HENRY O. KUCK, a well-known and substantial farmer and landowner of Washington township and proprietor of a well-kept farm on the Botkins road just out of New Knoxville, in section 29, was born on that farm and has lived there practically all his life, the owner of the same since the death of his grandfather, the lamented Rev. F. H. W. Kuckhermann, in 1915. Mr. Kuck was born on February 13, 1871, and is a son of Ernst and Sophia (Hoge) Kuck, the latter of whom, also a member of one of the pioneer families of Washington township, died within a week after his birth. The late Ernst Kuck, whose last days were spent down in the neighboring county of Shelby, was born at New Knoxville and was a son of the Rev. F. H. W. Kuckhermann, who for nearly fifty years was the beloved pastor of the First Reformed church of New Knoxville as is set out in the chapter on churches in this work. The Reverend Kuckhermann was a native of Germany and in his home land had received a liberal education. He came to this country in the days of his young manhood and became employed as a teacher in the New Knoxville schools, later becoming ordained as a minister of German Reformed church, and in 1852 was installed as pastor of the First Reformed church at New Knoxville, a labor of love which he maintained until his retirement on account of infirmity and ill health in 1890. Ernst Kuck, his son, shortened the name for convenience sake, and this form of the original name also is maintained by the latter's son, Henry, and his children. Ernst Kuck grew to manhood at New Knoxville, and after his marriage became well established as a farmer, the owner of a. farm of 100 acres down over the line in Shelby county, on which latter place he spent his days. He was twice married. His first wife, Sophia Hoge, died, as is noted above, a few days after the birth of their only child, and he later married Sophia Niemeyer, also a member of one of the old families in this county, and to this union seven children were born, all of whom but one (Sophia) are living, these being August, Herman, William, James, Caroline and Anna. Bereft of his mother when he was but a babe, Henry O. Kuck was reared in the household of his grandfather, the Rev. F. H. W. Kuckhermann, at New Knoxville, and there received careful schooling. In his youth he became attracted to farming as a vocation, and after his marriage established his home on his grandfather's farm, just southwest of the village, the place on which he is now living, his grandfather spending his last days there with him. Following the death of his grandfather, in the spring of 1915, Mr. Kuck took over the place, an excellent and well-improved farm of 110 acres, and has continued to make his home there, he and his family being very comfortably situated. Since taking possession of this farm Mr. Kuck has made numerous improvements on the place and has a well-equipped farm plant. He a Republican and has rendered public service as a member of the board of education of New Knoxville village. He and his wife are members of the First Reformed church of New Knoxville, and he has served as a deacon of that congregation. It was in 1892 that Henry O. Kuck was united in marriage to Elizabeth Warner, daughter of Carl Warner, and to this union have been born six children, Edwin, Adiel, Matilda, Meta, Alice and Calvin, the first named of whom, Edwin Kuck, married Lucile Loy and has one child, a son, Robert. The second son, Adiel Kuck, is a student at the Mission House College at Plymouth, Wis., taking studies preparatory to Balance upon the ministry of the Reformed church. The Kuck home is very pleasantly situated on rural mail route No. 2 out of Botkins.
The Kuckherman/Kuck farm is located at 09412 Botkins Angle Road and eventually became known as the Brookside Dairy Farm.