figures prominently in Two Guns, Arizona by Gladwell Richardson. Finally, in 1899, Fred W. Volz and his brother Bill searched for Wolf’s hidden gold as reported in an old West Magazine, Golden West True Stories of the Old West July 1968 “Old Wolf’s Gold” by Maurice Kildare
Fred and Josie had six children together, Julia, Jeanette, Frederick Rudolph, Carolyn (Volz) Floyd, Louis and John Herman. Frederick William Volz, his wife Josephine Lofland Volz and all six of their children are buried in the Lofland Family Cemetery in Ottawa County, Oklahoma.
Canyon Diablo Trading Post - Volz is 5th from the left; Eli Lucero is
3rd from left.
Canyon Diablo Trading Post root cellar ruins