Albert Kuhn

Albert Henry Kuhn (February 12, 1860 – January 5, 1934) was a

Albert Henry Kuhn
Washington State pioneer and businessman. During his early
career, Kuhn tried a variety of jobs, moving from state to state until Born February 12, 1860
he settled in Washington in 1884 and entered the logging business, Waukesha,
where he remained for the rest of his career. He began as a logging Wisconsin, US[1]
foreman, but gained recognition in business circles over time. Died January 5, 1934
Eighteen years later, he was one of the founders of a new logging
(aged 73)
venture: Hoquiam Lumber and Shingle Company. In 1917, he
became the manager and biggest shareholder of the Hoquiam Hoquiam,
shingle mill. Washington, US
Burial Sunset Memorial
In Kuhn's first jobs, he was a teacher in Dale, Wisconsin and a place Park
telegraph operator for the Western Union in Chicago. Later, he
became an experienced railroad employee, working for the St. Alma mater State Normal School
Paul, Minneapolis and Manitoba Railroad (which was later called of Oshkosh
the Saint Paul and Pacific Railroad and then the Great Northern (University of
Railway) in Minnesota, and for the Northern Pacific Railway in Wisconsin–
Medora, North Dakota. He worked in Medora at the time of its Oshkosh)[1]
development by Marquis de Morès, and served as a chief witness
Occupation Superintendent of the
in the Marquis trial for the cattle man murder of 1883.
Hoquiam Lumber &
Eventually, Kuhn settled in Hoquiam, Washington and proceeded Shingle Company[2] ·
to work for the Northwestern Lumber Company for eighteen railroad operator and
years. As he became known as business specialist, he was agent for the St. Paul,
appointed a log scaler for Thurston and Lewis Counties and Minneapolis and
Lumber Inspector for District No. 5. From 1902 to 1912, he Manitoba Railroad
worked for the Hoquiam Lumber and Shingle Company. He (the Great Northern
designed, built and was one of the proprietors of the company's
Railway) · agent for
shingle mill, which was esteemed as the "finest" by the experts at
the Northern Pacific
the time. Later, as company superintendent, Kuhn built the lumber
Railway[1]
mill. From 1912 to 1916, Kuhn travelled the world. On his return,
he re-entered the business and became the biggest shareholder for Known for American pioneer.
the Hoquiam Lumber & Shingle Company shingle mill. Served as a log
scaler for the
Thurston and Lewis
Contents Counties, Lumber
Inspector for District
Early life, family and education No. 5.,
Career superintendent for
Early positions the Hoquiam Lumber
Hoquiam, Washington & Shingle Company,
Travels and the manager of
his own shingle mill.
Marquis de Morès murder trial
Spouse(s) Ida Soule Kuhn (m.
Personal life and death
1900)[1]
References
Literature cited

Early life, family and education

Kuhn was born in Waukesha, Wisconsin in 1860. Kuhn's parents were Henry Kuhn and Soloma Wellauer,
both from Switzerland. There were German ancestors on both sides of the family, and Kuhn's father also
had French roots. Henry Kuhn left home at 14 years old, lived for some time in France, and later emigrated
to America, settling in Wisconsin and becoming a "prosperous farmer." Soloma Kuhn emigrated to
America in her youth.[1]

Soon after Albert Kuhn's birth, the family moved to Oshkosh, Wisconsin, where Kuhn grew up living on a
family farm. He went to the State Normal School of Oshkosh (later the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh.
Later, he learned telegraphy while living and teaching in Dale, Wisconsin for a year.[1]

Career

Early positions

Teaching in Dale was Kuhn's first job. He taught for a year, learning telegraphy in the meantime. After his
teaching term was over, he went to Chicago and became an operator for Western Union. His next position
was of a railroad operator and agent in Fridley, Minnesota, for the St. Paul, Minneapolis and Manitoba
Railroad (later reorganized as the Saint Paul and Pacific Railroad and then the Great Northern Railway). In
1881, Kuhn became an agent for the Northern Pacific Railway in Medora, North Dakota.[1]

