*See Obits Below Update Message

2022: The website newspapers.com has added the Redwood Gazette [Redwood Falls, Minnesota] to it's collection. There are many articles related to Henry that paint a fuller picture of his land deals and migration from Renville and Redwood Counties, Minnesota to a new 50 acre fruit & grain farm in Moscow, Idaho, onto a store and cottage turned rooming house at 110 Napa St. in Spokane. Lastly an article that says he has traded the Spokane rooming house for a 27 acre farm just blocks east of Reardan, WA. The Redwood Gazette also published an obituary newspapers.com also helped to find previously missed Spokane Chronicle articles as well.

Henry L. KUCK OBITUARY #1 - [see physical image in Photo Tab.] Newspaper Source Unknown, transcription of passed down original clipping provided courtesy of Kuck/Sell/Hillman descendants as well as Kuck/Maillie descendants.

Death Comes to Reardan Man

After only a brief illness death came to Henry Kuck, a well known citizen residing just at the east edge of town, at about 7:20 o'clock last evening. Mr. Kuck was first taken sick with heart trouble and pneumonia last Thursday and his illness rapidly grew worse, defying all that medical skill and tender hands could do. The funeral will be held from the family residence Friday morning, after which the body will be conveyed to Spokane where interment will be made. The funeral service at the home will be conducted by Rev. George Koch of the Reardan Evangelical Church.

Henry Kuck was born in Bremen, Province of Hanover in July 1845 and came to America about forty years ago, landing first at New York and after a short stay there came west to Minnesota, locating at Redwood Falls. He resided there until nine years ago when he moved to Reardan.
The deceased was first married in the old country, but was soon bereft of his wife, and about thirty years ago was married to Miss Carrie Geist of Chippewa County, Minn., who survives him. Ten children blessed the home, all of whom reside in the northwest except L.H. who is chief of police at Redwood Falls, Minn. and J.G. who is a horse buyer of the same place. Other children are F W. Kuck and Mrs. W.R. Maillie, Mrs. Everett Crosby and Wanda Kuck, of this place; Mrs. Keil, Mrs. C.T. Rathke and Ernest Kuck all of Spokane, and Herbert Kuck of Portland. End of Obit #1
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FUNERAL PARTY AND CASKET INVOLVED IN CRASH ON SUNSET HILL:
On Friday the 13th, December 1912, fourteen Kuck family members riding in a large hearse/bus type vehicle conveying Henry's body for burial at Fairmount Memorial went off the road and crashed on the Sunset Hill near Garden Springs just entering the Spokane City Limits. Three newspapers including the Spokesman-Review (front page), Spokane Daily Chronicle and another unknown newspaper carried the story. The unknown newspaper clipping was passed down and provided courtesy of Kuck/Maillie descendants. Below is the transcribed Spokesman-Review article (Photo image of front page article seen posted here in the photo sidebar) and the article from the unknown newspaper. The Spokesman-Review and Spokane Daily Chronicle articles were originally found on Google News Archives online, but can also be found at the downtown Main Branch of the Spokane City Library on microfilm. The Spokesman-Review will sell the full page replication of the article for about $65.00 the last time this contributor checked into it, however the article was continued on an inside page and it is unclear if the paper would then charge additionally for the second page.

Transcribed from clipping of news article from the 14 Dec. 1912 edition of The Spokesman-Review Pg. 1:

AUTO WITH BODY IN COFFIN SKIDS ON HILL; TURNS OVER

BUS CONTAINING FUNERAL PARTY
STRIKES CURVE AT GARDEN SPRINGS
SEVERAL ARE BRUISED
SEVERAL INJURIES ARE SUFFERED BY DAUGHTER OF DECEASED FARMER.

CASKET STANDS UPRIGHT FOLLOWING THE GRUESOME ACCIDENT
OBSEQUIES TAKE PLACE AT
FAIRMOUNT CEMETERY.

THOSE INJURED:
Mrs. William Keil, 2414 Nevada Avenue, shoulder wrenched, serious injuries to abdomen and severely bruised.
Mr. Charles T. Rathke, 1401 Thirteenth Avenue, scratched and bruised.
Mrs. Charles T. Rathke, 1401 Thirteenth Avenue, scratched and bruised.
Miss Mabel Rathke, 1401 Thirteenth Avenue, scratched and bruised.
Sweeping down Sunset boulevard a funeral party and the the body of Henry L. Kuck, a rancher, who died at Reardan of heart disease Wednesday, the big automobile bus plying between Spokane and Reardan struck the curve at Garden Springs yesterday afternoon while running at a 10-mile clip, skidded down the embankment and toppled over, precipitating the entire funeral party into a pile and leaving the casket standing upright.

WOMAN SERIOUSLY HURT
Mrs. William Keil was thrown under other members of the party, her knee striking her in the abdomen. Her body was severely bruised and the extent of her injuries could not be determined last night. The machine was soon righted and with other automobiles which came out from the city, the body was removed to Fairmount Cemetery, where the burial took place.
THOSE IN THE MACHINE
Charles T. Rathke, a local contractor, his wife and daughter received minor injuries when the machine toppled over. Others in the machine which was driven by A. Holly, were:
William Keil, husband of the injured woman; Mrs. Henry L. Kuck, widow of the deceased; Mrs. Everett Crosby of Long Lake, daughter of the deceased; Mrs. William Maley, Reardan, daughter of the deceased, and William Maley, her husband, the two sons of the deceased, Henry and John, of Redwood Falls, Minn. The sons escaped unhurt.
GRADE IMPROPERLY CONSTRUCTED
In his statement to friends last night, Mr. Holly declared that he was making less than 10 miles per hour when the machine left the grade.
David Brown of the Hazelwood Company said the grade was improperly constructed at the point and that four machines had left the grade during the last month.
"It is the fourth machine which has gone over the grade at this point," said Ms. A.D. Hopper, who found the funeral party in her backyard as the result of the peculiar accident. "The machine had gone over when I reached the window and I can not say as to the speed."
The Smith Undertaking company sent its auto hearse to the scene. The Rev. Will A. Betts and Dr. Witter were already on the scene and the bus had been righted when the auto hearse arrived. End of Article.

LINK: https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=fuBVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Z-ADAAAAIBAJ&pg=6364%2C3757782
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The other passed down clipping regarding the hearse accident, courtesy of Kuck/Maillie descendants. Newspaper source unknown:

AUTO-STAGE IN BAD ACCIDENT

PASSENGERS FORTUNATELY ESCAPE WITH ONLY ONE BEING SERIOUSLY INJURED.
The funeral party conveying the body of the late Henry Kuck to Spokane Friday morning met with a most unfortunate accident when just entering the city by the auto stage going off the grade and down the side of an embankment the machine being thrown over on it's side. The accident occurred near Garden Springs.

