WILLIAM HUCHT

From the 1887 History of Vernon County, Missouri, p. 502

William Hucht

(Of Hucht & Fierling, Dealers in General Hardware, Tinware, Farming Implements, Coffins, Caskets, etc., Walker).

   As a member of one of the largest and most prominent business houses at Walker, Mr. Hucht is well known over a wide range of territory tributary to the place.  He is of foreign nativity, horn in Westphalia, Prussia, November 19, 1836, one of a family of eight children, five of whom died in early life.  Franz Hucht, his father, was a shoemaker of' Wewelsburg, and married Catherine Wienhusen, also of Prussia.  He died when William was about six years old, but the mother, a woman of great strength of character, reared her family most creditably.  William attended school until 14 years old and then hired out, working on a farm for nearly seven years at extremely low wages.  But by carefully saving his earnings and practicing strict economy he was enabled to come to the United States in 1857, his first settlement being made at Osage, Mo., where he was variously employed for some time.  Afterwards he was engaged in teaming in St. Louis, then worked on a farm in Scott county, Ill., two years, and in 1862 he enlisted in Co. F, 129th Illinois volunteer infantry, serving until the close of the war.  He took part in the battles of Resaca, Dallas, Peach Tree Creek, the siege of Atlanta, and was wounded severely at Milledgeville , Ga., afterwards being taken from Savannah to New York.  He was mustered out at Quincy, Ill., in 1865.  Going to St. Louis again, Mr. Hucht was now occupied in contracting, hauling lumber, iron, etc., accumulating considerable means.  June 14, 1866, he married Miss Wilhelmina Willms, a native of Prussia, but brought up in Gasconade county, Mo.  They have five children:  Frank, Henry, William, Joseph and August.  In 1871 Mr. Hucht came to this county and bought a farm in Blue Mound township, which he leased 18 months after and embarked in mercantile pursuits at Walker.  After a year passed in the grocery business, he became associated with Mr. Henry Bredenkamp and a general stock of goods was put in; in two years he disposed of his interest to Mr. B. and during the next three years was occupied again in farming.  Returning to Walker, he went into the drug and hardware business with E. D. Seamans, but in 18 months the establishment was divided into two distinct stores, Mr. Hucht attending to the hardware line, which he has continued in connection with B. F. Fierling.  Their excellent stock averages $10,000 and the business done is most satisfactory.  Perhaps no man in the town has done as much for it as has Mr. H., the many buildings which he has erected testifying to his public spiritedness and enterprise.  His residence is the best one in Walker. Numerous churches and schools have been aided by him, and in other ways his liberality has been manifested. Politically he is a Republican.  He belongs to Harmon Lodge, O. D. H., of St. Louis.

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