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Below is a family biography included in the book, The History of Lewis County, Missouri published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1887.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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Louis F. Koch, merchant, was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, November 7, 1844. He was ten years old when they came to Muscatine, Iowa. They moved to Scott County, Minn., in 1856, and three years later came to Canton. They remained there until March, 1864, and since then have been in La Grange. At the opening of the war he joined Company A, Second Regiment Northeastern Missouri Volunteers, and served as aide to Col. Woodyard, and was mustered out in January, 1862. He served as city clerk of La Grange in the years 1865-66 and 1876-77-78. He has also been an alderman and notary public since 1867. From 1866 to 1868 he was enrolling clerk of the State Senate, and from 1868 to 1870 was also house clerk of the committee on internal improvements, and senate clerk of the committees on ways and means, banks and incorporations, and internal improvements. In 1871—72 he was house clerk of the committee on accounts. He was city attorney of La Grange in 1870, and mayor in 1882-83. In all this time he has been in the general merchandise and real estate trade. In November, 1869, he married Elizabeth Werly, a native of La Grange. They had seven children, but four are now deceased. His wife died June 3, 1884. William, the father, was treasurer of Canton, and also had a fine mercantile trade there until 1864. He then came to La Grange in the same business, and also engaged in the fruit, vineyard and wholesale wine business until his death February 15, 1880. The mother, Catharine (Goll) Koch, died July 30, 1884. The father was a prominent member of the A. O. O. D., K. of H., A. O. U. W. and I. O. M. A.

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This family biography is one of 293 biographies included in the Lewis County, Missouri portion of the book,  The History of Lewis, Clark, Knox and Scotland Counties, Missouri published in 1887.  For the complete description, click here: Lewis County, Missouri History, Genealogy, and Maps

View additional Lewis County, Missouri family biographies here: Lewis County, Missouri Biographies

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