The occupants of the auto were Mrs. Kuck widow of the deceased, Charles Rathke, wife and daughter, Wm. Keil and wife, Mrs. Everett Crosby, W.R. Maillie and wife, Henry and John Kuck, and the driver, A. Holly. Mrs. Keil was the most seriously injured of all and she was speedily given medical attention and taken to the home of her sister, Mrs. Rathke, the others receiving scratches and minor bruises. Mrs. Keil was at first found to be quite seriously injured but members of the family say that she is now recovering satisfactorily.
The machine was going at a speed of ten miles per hour at the time of the accident according to the statement of the driver, and others seem to be inclined to support that testimony while others say a higher rate of speed was being made. The cause of the machine leaving the road is credited to the improper construction of the grade which is made with the incline the wrong way, and to the driver temporarily losing his head," say some reports. Four other autos had previously been ditched at the same point this fall, and the sentiment prevails that whatever blame attaches itself to the driver of the car, there is more resting with the City of Spokane for the improper grade at the point designated. End of article.
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3rd Hearse Accident article:

Spokane Daily Chronicle - 14 Dec 1912 Page 3. The google news archive will say page two, but look at the top of the physical newspaper image until you see Page 3. Transcribed as follows:

FUNERAL PARTY IS SPILLED INTO ROAD

One woman was severely injured another slightly more bruised when an autobus, carrying the funeral party and a casket from Reardan to Spokane overturned on Sunset Boulevard about a mile west of xx illegible xx the Garden Springs Addition Friday afternoon.

Fourteen people were spilled from the heavy vehicle and the casket carrying the body of Henry Kuck, a rancher of Reardan who died several days ago was thrown out into the road. The injured xx illegible xx Mrs. William Keil 2413 Nevada avenue, injured about the shoulder and abdomen. Charles Rathke 1401 Thirteenth Avenue bruised, Mrs. Charles Rathke, 1401 Thirteenth Avenue, bruised, Miss Mabel Rathke 1401 Thirteenth, bruised.

The machine was xx illegible xx turning a sharp curve on the xx illegible xx road when the rear wheels skidded overturning the heavy car. A. Holly, the driver said the machine was going about 10 miles per hour.

The Funeral party was due to arrive in Spokane at xx illegible xx o'clock, but did not reach here until xx illegible xx o'clock. Interment of the late Mr. Kuck was at Fairmount. End of article.
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BIOGRAPHY OF HENRY LUTHER KUCK AND FAMILY:

Henry Luther Kück was born per passed down family notes of two lines of his children in the Village of Bramstedt (about 27 kl from the City of Bremen, Germany) on 25 July 1844 or 1845. Here are it's coordinates 53°22′00″N 08°41′37″E. It is currently referred to as Bramstedt, District of Cuxhaven, Municipality of Hagen in Bremischen, State of Lower Saxony, Germany.

Per passed down notes, Henry departed Bremen on 17 November 1866 and arrived in New York City on 22 February 1867 ahead of his new bride Meta (Bischof), Kuck. She was pregnant at the time he left and would sail with their first born also named at birth as Lüder Hinrich when the baby was about six months old. Meta and baby arrived in New York City on 5 August 1867 per family tradition. There is nothing to suggest that either of Henry or Meta's parents ever came to America and it can be safely presumed that her parents names listed as John and Martha on her death record were "Americanized" and would more likely be something along the lines of "Johann and Margaretha/Metta Bischof". There is also a possible New York Passenger Ship List for her arrival date of 5 August 1867 matching what was passed down, but it also is somewhat questionable. The ship was named "America". It does however list two Meta Kuck's and a Beta Kuck. One of the Meta's is traveling with a six month old baby, but the baby is listed as a female also named Meta Kuck. Contributors gut instinct is that one of those Meta's or the Beta on this ship are the correct Meta, but with transcription errors or perhaps infants were sometimes listed by the mothers name to keep record of which baby belonged with what mother. Could a male infant be mistaken for a female etc? This is of course speculative.

For Henry, there is a possible record found on a ship manifest that matches the dates passed down, but the name says Henry Kuhn, so it may be a transcription error or it may not be him. The ship name was "City of Washington" and it departed Bremen, Germany stopped at Liverpool, England and went on to New York City. Henry filed his first portion of naturalization papers called "Declaration of Intent" in New York City on 5 April 1867 soon after arrival, per Minnesota Naturalization records found housed at the Iron Range Research Center Library in Chisholm, Minnesota.

After a short stay in New York per one of his later obituaries, the couple soon became what appears to be among the first pioneer settlers into Flora Township, Renville County, Minnesota just as people began repopulating the area hit hard during the Sioux Uprising of 1862. For more information pertaining to the well documented conflict, see google search results for "US-Dakota Wars of 1862". While originally established under a different name in 1859, after the uprising, settlers left the area for a few years. The re-established Flora Township was actually named after the first horse brought back in by a white man in 1865 following the area's abandonment after the Sioux went on a miles long attack of various communities killing many settlers due in no small part to the deplorable actions taken by the corrupt government agent in charge of the nearby Sioux Indian Agency at the time against the Native Americans, namely starving them to death.

Within a few years, conditions had improved and new families began returning to the area including German born immigrants who particularly settled on the north side of the Minnesota River in the Renville County area across just across from the town of Redwood Falls. The river divides the two towns and counties, which explains why records were initially hard to find if not searched in both. Henry and Meta's second child and first to be born in America, Rosa Adeline Kuck (later wife of Charles Theodore Rathke) was born there in Flora Township in December of 1868 and a descendant is currently in possession of a German Christening Certificate form of their third child John George Kuck (later married Edith Anne Louise Sell) that has the christening place filled in that says Beaver Falls Mission and states his birthplace as Flora Township. That Christening record also appears to list his mother's maiden name as Mettha, maiden name: Bischoff, The repopulated town was incorporated in 1868 and by 1869 Henry Kuck's name appears on the "First Personal Property Assessment of Flora Township. That record was found in an old publication titled "History of Renville County", available online.

