WILLIAM KUCK, SR., a well-known farmer of the New Knoxville neighborhood, now living practically retired, proprietor of the old Kuck farm just southwest of the village in section 30 of Washington township, was born on that farm and has lived there all his life. Mr. Kuck was born in the year 1852 and is a son of William and Elizabeth (Bransman) Kuck, natives of Germany, who were among the pioneers of the New Knoxville community. The senior William Kuck had grown up to the trade of carpenter in his native country, and upon coming to this country and settling in this part of the state of Ohio, back in the days when work on the construction of the canal was beginning here, he secured work as a carpenter on the construction of the canal locks, and was thus engaged for several years, or until that big job of engineering was completed, thus earning the money with which he presently bought the farm of ninety-three acres just southwest of the village of New Knoxville, which was laid out in 1836. On that place he established his home and started in to make a farm out of it. His skill as a carpenter and builder kept in demand his services as a builder during the pioneer period, and much of the early building in and about New Knoxville was done by him, this including the old German Reformed church in the village, which in time gave way to the present handsome edifice of that congregation at that place. He also set up a sorghum. mill on his place, and the pioneers for miles thereabout brought to him their sugar cane to be converted into molasses, he thus establishing an industry there which has been maintained successfully to this day. On that farm the senior William Kuck spent his last days. His widow survived him for some years. Of the children born to them, six grew to maturity, those besides the subject of this sketch being Elizabeth, August, Sophia, Louis and Theodore. Another son, Herman, died when about fifteen years old. William Kuck, the second in order of birth of these children, was reared on that pioneer farm and received his schooling in the nearby New Knoxville schools. From the days of his boyhood he has given his attention to the affairs of the farm, and after his father's death operated the farm in his mother's behalf until her death, after which he bought the place and has since been operating it on his own account. To the original tract of a fraction more than ninety-three acres there he added an adjoining tract, and now has a well-improved farm of 108 acres and a well-equipped farm plant. The new buildings which he caused to be erected on the place are in keeping with all improvements there and are attractive and well kept. The old horse-power sorghum mill which his father established there long years ago has long been operated by mechanical power, for Mr. Kuck has kept the mill going during the sugar cane seasons and has one of the best sorghum plants in this part of the state. Though now practically retired from the active operations of the farm, Mr. Kuck keeps a pretty close supervisory eye on things and has not lost his interest in the general agricultural operations of the neighborhood or in the various other flourishing activities of that community. He is an earnest Republican, and he and his wife are members of the First Reformed church of New Knoxville, of which his parents were among the early promoters. Mr. Kuck married Caroline Katterheinrich, also a member of one of the pioneer families of this section of the state, and to this union seven children have been born, namely: Herman, who died in infancy, and Edward, Louis, Elizabeth, Bertha, Louise and Ella, three of whom are married. Edward Kuck married Cora Gleason and has one child, a son, Marion. Bertha Kuck married Arthur Wellman, and Ella Kuck married William Oelrich and has one child, a daughter, Catherine. Mrs. Caroline Kuck was born on a farm in the woods down in the neighboring county of Shelby and is a daughter of Herman W. and Elizabeth (Lutterbeck) Katterheinrich, natives of Germany, who came to this country after their marriage and proceeded on out into Ohio and settled on a woodland farm in Shelby county, where they spent the remainder of their lives. Herman W. Katterheinrich and wife were the parents of ten children, five of whom are still living, Mrs. Kuck having three sisters, Sophia, Ionise and Anna, and a brother, Louis Katterheinrich.
The Kuck farm and sorghum plant mentioned in this biographical sketch is located at what is now 06684 New Bremen-New Knoxville Road.