William Huch

           William Huch, who was born in Monroe County, Ill., in 1842, is one of the largest and most energetic farmers in township 1 south, rages 9 and 10 west. He is a son of Gottleib and Caroline (Holzhaus) Huch, both natives of Hanover, Germany. There the father received a good education and was reared as a farmer's boy, afterward learning the tradeoff a stone-mason. He came to the United States with his family, and located first in Ohio. Later coming to Monroe County, he bought a large tract of land from the Government, being also the owner of land in Wayne County, this state. At the time of his death, which occurred in 1865, he was the possessor of a fine piece of property, consisting of one hundred and thirty acres of land, which he took great pride in cultivating and improving. Politically he was first an old-line Whig, but on the organization of the Republican party he cast his vote for its candidates. Gottleib Huch, with his good wife, was a member of the Evangelical Church at Columbia, and helped to erect the old log structure in which the congregation first met for services. He was preceded to the better land by his wife, she dying three days before his death.

           The subject of this sketch received a fair common-school education, and remained on the home farm assisting his father until the death of his parents, when he went to live with a brother, remaining one year. The marriage of our subject and Miss Mary Williams occurred in 1865, and to them has been born a family of eleven children, all of who are living: Margaret, Lizzie, Caroline, Louisa, Henry, Michael, John, Herman, Jacob, Louis, and William. Mrs. Huch was born in this county. She, with her husband, is a worthy member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church at Columbia. Politically, Mr. Huch is a stanch Republican, always believing in the principles of that party.

           At the time of his marriage, the gentleman whose name heads this sketch received one hundred and thirty acres of his father's estate, and at once set about its cultivation. He has since been enabled to add to it, and is now the owner of tow hundred and ten broad and fertile acres. He is thereon engaged in mixing farming and stock-raising, and has made of his place one of the best in the township.