More recently, new information has been found related to the Dakota Wars of 1862 and Henry's actual land. Confirmation by staff at the Renville County Historical Society revealed that what would later become Henry's property had also played a part in the famous "Dakota Wars of 1862". That war is known to historians by several different names, but it's events still hold records in American History. The death toll of American civilians would not be surpassed until 911! It was at the time, the largest killing of Americans on American soil since 1776. The death toll was estimated at over 800 white settlers and did not include the Dakota/Sioux Natives. The ensuing roundup of about 300 presumed guilty Dakota at the end of that conflict resulted in the mass hanging of 38 Dakota and yet today holds the record as the largest one day mass execution of convicted persons in the history of the United States. President Abraham Lincoln himself was forced to become involved and quickly commuted the sentences of the original 300 down to 38. Shortly after the trials and execution, all natives were banished from Minnesota and removed to various other reservations in other states or territories.

The events began on 18 August, 1862, just north of the Minnesota River in Flora Township between sections 33 and 35. Thirty-nine settlers were killed by the Dakota or Sioux as they are also known, all of this happening just five years before the Kuck Family settled on Section 33 in Flora Township. The Schwandt Family were only a few massacred on their farm site situated on Section 35, northeast adjacent of what would become Henry's land. Others are said to have died on Henry's Section 33 itself as found referenced, but the exact details could not be found after reviewing several articles and books and trying to backtrack where it was initially found. While the "Schwandt Family Members", were not killed or buried on Henry's land, years later on 18 August 1915, a monument was erected on Section 33 in their honor on Henry's old original property. It can be viewed on Find A Grave Cemetery I.D. # 2324833 and an image of the monument is posted here on the photo sidebar. It is assumed by the Historical Society and authors that it was placed on Henry's land because there was a road to enable viewing of the actual monument. Research has found that there are actually two monuments in close proximity. On the east of the old Schwandt farm sits a small monument which reads: IN MEMORY OF THE BRAVE SETTLERS WHO FELL AT THIS POINT IN THE MASSACRE OF 1862. To the south of the farm, the other larger monument on Henry's property tells what happened to members of the Schwandt family: ERECTED BY THE STATE OF MINNESOTA, 1915 IN MEMORY OF MARTYRS FOR CIVILIZATION, JOHANN SCHWANDT, CHRISTINA SCHWANDT & THEIR CHILDREN, FREDERICK & CHRISTIAN, JOHN WALZ, KAROLINA SCHWANDT, WALZ & JOHN FRASS, MURDERED BY SIOUX INDIANS AUGUST 18,1862. The monument remains there today in Renville County on County Rd. 15, near Timms Creek. The memorial page lists the location as Beaver Falls, near North Redwood. Flora Township is no longer large enough to appear on modern maps, but the nearby larger Delhi does. As mentioned previously Redwood Falls sits just directly across the Minnesota River. On the Schwandt Family Find A Grave memorial pages, you not only get to read the inscriptions and view photos of the monument, but as a descendant of Henry Luther Kuck, you are given the opportunity to actually see the surrounding landscape of the land he once lived on and farmed. The photo images of the physical monument show lush greenery, farm crops and presumably the Minnesota River showing in the background. History also tells the Flora Twp. area was also affected by the Minnesota Grasshopper/Locust Plagues of 1873-1877. It would appear that the land is fertile and still much as it was when Henry and family lived there. While it was not the first time that there had been conflict or killings of smaller groups of settlers, one author stated that given the larger numbers killed, it could be somewhat considered the "kickoff" to the fifty year war between the government and the Native Americans that would finally culminate with the "Battle at Wounded Knee"! It was further stated that had this happened in the new age of technology and news coverage, it would have been bigger news than 911, but given no such technology existed and the fact that the government was then preoccupied with the Civil War, for the most part only historians and people in Minnesota are well aware of the events that took place there in 1862. Keep in mind that it primarily affected unarmed immigrant settlers on their personal land who could not speak English and did not have many interpreters or reporters to tell their stories, but it was said that even as news reached the larger East Coast cities of what had happened, it was at the time almost unbelievable to the easterners given the heinous nature of how they were most often slaughtered. Some accounts of the immigrant settlers have only been translated to English in more recent years. In terms of them not owning guns, it came as a surprise to this contributor that despite our images of the "Wild West", farmers and settlers did not generally own weaponry of which to defend themselves, save for occasional firearms only good for hunting.. The following is taken from an online source not specifically mentioning Sections 33 & 35 of Flora Twp., but specifying Renville County and the events of the first day of the conflict:
" 1862 August 18: Mdewakanton warriors open fire on white traders and government employees at the Lower Agency and defeat a relief force sent from Fort Ridgely. Dakota warriors attack isolated farms and settlements in Renville and Brown counties. More than 200 settlers are killed in these raids, and more than 200 women, children, and mixed-race civilians are taken hostage. End."