Hoquiam, Washington

Kuhn came to Hoquiam in 1884 and entered the lumber business. For eighteen years, he worked as a
logging foreman for the Northwestern Lumber Company, and helped with some managerial work.[1] Over
the years, he gained respect in the field, and in 1893, was appointed as a log scaler for Thurston and Lewis
counties and Lumber Inspector for District No. 5.[3][4]

He played an important role in the formation of the Hoquiam Lumber and Shingle Company. In 1902, he
designed and built the company's shingle mill and became one of its proprietors. The mill required less
investment and provided better products in quality and quantity than other mills in the region, cutting
400,000 shingles per day. These advantages prompted the experts to call it "the finest mill of the kind in the
northwest." A few days after the mill started working, Kuhn broke his leg while managing the working
process.[5][1]

By 1903, Kuhn became a superintendent of the Hoquiam Lumber and Shingle Company and started
building its new large lumber mill.[1] He was superintendent until 1912, when he quit in order to travel the
world with his wife.[2][6][7]

After Kuhn's return to America, he re-entered the business. In 1917, he bought a controlling share in the
shingle mill of the Hoquiam Lumber & Shingle Company, separating this property from the company's
lumber mill. After the transfer, the shingle mill and its attached grounds, including 1,000 feet (300 m) of
waterfront, were under Kuhn's management.[7]
Travels
Over the years, Kuhn travelled extensively. In his early years, he lived and worked in several states,
moving from Wisconsin to Illinois, then to Minnesota and to North Dakota. In 1883, he came to the Pacific
coast and sailed from San Francisco to Australia. Eventually, he returned to America and settled in
Hoquiam, Washington in 1884.[1]

In 1912, Kuhn and his wife left America to travel around Europe. They were forced to leave and return to
the U.S. due to the beginning of World War I. However, they soon left again, spending two years in Japan,
China and India. In 1916, the Kuhns came home to Washington State, sharing their experiences and
emphasizing the "state of preparation for national defense" in every country they had visited.[6][7] Later,
they spent some time in California, and in 1917, attended President Wilson's inauguration in Washington,
D.C.[8]

Marquis de Morès murder trial

In the early 1880s, Kuhn worked as an agent for the Northern Pacific Railway in Medora, North Dakota[1]
when the development of the area was tightly connected to the two "fellow ranchers" – Marquis de Morès,
the founder of Medora town, and Theodore Roosevelt, who often stayed there at his famous Elkhorn
Ranch.[9][10][1]

Marquis de Morès founded the town of Medora. He operated a meat manufacture and distribution business
from his ranch, Chateau de Mores. During his life, Marquis "could not escape controversy;" he was a
famous gunslinger and on trial for three murders.[9] In 1885, de Mores was indicted for the murder of
cowboy Riley Luffsey, which happened as a result of the altercation between three cowboys and de Mores
over the property in Medora in 1883.[11][9] As Kuhn was the key witness of the incident, he testified at the
subsequent trial, which led to the Marquis' acquittal.[1][9][12]

Personal life and death

Kuhn married Ida Soule Kuhn from Hoquiam, Washington in 1900. She was the founder and regent of the
Robert Gray Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution and a member of the Mayflower
Society.[1]

Kuhn died on January 5, 1934 in Hoquiam, Washington. He was buried in Sunset Memorial Park.

References
1. Prosser 1903, v.II, p. 55.
2. Hoo-Hoo Bulletin; Oct 1, 1908, p. 62.
3. The Washington Standard; Mar 31, 1893.
4. Seattle Post-Intelligencer; Mar 26, 1893.
5. Seattle Post-Intelligencer; Jul 30, 1902.
6. Seattle Daily Times; Jun 6, 1916.
7. Aberdeen Herald; Mar 30, 1917.
8. Aberdeen Herald; Mar 2, 1917.
9. Great Plains Encyclopedia 2004, p. 242.
10. Leppart 2007, p. 7.
11. The Weekly Times-Democrat; Aug 22, 1885.
12. Buffalo Morning Express; Jul 30, 1902.

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Post-Intelligencer, Seattle: Leigh S. J. Hunt, p. 2, March 26, 1893, ISSN 2379-7304 (https://w
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Murphy, John Miller, ed. (March 31, 1893), "Executive appointments" (https://www.newspapers.c
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