KSGenWeb Digital Library Biographical Sketch of Julius Kuhn Atchison County, Kansas

Page Design, HTML Coding and Layout - Copyright©1998- by Kenneth Thomas, All Rights Reserved.
The KSGenWeb Project logo Copyright©1996- by Tom & Carolyn Ward, All Rights Reserved.
For the limited use of the KSGenWeb Project.  Permission is granted for use only on an Official KSGenWeb Project page.
The Official USGenWeb Project logo designed by Linda Cole.

The following transcription is from a 750 page book titled "Genealogical and Biographical Record of North-Eastern Kansas, dated 1900.  These have been diligently transcribed and generously contributed by Penny R. Harrell, please give her a very big Thank You for her hard work!

Julius Kuhn

Fortunate is the man who has back of him an ancestry honorable and distinguished, and happy is he whose lines of life are cast in harmony therewith.  In character and in talents Mr. Kuhn is a worthy scion of his race.  The family of which he is a descendant had many distinguished members in Germany and in his life he has shown the same ability which has characterized many of them.  The sturdy German element in our great commonwealth has been one of the most important factors in furthering the commercial and material advancement of the country, for this is an element signally appreciative of practical values and also of that higher intellectuality which transcends all provincial confines.

Well may many person take pride in tracing his lineage to such a source and this Mr. Kuhn can do. He was born in Bavaria, Germany, May 10, 1831, his parents being G. J. and Julia (Gulden) Kuhn, who were also natives of that country.  Our subject acquired a good education in the schools of the fatherland and on leaving school obtained a clerkship in a store, receiving forty dollars a year in compensation for his services.

He was thus employed till he attained his majority, when he determined to try his fortune in America, crossing the Atlantic in a sailing vessel in 1854, landing in New York, and here was employed in architectural work three years, after which he went to Connecticut, where he engaged in farming as a hired hand for two and one-half years, doing this that he might learn English.

In 1859 he came west, locating first in St. Louis, where he was variously employed.  On the 28th of February, 1860 he arrived in Atchison, Kansas, where he opened a retail grocery store and soon built up a prosperous business.  In 1878 he began selling to the wholesale trade and success attended the new enterprise so that he was soon in control of one of the most extensive patronages in his line.

The volume of his business constantly increasing he furnished employment to a large force of men and made extensive shipments of his goods.  At length he determined to retire from business and sold his stock to local parties for one hundred thousand dollars.  He was for a number of years one of the directors of the Atchison Savings Bank, but is not now actively connected with any business interests, his time being given only to the management of his various property interests in Atchison.

Mr. Kuhn has been twice married. His second wife was in her maidenhood Miss Ann Gladfelder, of Atchison, Kansas, and to them were born two sons, Julius O., who is a graduate of the public schools of Atchison, and Gustave A., who is still a student.

Mr. Kuhn certainly deserves great credit for his success in life.  His hope of benefiting his financial condition in this country was certainly not disappointed, for here he has made continued advancement on the road to success and today is numbered among the capitalists of his adopted city.

All that he has, has been acquired through his own energy and resolute purpose, and his life stands in exemplification of the opportunities that are offered young men in this republic where energy and ambition are not hampered by caste or class.

Last update: Saturday, July 20, 2024 16:51:33

The Digital Library of the KSGenWeb is a non-commercial entity dedicated to free access to records of genealogical value. All documents contained herein may be freely copied for personal and library use, as long as the KSGenWeb Statement of Use remains attached. These records may not be published in any format, including electronic (web pages or CD's) and print, without prior written consent of the contributor. In order to insure continued free access, violators of this policy will be vigorously pursued.

We invite all contributions of transcribed records with genealogical value. This could range from wills and letters from your personal family records to indexes of your county's marriage records. There are many, many more examples, of course. Anything you have that you are willing to contribute will be gratefully accepted. .

We also accept any non-copyrighted printed materials that you have access to and would like to see transcribed and placed on-line. If the material is copyrighted and you are the copyright holder, please include written permission for use by The KSGenWeb Digital Library.

  KSGENWEB DIGITAL LIBRARY PAGE
  KSGENWEB HOME PAGE

Page Design, HTML Coding and Layout - Copyright©1998- by Kenneth Thomas, All Rights Reserved.
The KSGenWeb Project logo Copyright©1996- by Tom & Carolyn Ward, All Rights Reserved.
For the limited use of the KSGenWeb Project.  Permission is granted for use only on an Official KSGenWeb Project page.
The Official USGenWeb Project logo designed by Linda Cole.