Moving forward, Henry obtained his final naturalization papers and swearing in as a citizen on 20 September 1876 at the district court then held in Beaver Falls, Renville County, Minnesota. Those records were found housed at the Iron Range Research Library in Chisholm, Minnesota; the repository for Minnesota Naturalization Records. Beaver Falls was very near Flora Twp. and at the time, briefly served as the county seat before it was moved shortly after to the town of Olivia. A few instances were found proving the Kuck's conducted business of sorts in Beaver Falls in their early years to the area. Two of his neighbors Louis Theile, he himself who would come to be a very prominent man of the town as he would serve as the first Constable and as research found mentioned in an article, also had the distinction of being the only property owner during the "Uprisings" to actually return to his land in Flora Township after the conflict had taken the lives of his wife and child, and the other neighbor being Henry Engeman vouched for Henry's good character, his five years of residency in the United States and his one year of Minnesota residency as was required to be granted citizenship at the time. They signed their names to the document and Henry was then officially a US Citizen, and in so doing, his German born wife Meta and son Louis/Luther Henry aka Henry Louis or L. Henry were naturalized automatically as well. As mentioned above Henry and both those men's names can be found with various mention in the publication, "History of Renville County".
According to Minnesota Homestead and Cash Entry Patent records Heinrich Kuck (found on a Naturalization Record transcribed as Heny Kuck) received a land parcel of 40 acres at 1NW NE 5th PM NO. 114N36W34 via the "Homestead Act" on 30 December 1876, issued out of the Patent Land Office in Redwood Falls. While no expert in reading plat maps, it would appear that by the time the 1888 land maps were printed his acreage had increased to 120 acres on Section 33, 40 acres on Section 27 and the original 40 acres on Section 34 that he had been granted in the "Homestead Act". A subsequent census asks if his home and land he resides on are rented, mortgaged or owned. It was answered "Owned Free and Clear". Keep in mind that thanks in part to alternating Territorial Census and US Census, this contributor was able to see where the family was and how it was growing every five years, as well as finding various other records online that were also helpful in tracing the family.
Henry and Meta's eldest son Luther Henry Kuck also appears in a one hundred year old publication called "History of Redwood County", available online, whereby his name is included on the list of city officials as the Chief of Police in Redwood Falls. Actually one record found said, "Assistant Chief of Police", and the other simply "Chief of Police". His father' obit in 1912 said same. Son John George was briefly a council member in Redwood Falls at one time in the early 1900's as well per his obituary. Research also found that Adella G. (Huntington), Pratt, wife of our Pratt ancestor (Caroline Almira Pratt's brother) James Edward "Ed" Pratt had also run for, was elected and served as Superintendent of Public Schools there. Suffice to say that these eldest children of Henry had essentially grown up with the town and appear to have been involved citizens in their adulthood.
One of elder Henry's obituaries tells that as a young man he was soundly converted to the German M.E. Church and served as class leader and Sunday school superintendent. It further stated that he joyfully participated in many revival meetings. Plat maps show a German M.E. Church very close to Henry's farm.
Henry lost his first wife Meta (Bischof), Kuck (mother of Louis Henry, Rosa Adeline, John George, Anna Marie, Frederick William and baby Edward H.) due to fever, likely what would today be an easily treated infection, (probably childbed fever, Death Cert only says fever.) post childbirth on 10 May 1880 per Renville County death record and of which matched the death date as found on hand written notes and passed down by the previously mentioned two lines of family which were the relatives of the Sell sisters who married Henry's two eldest sons and another set of notes passed down by Henry's daughter Anna (Kuck), Keil of Washington State. Purportedly the younger Henry Kuck had spoken to his Sell in-laws regarding his mother's death and stated that there were no doctors in the area at the time and she had only been attended by midwives, otherwise she would have likely survived.
Henry shortly after married Wisconsin born Caroline "Carrie" Wilhelmia Geist, daughter of German immigrants Henry Adam Geist and Bertha "Amelia" Fricke. Just to clarify, "Ameila" was previously married to Louis Theodore Schmidt and a widow when she then married Henry Adam Geist and so her name appears as Amelia Schmidt on their marriage record. Henry Geist in turn would be widowed when "Amelia" died and would remarry widow Paulina (Detloff), Koop who also preceded him in death.
Henry Kuck and Caroline who went by Carrie, were married in the brides parents then hometown of Havelock, Chippewa County, Minnesota per the Minnesota Official Marriage Systems Index on 10 July 1880. Two months to the day after his first wife's death. Witnesses were Wilhelm Ruck that could be a transcription error and could say Kuck, possibly indicating he had a brother or other relatives in America and Frederick Steinkamp, proven to be one of their Flora Township neighbors. This contributor ordered a copy of the marriage certificate. Please note there were other relatives that immigrated from Germany and possibly nephews or cousins found on the obituary of the younger Louis Henry Kuck, his obit mentions "Out of Town Visitors", to the funeral as Mr. & Mrs. George Kuck Sr. and a Mr. & Mrs. John Kuck of New Ulm, Minnesota. In 2018 DNA tests revealed that the descendants of Henry and the descendants of the aforementioned New Ulm, Minnesota Kuck's are related somehow. The aforementioned New Ulm Kuck's are descended from Gerd George Kuck, husband of Gesche Stelljes. Gerd died near Redwood Falls in 1913 (it now seems confirmed by DNA results that Gerd Kuck was Henry Luther Kuck's brother) with his son George attending his Kuck cousins funerals and even Annie Kuck Keil's marraige certificate indicating that George and his 2nd wife Marie (Moritz), Kuck may have been the witnesses to her marriage to William Keil given it lists witnesses as George Kuck and Mary Kuck.
While it is obvious in research that they lived nearby and did conduct business for years in Redwood Falls from the very beginning, they did eventually officially move across the river, likely in the late 1890's into the larger town, but not until just before the turn of the century and just a few years before heading west for Washington State. By way of old newspaper articles, obituaries and records found online at some point it appears the family moved into Redwood Falls for awhile where they are still found under the spelling of Cook (all the Kuck's were listed as such on that census and the entire town got incorrectly transcribed as Red Lake Falls) to be living per MN. Territorial Census in 1905, but finally migrated out west about 1906/1907 Henry and wife Caroline were stated as living in Moscow, Idaho in August of 1907 when their daughter Mabel died per her obit, but were settled in Reardan, Lincoln County, Washington by the 1910 US Census. Per obit it appears they had arrived to Reardan about 1908. There is also some indication based on a historical newspaper article, that Henry was scouting land in the Pacific Northwest when he first arrived, because there is a mention in a Newport, WA area newspaper [The Newport Miner, edition of 19 March 1908] of a prominent rancher named Henry Kuck, a resident of Moscow, Idaho looking at land for sale in the area. Contributor found no other records of a Henry Kuck in Moscow, Idaho in that time-frame and so chances are good it was this Henry before he finally purschased the Reardan farm.
It appears that later Cook descendants may have quite often been generalizing when they stated birthplaces of Redwood Falls when in actuality, birth and death records have been most often located in Flora Twp. In addition to the few birth and death records obtained, Anna (Kuck),Keil's notes found in Spokane were very specific as to which county each of her siblings were born in, and all but youngest child Wanda, state a Renville County birth. Wanda was born in Redwood County, and interestingly is the only birth record of Henry's children to be found online. Annie (Kuck) Keil's notes were spot on. The birth records of son Ernest Martin Kuck and grandson Paul Ernest Cook Sr. where ordered and confirm Flora Township, Renville County births despite family always saying they were born in Redwood Falls.
