At his home in Protection, Kansas, on Friday, January 15, 1904, Peter P. Wuchter, aged 69 years, 7 months and 27 days.Another pioneer settler and prominent citizen of Comanche Co., is gone! At a few minutes before 12 o'clock on last Friday night, Uncle Peter Wuchter, of Protection, yielded to the summons of Death. He had been in rather poor health for some time, being a sufferer from asthma. Yet no apprehensions had been felt of his being in a dangerous condition. On Friday evening he ate a light supper and was about the house some, though complaining of not feeling very well. His usual jovial disposition, even at that time, probably dispelled any fears of fatal results upon the part of his relatives and friends who were near by. Soon after supper he expressed a desire to lie down. This he did and soon afterwards began to show rapid signs of growing weaker. By 9 o'clock p.m. he had passed into an unconsciousness from which he never rallied. A weakness of the heart action which impeded a proper circulation of the blood was the immediate cause of his death.
Peter P. Wuchter was born in the province of Wutenburg in Germany on May 18, 1834. At the age of 14 he came to America, settling in New York where he lived for a number of years. He then moved to Laporte, Indiana, where, on November 21, 1857, he was married to Miss Fannie Myers. Mr. and Mrs. Wuchter afterwards moved to Ohio and lived for 5 or 6 years in Ashland co., that state. In 1885 they moved to Comanche co., settling at the then young and promising town of Protection, which city continued ever since that time to be their home. Uncle Peter ran a shoe store in Protection for a number of years, but for several years past had owned and conducted the leading hotel of that city.
The funeral which occurred at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, was one of the largest ever witnessed in the county. From far and near the people turned out to pay their last tribute of respect to their good friend and neighbor. Over 80 vehicles and nearly 70 Odd Fellows on foot composed the funeral procession from the home to the Protection cemetery where burial took place. The funeral services were in charge of the Odd Fellows lodge of Protection, of which order the deceased had been a faithful member of the Protection lodge. The entire services were very beautiful and impressive.
In the death of "Uncle Peter" Wuchter, Comanche co. loses an upright and honored citizen and the people, wherever he was known, a true friend. He was kind to all, and especially to his family, his neighbors and his home town, was loyal and considerate in all things. His generous nature and his many kindly acts will long be remembered by those who knew him. He leaves a wife, three sons, J. A., John and Clinton, and three daughters, Mrs. W. W. Baxter, Mrs. H. Pritchard and Mrs. Chas. Johnson, to mourn the loss of a devoted husband and father. All of the children were present at the funeral except John, who was unable to come from his home in Washington. John had been visiting here and had returned to his home only 2 weeks before his father's death. To the bereaved families the sincere sympathy of all is extended in their hour of sad bereavement.
To our many friends and neighbors: We wish to extend to you our heartfelt thanks for the help and sympathy shown to us in our darkest hours of trouble during the death and burial of our beloved husband and father.
Fannie Wuchter and Family.
Also see:
Fannie Wuchter, wife of Peter Wuchter.
William F. Haeslig, son in law of Peter Wuchter.
James W. Dappert: "Reminiscences of Early Days in Comanche-co.", The Western Star, January 15, 1926.
Thanks to Shirley Brier for finding, transcribing and contributing the above news article to this web site!
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