Calaveras
County
Biographies
FRANK KUHN
The rich fields and the broad
prairies of California afford excellent opportunities to the agriculturists and
stock raisers. Mr. Kuhn now owns and
operates a large farm in Felix post office, in Calaveras County. He was born in Prussia on the 20th
of August, 1828, and his ancestors for several generations resided in that
land. His parents were James P. and
Barbara (Cook) Kuhn. The father died at
the age of fifty-nine years, and the mother afterward crossed the Atlantic to
New York with her two sons and three daughters.
They remained in the east for ten months and thence crossed the plains
with horse teams to California, being three months upon the way from Council
Bluff to Stockton. John, the only
brother of our subject, was drowned on the journey, and other than this they
met with no serious trouble on the journey.
After arriving at their destination the children worked at whatever they
could get to do to provide for their own support and for the support of their
mother. She died in the sixty-sixth year
of her age, and only two of the family now survive. The sister of our subject, Lena, is the wife
of Jacob Wagoner and a resident of Stockton.
Frank Kuhn, whose name introduces
this sketch, took up his abode upon his present farm in September, 1856,
securing a squatter’s right to one hundred and sixty acres of land, on which he
made many improvements, building a good frame residence and several barns. As his financial resources have increased he
has judiciously invested his money in land, and at one time his ranch comprised
three thousand acres. For twenty-two
years he was successfully engaged in the sheep raising business, having as high
as ten thousand head of sheep at one time.
His average number, however, was about two thousand, and he also has
nearly four hundred head of cattle in his pastures. There are also several fine gold prospects on
his land, which he is now developing. It
is entirely through his own unaided industry that he has become one of the most
prosperous agriculturists in the county, having a handsome competence that now
supplies him with all the comforts that go to make life worth living.
Mr. Kuhn was happily married in
Chicago, Illinois, in 1853 to Miss Catherine Even, a native of Luxembourg,
Germany, and unto them in California have been born
five children, namely: Frank W.; John
W.; Lena, the wife of William Bach; Josephine, the wife of Robert Callehan; and Catherine, now the wife of Peter J. Prowse. John is still at home and assists his father
in the management of the farm. There are
also seven grandchildren. Mrs. and Mrs.
Kuhn were reared in the Catholic faith.
In politics he is a Democrat, but has never sought or desired office,
his attention being given in an undivided manner to his business affairs. We often marvel at the success of young men
of American birth who work their way upward, but certainly still greater credit
is due to those who come from foreign lands and have to learn our customs,
methods and manners of doing business.
Mr. Kuhn, however, readily adapted himself to new conditions, and his
life illustrates most forcibly the possibilities that lie before young men and
the reward that may be earned through indefatigable effort and laudable
ambition.
Transcribed by
Gerald Iaquinta.
Source:
“A Volume of Memoirs and Genealogy of Representative Citizens of Northern
California”, Pages 585-586. Chicago Standard Genealogical Publishing Co. 1901.
© 2010
Gerald Iaquinta.
Golden Nugget Library's Calaveras County Biographies