According to Henry and Caroline's young daughter Mabel Kuck's obituary/news account in the summer of 1907 printed in a Redwood Falls, Minnesota area newspaper, but of whom died in Spokane, Washington's Sacred Heart Hospital, her parents were apparently living briefly in Moscow, Idaho at the time of her death, (one of Henry's obits says 1904, but they hit the Redwood Falls 1905 Mn Terr.Census still as mentioned above) which leads even more credence to the theory that some of Henry's young adult children came to the Washington State area ahead of their parents and even Mable is proven there earlier as her brother Fredrick Williams Cook's Spokane/Rosalia area marriage record was witnessed by her long before their parents were on scene. Her funeral home records found in Spokane, Washington, housed at the MAC Museum, in the Joel E. Ferris Research Library, says she had been with relatives in Creston and Spokane prior to the illnesses that led to her death. Her funeral record also tells that her services were held from her brother in-law William Keils Nevada Street home in Spokane. Additionally when descendants of the Kuck/Maillie lines recently provided a passed down second obituary of Henry Luther Kuck, it also stated that when the family migrated west from Minnesota, they lived for a time in Moscow, Idaho, Spokane and finally Reardan, Washington.
Henry, Caroline and the youngest of the children still in the household settled on a farm on just the east side of the town of Reardan. The location of the Reardan farm according to the land records of Lincoln County is E. Line of Sec. 15, Twp. 2, Range 39. It is a somewhat triangle shaped parcel and in today's Reardan, it can be found on Highway 2 between Krupke Rd & Brommer Rd. According to a gentleman in the office at the courthouse, the land itself, save but the structures such as a home, barn and other outbuildings is much as it was when Henry bought it in the early 1900's. His name is mentioned in the 1910 R.L. Polk Reardan City Directory listed as Kuck, Henry, farmer. His daughter Maude's named appears in same directory as a clerk in a store. A Reardan area historian found that for this contributor in a old city directory owned by a private party. It is assumed that his widow sold the farm soon after his death as research soon finds Caroline criss-crossing back and forth across the country living with or near various sisters and daughters Maude and Wanda from the time of her husband's death in 1912 until her own February 1, 1925 Portland, Oregon death. She appears to have spent time in Odessa, WA., Kalispell, Montana, Waseca, Minnesota, Ogle, Illinois, Trommald, Minnesota, Portland, Oregon, and Castle Rock all between Henry's death and her own. The Reardan farm property is about the only open field with a cluster of buildings seen when looking S.E. from the "Welcome To Reardan" sign. If driving Highway 2 from Spokane, through Airway Heights and on into Reardan, the highway literally passes over the most north west sliver of the triangle shaped piece of property. Look off to the south (left) into the open field and see the buildings set deep off the highway between the marked Krupke and Brommer Rds, that is his old property. A trip to the courthouse in Davenport a few years ago yielded it's location and an aerial map with streets and roads listed. Henry's Petition for Probate records also show he owned a small lot near current day Cheney, WA in a subdivision called Normal Park, which runs parallel to the old Cheney-Spokane Interurban Electric Railroad Line as well as the old Northern Pacific rail line as it cuts through the Cheney area. The electric railroad was actually owned by Washington Water Power and started up in 1907 and operated until privately own automobiles lessened it's usage. It transported people and freight quickly and affordably from Cheney, through Medical Lake and into Spokane when a trip in your horse and buggy in that era might take closer to two days per a found article. Normal Park is Twp. 23 N. Range 4 East on old county land maps.
Keep in mind that nine out of thirteen of Henry's children came out west at approximately the same time or just ahead of Henry and Caroline, some being adults already and some still residing in the home. Some married before coming west, some after. Attempts have been made to pinpoint who came first, but have been inconclusive. It is obvious that Rose, Anna or Fredrick William and spouses may have encouraged Henry and Caroline to come west as some indications are eldest son in-law Charles Rathke had a brother Rev. Julius W. Rathke in Spokane found in a passed down letter to be a minister as well as his name listed as Rev. on both his infant and his own headstone, but working as a grocer in Spokane quite early on per city directories and likewise son in-law William Keil had a brother in Washington state and other siblings that had moved west into California, Oregon and Washington. Fredrick William "Willie" Kuck married in Rosalia, obviously with younger sister Mabel already in the area to witness his marriage. Going forward it is seen that not only was young Mabel's funeral held at Annie and William Keil's Spokane home, but sister Rosa and Charles Rathke lived in that same N. Nevada St. a couple houses away also during their first years in Spokane per Spokane City Directories. Henry's daughter Rose had come west with her German born husband Charles Theodore Rathke, son of Charles and Justina Rathke of Sibley, Minnesota and their young daughter also named Mabel who was a budding artist who attended Spokane's old Blair Business College and per old Spokane City Directories was found to have been a proprietor of the Ogle-Rathke Artists conducting business in the "Hutton Building" one of Spokane's earliest downtown high rise buildings and of which a Spokane raised descendant is still in possession of one of her paintings signed on the back as Mabel Rathke, age 14. It is beautiful and of professional quality. Rose, her husband and daughter Mabel later moved from Spokane to Los Angeles where Charles was a builder and contractor, all three are buried at the old Pierce Brothers Valhalla Cemetery in North Hollywood California. A death certificate was ordered from Los Angeles on Rose as they were the one couple of whom could not be found where they were buried and the record gave the cemetery name and then led to her husband and child being buried there as well. Anna Marie and William M. Keil had married in Minnesota before coming west (document appears to indicate her first cousin George Kuck and 2nd wife Marie/Mary Moritz, later of New Ulm were witnesses) and lived in both Spokane and later Latah, where they were buried in the Latah Cemetery. It has been said Annie's niece, Katherine, the daughter of Frederick William Kuck helped to care for the Keil's in their old age. Several different living descendants remember Annie and Will Keil fondly. Will Keil is known to have been a clerk in several retail stores including a Latah grocery or mercantile late in life. Will possibly also worked at the longtime Stewart's Hardware on Monroe and Indiana/NW Boulevard, but unconfirmed. They had no children. A Fredrick Wm. Cook descendant is in possession of an antique post card made of a piece of leather that has a Flora Township post mark still visible, it was in Annie's possession at the time of her death. Fredrick William (Kuck), Cook married Nellie Katherine Campbell in Rosalia, WA. after arrival and they lived in Spokane for some time where he was a cabinet maker and later moved to Tacoma, WA. where he worked in a sawmill. They later moved back. His descendants forwarded a copy of a lovely photo of Fredrick of whom his siblings called "Willie" in the Pentecostal Church Choir as well as also amazingly provided this contributor her own grandfather's 2nd marriage portrait that none of us had, it is believe it too had been in Annie's home at the time of her death. Fredrick William's wife Nellie later worked as a public school cook, in a Latah School and later as a widow she worked as a cook at Spokane's Sacred Heart Hospital where she was found working per a 1949 Spokane City Directory with a number of other Cook relatives listed on the same page. They had a son Robert and the aforementioned daughter Katherine and eventually moved back to the Latah, WA area and are buried in the Spangle Cemetery along with several of Nellie's Campbell family members. Son Ernest Martin (Kuck) Cook had already married Caroline Almira Pratt the first time in Redwood Falls, Minnesota in 1902 before they came to Spokane and then settled in Latah, WA. They appear to have divorced somewhere in-between, only to remarry each other in Spokane later in 1911 before once again divorcing for good. Ernest and Carrie's two brothers were business partners in Redwood Falls. John George Kuck and James Edward Pratt briefly operated The Kuck & Pratt Livery and Horse Exchange in Redwood Falls as well as the Bellview Livery in nearby Bellview, Minnesota. There is Kuck & Pratt Livery Company letterhead provided by the Sell/Hillman/Kuck descendants with the Sell sisters (wives of Henry and John Kuck) letters of correspondence between Redwood Falls, Minnesota and Reardan, Washington still in possession of Sell descendants in Minnesota. There is also a postcard recently found by a Sell descendant that shows that in 1909 John Kuck was visiting family and stayed in a downtown hotel or boarding house in Spokane while he visited. He had apparently sent the postcard to his wife Edith back in Redwood Falls while away. This contributor was graciously given copies of all of the Sell descendants Kuck mementos. Ernest's early census records list him as a liveryman. Ernest and Caroline Almira Cook had three sons Paul Ernest, Harold Nathan and Edward James. Apparently they divorced either in Minnesota or Washington state only to remarry each other again in Spokane, Wa in 1911. On their Spokane marriage record it states Carrie is a resident of Livingston, Montana, Ernest resident of Spokane. It is known that Carrie had Pratt siblings living in Montana at the time and perhaps after a first divorce she may have gone to Montana briefly to be with family until reconciling with Ernest. Eventually they divorced for good and he married Bessie A. Rowland, maiden name Buell and together they had a son Don Lee Cook whose family knowledge was very helpful to this contributor.