HISTORY OF KENTUCKY AND KENTUCKIANS, E. Polk Johnson, three volumes,
Lewis Publishing Co., New York & Chicago, 1912.  Common version, Vol. III,
pp. 1150-51. [Campbell Co.]

JOHN KRUCHTEN--It would indeed be difficult to find among the citizens of
the thriving town of Dayton one who takes a truer or more active interest
in its welfare than John Kruchten, president of the Bank of Dayton, a
conservative and substantial banking institution which he assisted in
organizing in 1906 and which in the few years of its career has achieved a
most gratifying growth.  As an efficient public servant Mr. Kruchten has a
record comprising four years in the city council and eight years as mayor
of the municipality.  His loyalty to this section of Kentucky is not
difficult to understand, for he was born on a farm in Campbell county, near
Dayton, and has spent about all his life in this locality.  The date of the
nativity of John Kruchten was September 6, 1860, and his parents were Matt
and Mary (Wagner) Kruchten.  Both of them were natives of the picturesque
old city of Luxemborg [sic] in Germany, where they were reared and educated
in both the French and German languages.  They were already acquainted when
they left their native land and their marriage was solemnized in Dayton,
Kentucky, whence they came soon after crossing the Atlantic, the year of
their emigration and union having been 1857.  The father engaged in
agriculture, and was in the prime of his life and accomplishment when he
was killed in 1867 by the kick of a horse.  The mother survived for many
years, thirty-five in fact, and died in 1902 in Dayton, where many years
before she had taken up her residence.  Matt Kruchten was a member of the
Home Guards during the Civil war and participated in the Kirby Smith
troubles, his sympathies being with the Union cause.  He and his wife were
the parents of six children, four of whom are still living.
     John Kruchten, who was the second child of his parents, was but seven
years of age when death deprived him of his natural protector. The widowed
mother brought her young family to Dayton at an age when most boys have
little concern in life had begun to fall upon the shoulders of young John.
There was little time for schooling, and had he been passive about it John
Kruchten might have had an extremely limited education, for he was taken
from the public schools to begin the business of wage earning not only for
his own support but for contribution to the family exchequer.  Fortunately
he was zealous about learning and pieced out his interrupted mental
discipline most effectively by night attendance at the parochial schools.
He is one of the brightest examples of the self-educated and self-made man,
and his career should serve as an inspiration to those of the coming
generation to whom Dame Fortune has been chary in her gifts.
     Mr. Kruchten set about learning the baker's trade and worked at this
for about nine years, assisting materially in the support of his mother
and young brothers and sisters.  Eminently thrifty and industrious, he was
able in 1885 to engage in business for himself, choosing the line of flour
and feed, and making a thorough success of the enterprise of which he is
still the manager and proprietor.  His interest have by no means been of a
limited character, and among them have been enrolled the Citizens' Loan
and Savings Association, which is one of the largest and most successful
organizations of its kind in the county.  For four years he was vice-
president of the Citizens' Loan and Savings Association and for the past
eight years has held the office of president.  In 1906 he assisted in the
organization of the Bank of Dayton, which opened for business on March 6 of
that year, with Mr. Kruchten as president.  This bank had a capital stock
stock of $25,000 at the time of its organization and has since experienced
a substantial growth, its deposits now being about $150,000, its surplus
and profits over $8,000, and its loans and discounts $135,000, with
semi-annual dividends of three per cent paid and stock quoted at one dollar
and thirty-four cents.  In February, 1910, the bank  of which Mr. Kruchten
is the head, was housed in handsome new quarters. This is equipped with the
most modern appliances in the way of safe deposit boxes and the like.
     Mr. Kruchten gives his support to the men and measures of the
Democratic party and plays an active role in home affairs.  After serving
two four-year terms as mayor he retired from the duties of this office in
January, 1910.  His fraternal relations extend to the Eagles and to the
Jackson Club, the latter a Democratic organization.
     Mr. Kruchten laid the foundation of a happy married life in 1887, on
May 4th of which year he was united to Miss Anna B. Paul, a native of
Newport and the daughter of Joseph Paul, a machinist residing in that city.
Mr. and Mrs. Kruchten have two daughters, named Alma Marie and Stella
Magdaline.  The family are consistent communicants of the Catholic church
of Dayton and assist in the advancement of its good works not only with
their means but with their sympathy and personal effort.

Kruchten Wagner Paul
=
Germany

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