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Below is a family biography included in Biographical Record of Oakland County, Michigan published by Biographical Publishing Company in 1903. 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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John Kurz, who may well be named as one of the most prosperous and most widely known farmers of this county, resides on his beautiful and finely cultivated farm of 195 acres in Farmington township, Oakland County, Michigan. He was born in Prussia, Germany, in 1837, and is a son of Henry Kurz and wife, who both died in Germany.
John Kurz came to America in 1857 and located in West Bloomfield township, Oakland County, Michigan, engaging to work for farmers in that and Commerce townships. Carefully saving his earnings he was finally enabled to purchase in Commerce township a farm of 240 acres which he sold in 1889 and then purchased a farm of 96 3/4 acres in section 7, Farmington township; to this nucleus of his present farm, he has since added 80 acres in the same section and 18 acres in section 18. On this farm Mr. Kurz is engaged in general farming and fruit culture. He is enterprising and full of energy, and his success in life has been brought about wholly through his own efforts.
Mr. Kurz was married in Ohio in 1870 to Harriet Lepley. They have five children, namely: Henry, born in 1871; John, born in 1873; William, born in 1876, who was married to Emma Rinous, July 21, 1903: Frederick, and Martha, all residing at home. Mr. Kurz is a Presbyterian in his religious connections, and uniformly votes the Republican ticket.
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This family biography is one of numerous biographies included in the Biographical Record of Oakland County, Michigan published in 1903.
View additional Oakland County, Michigan family biographies here: Oakland County, Michigan Biographies
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