[Don has since passed in 2018 and was placed at Holy Cross Cemetery in Spokane.] Ernest Martin Cook and Bessie lived on farms in the Seven Mile area of Spokane during and after their marriage. They divorced and Ernest was married at the time of his death to Emma E. (McBride), Koberstine, and living in the City of Spokane. Ernest Martin Cook was a liveryman, farmer, machinist and eventually a carpenter who worked for Gonzaga University shortly before his death and is buried at Fairmount Cemetery in Spokane where his parents Henry and Caroline (Geist), Kuck and young sister Mabel are buried.
Mata Louise "May" married Charles "Everett" Crosby in Reardan, WA. after arrival, they lived in the Molter area just outside of Reardan, near his family of which twice rumor and research has pointed to a possible familial connection to Bing Crosby. Kuck descendant Don Lee Cook (1929-2018) mentioned hearing in childhood that Ernest Cook's brother in-law "Everett Crosby" as he went by, was related to Bing and also a local Reardan historian mentioned that there was an old homestead in the nearby Molter area years ago of a family named Crosby who were rumored to be related somehow to Bing. It was noted that both Charles "Everett" Crosby's father and Bing Crosby's father had been born in Maine so perhaps they were distant cousins. Research also found that in both the family of May's husband and in Bing Crosby's family the name Everett seemed to be carried down quite a lot suggestive of perhaps a shared great-great grandfather somewhere back in those two family lines, thus even more suggestive of a familial tie. May and Everett Crosby later lived at Long Lake per her father's 1912 obituary and in Spokane where he is found listed in city directories as a machinist living on Crestline St., there is a listing in the Fairfield Jagger Plots that appears to be his correct death record, this contributor feels it is his burial place. The Fairfield Cemetery "Jagger Plots" are actually the place where the people who had lived or died at the Spokane County Poor Farm were buried. His circumstances are unknown. Don Lee Cook had also said he had visited Everett Crosby's home in Tacoma on a vacation with his father Ernest circa late 1930's. Don remembered May (Cook) Crosby as well but the memory was vague, moreso about meeting her in Spokane at a family gathering, not necessarily on the Tacoma trip. It appears that after "Everett's death, if in fact they were even still married, that May moved to Snohomish, WA. and of which she is buried in Woodlawn Cemetery there under the name of May Cook, her cemetery record listed her survivor as Mrs. Wm. R. Maillie of Hillsboro, Or. May and "Everett" as he was known to family at least, did have a child named Dorothy May Crosby of which a birth record was found, but by the 1920 Census she is listed as Wanda May. Wanda May Crosby married twice, lastly to a LeRoy Ludwig. Mrs. Wanda May Ludwig and her husband and 6 children died tragically in a house fire in 1950 in Clackamas County, Oregon near Sandy. Her mother May (Kuck), Crosby lastly had appeared on the 1940 census as a widow living in a mans home and listed as his domestic servant, while their relationship is not known, it was interesting to find that the cemetery record of her also listed that same gentleman as her friend or contact just as they listed her sister Maude Maillie as her survivor.
Maude Adell Bertha Kuck married William Robert Maillie in Spokane WA. The addition of Bertha as a 2nd middle name for Maude was found in Geist family records. It would be in honor of her maternal grandmother. It's accuracy is unconfirmed. Maude and William Maillie married on Valentine's Day 1911 and her eldest full brother Ernest Martin Cook and brother in-law Charles "Everett" Crosby were listed as witnesses on that record, they appeared to have lived in Odessa for a time soon after marriage as some tiny blurbs were found in the "Odessa Record" newspaper mentioning a Wm. R. Maillie pertaining to men of the town who had gotten a draft notice (WWI) and one mention of him selling some cattle, as well as several small town type blurbs of much of the goings on of the large Johnston Family of Odessa whom Kuck sister Wanda Marie would go on to marry into. Maude and William located to Portland, Castle Rock, Hood River, and finally settled into the Woodburn and Salem Oregon areas, William was a barber early on and later a realtor, they are buried in the Rose City Cemetery in Portland, OR. They had two daughters Evelyn and Virginia and a son "Robert". They still have descendants in Oregon.
Wanda married Edward Lee Johnston son of James R. Johnston and Elizabeth Sarah "Lizzie" Puderbaugh in Davenport, WA., they lived near his large family for a time in Odessa, WA., before he and his siblings dispersed some to Oregon and some to the Washington coast per a Johnston family historian and then spent the remainder of their lives in the Portland area where he eventually became a Packard Salesman who suffered a fatal heart attack while driving a Portland highway, they too are buried in the Rose City Cemetery in Portland where Maude and William Maillie are buried. Wanda and Edward appear to have had no children.
Lastly, Herbert Robert (Kuck)Cook appears to have married a woman briefly named Alma or Elma Rhodes of Montana and together they had a daughter Dorothy who appears to have been primarily raised by her step-father, last name of Clifton. Later in 1920 Herbert married Frieda Linder of Portland, Oregon, daughter of John and Elizabeth Linder of the Germantown area of Portland. Herbert and Frieda had one child, son Donald Darwin Cook born in 1928. Donald passed away in Portland, Oregon in 2001. It is said by descendants that Herbert and Frieda had been owner/operators of restaurants in California and specifically one in San Francisco during the 1920's before divorcing. Herbert Robert (Kuck) Cook served in the US Coast Guard and he and Frieda were found living in Portland, Oregon on both the 1920 and later with baby Donald on the 1930 US Census, they later divorced. Herbert was still in Oakland on the 1940 census listed as a divorced lodger. Recent communication with a descendant confirmed knowledge of daughter Dorothy. At the time of his death, Herbert Robert "Bert" Cook was married to a woman whose maiden name was Mildred Viola Loveland. She was a widow who had been married to a Leo Gerloff, and then she married a man by the name of J.A. Rose before marrying Herbert as there is a Washington marriage record between a Herbert R. Cook and a Mildred Viola Rose. On Herbert's "Bert" obituary it lists the names of his two stepchildren by name of Gerloff and subsequent searches revealed their father's name and their mothers maiden name listed on public member family trees on ancestry.com, thus giving confirmation of his wife Mildred's maiden name. She has a "Find a Grave" memorial page with an obituary listed in Estherville, Iowa near her parents graves, although she too died in Latah, WA. Herbert's obit mentions his son Donald, but no mention of daughter Dorothy. Herbert had returned to the Spokane area by about 1951 per city directories, (one of which he is listed at the same address as nephew Paul Ernest Cook and unsure if it was nephew living with uncle or uncle living with nephew or if Paul may have been firstly renting the home and later his uncle rented it as well when Paul moved out. The directory listed Herbert as a cabinet maker with a spouse named Mildred and he is presumed to have died in Spokane or Latah, but no death record found, just a small funeral notice that does not tell where he specifically died, only that his home was in Latah, WA., however he is buried next to his half-sister Annie and brother in-law Will Keil at the Latah Cemetery. Record was found that after his death, wife Mildred ordered and received a bronze military headstone which was placed at his grave. Mildred Cook died in Latah a few years later and was found to be buried near her parents in Iowa at the St. Patrick's Cemetery in Estherville as mentioned above.

