Charles Lewis Haucke, banker, was born Jan. 11, 1878, in Morris county, Kansas, on a farm about four miles southwest of Council Grove. He was the first son of August and Mary T. (Streit) Haucke. His father was born in Germany, Jan. 21, 1849, and received his education in that country. He served in the army of the Fatherland during the Franco-Prussian war, in 1870 and 1871, and in 1873 he came to the United States and located on government land in Morris county, where he worked on the railroad as section hand and also herded cattle. The 160 acres which he homesteaded adjoined the Kaw Indian agency land, which he afterwards bought and now owns. In 1876 Mr. Haucke married Mary T. Streit, daughter of John and Theresia Streit, at Council Grove. They were also from Germany, the two families having emigrated from the Fatherland together. Of the children born to August and Mary Haucke, Charles is the eldest; Hugo Oscar is managing his father's original homestead of about 3,000 acres; Bertha Mary is the wife of G. B. Suplee, a farmer of Morris county; Emma Lena is at home; Frank is at school, and three children died in infancy. Charles was educated in the public schools of Morris county and then went to Topeka, where he took a course in a business college. After leaving school he returned to the farm and worked for his father about three years, but he liked commercial life and entered a bank at Council Grove, where he worked as bookkeeper for three years and then engaged in the real estate business at Council Grove. He was markedly successful in this business, but gave it up to become a director and the cashier of the Peoples' State Bank, at Parkerville, which position he still occupies. Mr. Haucke owns several fine farms in Morris county, is one of the progressive and prosperous citizens of Parkerville and an enthusiastic Kansan, having great faith in the future of the Sunflower State. In politics he is a Republican and has served as secretary of the Republican central committee of Morris county. Fraternally he is a Mason, belonging to Council Grove Lodge, No. 36. He is also an Odd Fellow, belonging at Parkerville.