William, JosephJr, William,Kuss, in Henr
From the book:HENRY: BEST TOWN IN iLLINOIS BY A DAM SITE.
Pagae 179: William Kuss, son of Matthew and Martha Kuss was born in Bavaria, Germany, in November 1852.The family came to America when he was eight and they arrived in Henry in 1860.The fatgher was a shoemaker by trade and went to work for Joh Eckert.Young William learned blacksmithing as an apprentice under Ken McNeal and in 1874 he went over to the Hanna Shop until 1892.That year Kuss opened his won shop just south of where the Henry State Bank is now.At this time he started to do plumbing.In 1901, his brother Joseph Kuss, Sr., moved back to Henry from Iowa and they formed a partnership.William made repairs on windmills and engines and made excellent tools.He died at the age of seventy-five in 1927.Joseph Kuss made a special hammer for Jerry Raffensperber, resident engineer on the Henry and Hennepin bridges, which was used to test every rivet in both bridges.
Joseph Kuss, Jr, who was orn in July 1910 in Henry, started to learn the business when he was still in high school.When his father died in 1945 he wook over and was the only blacksmith in town.Joseph Jr. died in October 1957.So, 116 years after the first blacksmith used a bellows on his forge, there were none.
Jean Babcock