In all, most of Henry's children lived in or around Reardan as children and young adults and especially are found living in or working within the city limits of Spokane as young adults or married persons. Later they would mostly spread out to the greater Spokane area farming communities such as Latah, Tekoa, but also Tacoma and some to the surrounding areas of Castle Rock, Hood River, Woodburn, Salem and Portland, Oregon. In the 1920's while mother Caroline was still living there was quite a presence of Cook relatives found living in Portland. Herbert Robert Cook still has descendants living in the greater Portland, Oregon area as does his sister Maude (Kuck) Maillie.

While Henry and his two wives had 13 children, three died very young. The baby that wife Meta died after giving birth to - Edward H. Kuck died at about five months of whooping cough per Renville County, Minnesota records, Harry Walter Kuck/Cook died in his early twenties at the School for the Feebleminded ( Minnesota State Mental Hospital) with research suggesting he was somehow physically or mentally impaired from birth. He appeared in the households on all the territorial and federal census but hit a later census one year as a young adult listed as an inmate at the school/hospital where boxes are marked indicating that he can not read, write or speak English and then appears to have been back in the home later listed as a laborer who can not read or write and then back to the school/hospital where he died and was buried out behind the hospital, a story by itself. Try a google search of the Minnesota School for the Feebleminded, and or Faribault Regional West Cemetery Project. A very sad bit of American history on those pages. It would appear Harry Walter died just before or just after the family migrated to Washington State, possibly having been left behind due to his incarceration. He has a Minnesota Cemetery Inscription record that interestingly lists his parents as Louis Henry Cook and Carolina Cook. It is possible his brother L. Henry was his guardian after the parents moved west and the brother and father's name were confused. It is the only place the elder Henry has Louis attributed to his name rather than Luer/Luder/Luther. Likely an error.

