Page:History of Southeast Missouri 1912 Volume 1.djvu/731

 HISTORY OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 641 (Schraeder) Krueger, was a native of uppei- Prussia. ]Ir. and Mrs. Krueger immigrated to America as young people and their mar- riage was solemnized at Cape Girardeau, where were born to them six children — three boys and three girls. The daughters are all deceased, as are also the parents, and the three sons are now living at Cape Girardeau. Martin C. Krueger is the immediate subject of this review; Louis Krueger is the present able incumbent of the office of clerk of the common pleas court and on other pages of this work appears a sketch dedicated to his career; and the third son is the present jan- itor at the Federal Building. The father was engaged in the butcher business during a goodly portion of his active career and at the time of the inception of the Civil war he served with valor and distinction as a member of the Missouri Home Guards. The rudimentary educational training of JIartin C. Krueger was obtained in the Lorimer School at Cape Girardeau and sub- sequently he was a student in the Normal School for a period of two years. After leaving school he was variously engaged for a time, eventually entering into a part- nership alliance with Mr. Heinze, his father-in-law, to engage in the hardware business. A splendidly equipped establish- ment is now conducted at Cape Girardeaii, under the firm name of Heinze & Krueger, and the same commands an extensive and most profitable trade. In addition to his business affairs Mr. Krueger is an enthusi- astic collector of Indian relies,- his collection being one of the rarest and most complete in this section of the country. Most of his specimens were picked up in the close vicin- ity of this city and a number of them are extremely valuable on account of their an- tiquity. In his political convictions Mr. Krueger is aligned as a stalwart in the ranks of the Republican party, and while he has never manifested aught of ambition for the honors or emoluments of public office of any description he was at one time incumbent of the position of city assessor, having been in tenure of that office from 1900 to 1902. In fraternal channels he is affiliated with the local lodge of the Benevolent and Pro- tective Order of Elks and he is also a valued and appreciative member of the Sons of Vet- erans, by reason of his father's service in the Civil war. On the 26th of September, 1899, was solem- Vol. 1—41 nized the marriage of Mr. Krueger to Miss Alma Heinze, who was reared and educated at Cape Girardeau. Mrs. Krueger was a woman of rare charm and attraction and at the time of her death, in 1901, just two years after her marriage, her loss was deeply mourned by a wide circle of admiring and affectionate friends. In his religious faith Mr. Krueger is a consistent member of the Lutheran church, in whose faith he was reared, and he is a liberal contributor to all kinds of philanthropical w'ork. He is a man of broad sympathy and generous im- pulses and as a business man and citizen is accorded the highest regard of all with wliom he has come in contact. Joseph M. Brasher. Judge Brasher is a Tennesseean by birth, and his journey through this changing scene was begun on March 22, 1851. His parents resided on a fai-m and their son grew up in that environ- ment, early taking a responsible part in the conduct of the home place. His parents, John L. and Jlartha Davis Brasher, were in moderate circumstances, and although they suffered somewhat from the war, they were able to give their son a fair education for that time. As he was more than ordinarily apt, and Avas fond of reading, he made the best possible use of such advantages as he enjoyed. At the age of twenty-one Mr. Brasher came to Pemiscot county and bought a farm near Cottonwood Point. Being a farmer of enterprise, he soon had acquired an estate of three hundred and twenty acres. The Judge still owns this large farm, although he and his family now reside in Caruthersville. Mr. Bra.sher had always been a consistent and ardent Democrat, and before he had been long in the county he was recognized as one of the strong men of the party. His interest in public affairs was always of tlie sort which is concerned primarily with the advancement of the general welfare and this the people were quick to recognize. The capacities in which he has served the county are many. For years he was a member of the school board, and during that time he did not merely attend the meetings and con- sider that he had fulfilled his duty, but he studied the needs of the schools and set him- self to supply them wherever possible. In 1878 he was elected justice of the peace and served for four years. At the close of this