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CHARLES C. HUTHMACHER. With the element of moral uplift which has been introduced into politics has come an appreciation of the civic value of those men who through years of conservative business connections have proven their worth and stability. The government of a city, county or nation must be conducted upon sound business principles to attain to best results. Those organizations which have effected the best reforms are those in charge of reliable business men. The Hon. Charles C. Huthmacher has rendered his county and community yeomen service in several of the highest offices within the bestowal of his people and at the same time has discharged with distinguished capability the onerous duties of chief executive of one of the soundest banking institutions of Southern Illinois. Both as business man and public official Mr. Huthmacher has shown exceptional ability, sturdy integrity and a high moral sense, and no man in this section stands higher in the esteem of his associates than he. Mr. Huthmacher was born December 25, 1859, at Central City, Illinois, and is a son of Charles F. and Josephine (Lienert) Huthmacher.

Charles F. Huthmacher was born at Baden, Province of Baden, Prussia, in 1834, and on first locating in the United States took up his residence in Central City, Illinois, where he remained for some years, later going to Sandoval. In 1869 he gave up his farming interests in the latter community and engaged in the butcher business at Grand Tower, where his death occurred September 25, 1875, in the faith of the Episcopal church. In political matters he was a Democrat. He married Josephine Lienert, who was born in Zurich, Switzerland, and came to the United States when a child, and they had a family of nine children, of whom seven are now living: Charles C.; A. J.; Louise, who is the wife of E. A. G'sell; George; Julia; Josephine and Adeline. Mrs. Huthmacher survives her husband and makes her home at Murphysboro.

Charles C. Huthmacher was reared on his fathers farm at Sandoval until he was ten years of age, at which time he came to Grand Tower and entered the public schools. When he was sixteen years old he completed his studies and began to work in his father's butchering establishment, but eventually returned to farming, in which he has been more or less interested to the present time. In 1895 he entered the mercantile business at Grand Tower, and in 1905, at the time of the organization of the First National Bank, he was made its president, a position which he still occupies. Mr. Huthmacher has been one of the leading Democrats of this section since attaining his majority. When only twenty-one years of age he was elected to the office of city treasurer, during the four years following 1890 served as sheriff of Jackson county, and from 1903 to 1911 acted as mayor of Grand Tower, bringing to his administration the same sound and energetic principles that made

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him successful in the business and financial fields. During the time he served as chief executive many needed reforms were made here, and his whole service was one that proved he had the public's welfare at heart. For a number of years he has been a well known member of the Masons and the Elks.

On September 20, 1889, Mr. Huthmacher was married to Miss Emma A. Schultz, of Grand Tower, a daughter of C. Schultz, the well known merchant, and two children have been born to them: Mabel and Ralph.