Lastly, young daughter Mabel Caroline Kuck died in Spokane at twenty-two after surviving a bout of Typhoid Fever, but while being still weakened had become in need of an emergency appendectomy of which she only survived three days and died at Sacred Heart Hospital. Her circumstances are well documented as mention is made in passed down newspaper articles that tell of her brothers receiving telegraphs related her expected death and also tell she had written one of her brothers in Minnesota prior to going into the hospital for the surgery. Newspaper articles detail that three sisters Mrs. Crosby, Mrs. Rathke and Mrs. Keil cared for her relentlessly during her post surgery hospital stay and that Mabel was uncomplaining to the end. Additionally as stated above, there was a very informative funeral record found for her as well as a Washington State Death Certificate of which does spell she and her father's last name wrong. Her funeral was held in Spokane, at the Nevada Street home of her brother in-law William Keil per her funeral record. As referenced above, the remaining ten children of Henry Luther Kuck and his two wives, all lived into their golden years. Of the ten, only six had any children. As of 2017 only four lines of those ten remain in existence. Only descendants of three of Henry Kuck's sons carry on the name, of course spelled Cook. Those three lines have primarily resided in Washington, Idaho and Oregon. It would appear only two families have young men who may yet have children, thus it appears the line may be very close to fading out. There is one Cook gentleman of whom confirmation has not been made as to whether he any children, but this contributor was told it was doubtful.
Regarding the two eldest sons who never came west.... Luder/Louis Henry Kuck (1867-1939) who is found under several variations of his name i.e. L. Henry or Louis Henry, but known to go by "Henry" and his brother John George Kuck where settled, married men at the time their father and the rest of their siblings moved west. They retained the Kuck spelling throughout their lives and died in Redwood Falls. They married two sisters Emma Pauline Sell and Edith Anne Louise Sell. The Sell sisters had been orphaned young and their Grandmother Krassin had raised them and their younger sister Elizabeth (who married Herman Hillman). It is the Sell/Hillman descendant this contributor has much to thank for in passing down the records with much graciousness. The Kuck brothers and wives and Grandmother Krassin all lived together at one time or another and were closely knit in Redwood Falls. It might be presumed that they didn't come west due in part to their wives or of their wives elderly grandmother not wanting to come or be left behind. The younger Henry was at one time the Chief of Police in Redwood Falls and John George along with being a partner in Kuck and Pratt Livery, was a farmer, listed as a horse buyer in his father's obituary and later worked in a creamery store of some sort. Per his obituary, John George had at one time also briefly been a city council member in Redwood Falls. Additionally, the Kuck brothers mother Meta had died in Flora Township while they were young boys and research (obtained by a woman who has all the old cemetery records in her home aka private cemetery association) found that in 1912 years after Meta's death her sons purchased a family plot and monument for their mother, their infant baby brother, and later plots for themselves and wives. Actually some were purchased later in 1919 as well, so perhaps they originally just moved their mother and infant brother Edwards gravesites to the Redwood Cemetery and later when another family member died, they purchased additional plots. They are all buried around the Kuck Monument in the Redwood Falls Cemetery, confirmed by Sell/Hillman descendants trip to the cemtery and by this contributor ordering records of all Kuck's buried there. Found platted land maps also might suggest that Henry Luther Kuck may have sold or given the family farm or parts to son John when he left the area because US County Index Land Maps show Henry Kuck's name in the 1888 version, but later in I think 1910, the same piece of property has the name Edith Kuck on it (same name as son John's wife). Another small adjoining sliver of land on the plat map appears to have J.Kuck or J.K. Additionally it is known by the Sell descendants that as newlyweds, son John George and his wife Edith did farm in the Flora Township area in the early nineteen hundreds. It was also noted on one of the initial court filings or his Last Will & Testament of Henry Luther Kuck, son John's name does not appear with every other child as an heir, although listed in later documents. One might surmise this could be because as was often done with farmers and land owners in that era, John may have been felt to have already been given his inheritance by way of the land Henry may have left him previously. This is only an assumption, as a later affidavit filed by his step-mother Caroline regarding Henry Luther's estate does name John George as an heir. Perhaps his name was accidentally left off the original will and she was subsequently adding a correction. John did come, along with his brother Henry to their father's 1912 funeral in Washington State as they are both named as family members involved in the hearse accident conveying their fathers body for burial. Another postcard in possesion of Sell descendants written by John back to his wife Edith, shows he also made a trip to Spokane in 1909 to visit his father, the postmark and address show he likely stayed at a downtown Spokane, Sprague Ave. boarding house while visiting. This deduced by finding such a boarding house listing in an old city directory for that address. A Sell descendant in Minnesota who inherited all the passed down old mementos of the Sell Family has a letter or a partial letter and envelope from Maude Kuck, Maillie to Emma Kuck asking questions about what had happened to her father's old farm in Flora when they moved west. Also tucked inside is apparently an unfinished letter of reply from Emma which never got mailed possibly. Emma (Sell), Kuck died in 1964, but had outlived her grandmother and both sisters as well as the majority of her closer Kuck in-laws with exception of sister in-laws Maude (Kuck), Maillie and Caroline Almira (Pratt), Cook. When her sister Edith died, Emma and Henry Kuck invited John George Kuck to move into their home. Henry died during this time in 1939 and so for a few years until John's death in 1942, he lived with his widowed sister-in-law Emma in her house. Emma and Edith's sister Elizabeth's daughter Ruth Hillman and niece Lois also lived in the Emma and Henry Kuck home in Redwood Falls at some point as young women as seen on census pages and known by Sell/Hillman descendants. At this point Emma and her brother in-law John were essentially the only two relatives of their generation left alive in Redwood Falls. John George Kuck died in Redwood Falls in 1942 and his Last Will and Testament was recently found and he left his sister in-law Emma as executrix and recipient of his entire estate. In the papers he sweetly states that it was because of all the kindness and favors she afforded him after the death of his wife, her sister.
Regarding Henry's middle name, there is no official record anywhere saying exactly what the 'L." stood for, there are just two clues and they conflict with one another. Annie Kuck, Keil's notes left in the late 1950's or early 1960's in Spokane to a great niece, a descendant of Fredrick "William" Cook stated Luther as Henry's middle name. The only other hint is that on son Harry Walter's Minnesota Cemetery Inscription record it states his parents names as Louis Henry Cook & Carolina Cook. We can not be sure that they did not accidentally take his brother's name as the father's record as there is a possibility that Harry's guardianship while at the feeble minded school was left to eldest son Louis Henry, therefore getting a record confused. Those records had also only recently been "reconstructed", so the possibility of some error is higher. Likewise, they may have both started out the same and one "Americanized" his name differently from the other. Annie's Washington State notes passed down are almost identical to the notes passed down by the Sell sisters of Minnesota. It is possible that Henry Luther and his firstborn had the same middle name, but one or the other had been "Americanized" from Luther to Louis or Luder to Luther, or that they were simply Jr. and Sr. It is known by the Sell family that the young Henry went by L. Henry oftentimes in official capacity or in print or Louis Henry to his siblings and parents and professionally at times (as well as found in printed text as L.H. Kuck), but called himself Henry as an adult, so we may never know just which was correct. The younger Henry's wife Emma is seen addressed as Mrs. L.H. Kuck as well. It does appear that his parents and siblings did refer to the younger son as L. Henry as seen in print when listing the younger Henry as a surviving family member on published obituaries, but later his own obit simply states his name as Henry L. Kuck, just as his father's obituary in Reardan, WA. had years earlier.
This Henry Luther Kuck's cemetery records are confusing and frankly it had been hard for some time to solidly prove that our ancestor, the farmer Henry Kuck who died in his Reardan home of heart disease was the same Henry L. Kuck buried at Fairmount Cemetery in Spokane. Finally the second obituary was provided by the Kuck/Maillie descendants that states his funeral was officiated by the Rev. Geo. Koch of the Reardan Evangelical Church and that the funeral was held in his family home, but that his body was taken to Fairmount Cemetery near Spokane for burial. The Fairmount burial was also confirmed in at least one of the 3 articles pertaining to the hearse accident carrying his body for burial at Fairmount Memorial in Spokane, as Maillie descendants also sent this contributor a copy of a newspaper article that tells the funeral party including the widow and many of their children and spouses conveying the body of Henry Kuck of Reardan for burial was in a bad auto-stage accident as they approached the City of Spokane. A search for the source of the article yielded two more articles from different newspapers recalling the gruesome accident, a second larger article pertaining to the auto-bus accident spells out details including mentioning that a second hearse was dispatched to the scene by Smith Undertaking Co., although later not needed as the other machine had been righted by the time the backup arrived, and that the burial was able to still take place that day. Of course, sometimes newspapers get it wrong too, and maybe his body got delivered late on the 13th and they had to come back for burial on the 14th. At any rate the articles prove he was the Reardan farmer, buried at Fairmount and that Smith Undertaking was in charge, which matched what the cemetery records said although when contacted, Smith now doing business under a different name had no information.

2022: The website newspapers.com has added The Redwood Gazette Newspaper to it's collection and you can now find several articles about Henry, his land deals, farm sale, farm auction and his upcoming move to a newly purchased farm in Moscow, Idaho in 1905 etc. Use a search parameter of abt 1895-1907, Redwood County, Minnesota and there will be several articles that pull up.