Herman Busch

Herman, Hermann and Minnie's third child, was born November 10, 1893,   in Bruning, Nebraska. Herman grew up in Bruning where his father was a farmer and stockman. At age 23 Herman married Ruth Bowman (born September 12, 1895) on November 11, 1916.
 

Herman Busch's Confirmation in 1906

Herman and Ruth in 1956

Herman, along with older brother Louis, ran a butcher shop in Mason City for a few years before he began farming the "Copper Place" seven miles north of Mason City, Illinois.

While farming there, Herman and Ruth had four children, Julia Ruth, born September 11, 1917, in Mason City, IL; Kenneth Howard, born May 17, 1919, in Mason City, IL; Wilma Eileen, born May 8, 1920 in Mason City, IL, and Robert Earl, born November 30, 1921, in San Jose, IL.

Around 1926 Herman began working for J. I. Case Company. Less than two years later he was transferred to Macomb, Illinois. In 1929 he was transferred to Urbana, Illinois. Shortly thereafter the banks began closing (the Great Depression Era) and Herman's job was eliminated. He moved his family back to Mason City where they lived in Ruth's parents' home. Herman managed the local Larkin grocery store there.

In the late 1940s Herman began working for the IRS (Internal Revenue Service) where he stayed until his retirement. After his retirement from the IRS, he worked privately preparing tax returns. He began raising bird dogs and training them for field trials. His dogs won many prizes and Herman was known as Mister Bird Dog.

Herman went bird hunting all his life, shooting his last two pheasants when he was 84. He fished many of Illinois' lakes and streams. After his children moved away, Ruth became his faithful fishing partner.

Ruth was an accomplished pianist and enjoyed playing until she was 87. All her adult life she belonged to a literary society in Mason City. She was an avid reader and wrote her children at least weekly whenever they lived outside of Illinois. She also loved quilting with other women in Mason City and they worked together for many years on their quilts.
 

Wilma, Kenneth, Bob, Julia, Ruth and Herman in 1957

Ruth, Kenneth, Herman, Harry Bluhm, Wilma, Susan Busch; Jennifer Bluhm, Juliana Bluhm, Julia, Sara Bush in 1965

Herman in 1978

Herman died September 18, 1985, in Lincoln, IL at age 91. Ruth died June 16, 1985 in Lincoln, IL, at age 89
 
 
 

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Herman's children: Julia. Kenneth. Wilma. Robert