For
Muscatine County Iowa
1911
| Biographies For Muscatine County Iowa 1911 | |
Source: History of Muscatine County Iowa, Volume II, Biographical, 1911, page 165
J. THEODORE KUECHMANN. J. Theodore Kuechmann, proprietor of a thoroughly equipped store at No. 314 East Second street and one of the valued citizens of Muscatine, was born in this city, April 4, 1863. He is a son of John and Margaret ( Krehe ) Kuechmann, the former of whom was born in Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany, and the latter in Bavaria. The father was reared and educated in his native land and at twenty-one years of age, being a young man of good habits, ambition and energy, he came to America and lived for several years in New York city. Believing that more favorable conditions existed in the west, he located at Bloomington, now Muscatine, Iowa, in 1843. Here he began as a teamster but later engaged in the flour and feed business and became the owner of a farm in Muscatine county, inside the city limits, where he lived from 1866. He departed this life in 1893 at the age of about seventy-seven years, having gained a reputation as one of the straightforward and energetic business men of his adopted city. His beloved wife survived him seventeen years and was called away in 1910, at the advanced age of about eighty years. They attended the German Congregational church and were the parents of three children: J. Theodore; John H., deceased; and Sophie, the wife of Charles Starker, of Portland, Oregon. The father was twice married and had several children by his first wife, only one of whom is now living---Mary Magdalena, the wife of Jacob Kautz. George Krehe, the maternal grandfather of our subject, was a native of Germany and emigrated to America, continuing here until his death, which occurred in Iowa. In his family were the following children: John, Theodore, Anna, Margaret, Marie, Christina, Barbara, Louise and Sophie.The subject of this review was reared in Muscatine and educated in the public and high schools, graduating from the latter in 1882. He was a conscientious student and applied himself to his books with a diligence that promised well as to his future career. After leaving school he became a clerk in a drug store and later went to Des Moines, Iowa where he spent two years in one of the drug establishments of that city. Returning to Muscatine in February, 1887, he entered the drug store of an uncle, John Theodore Krehe, and in 1899, having acquired sufficient capital, he purchased the store of which he has since been at the head. By careful attention to his business and a thorough knowledge of the wants of his customers, he has built up a large patronage, and his store is one of the popular concerns of the kind in the city where purchasers may be sure of receiving what they call for and that it will be the best of the kind that can be obtained in the market.
On the 14th of September, 1892, Mr. Kruechmann was united in marriage to Miss Myrtle May, a native of Greenbrier county, West Virginia. Five children have blessed the union, Lawrence T., James Harold, Albert Leland, John Theodore and Werner Wallace. Politically Mr. Kruechmann is in sympathy with the republican party, but he has never sought political honors, as his attention has been devoted to his business affairs. He and his wife are members of the United Brethren church and liberal contributors not only to the church but to all worthy causes. He is an intelligent man of fine qualities and has many friends and well wishers in Muscatine.
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