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Otto Herman, contractor and builder, dealer in and manufacturer of 
brick, De Soto, was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, in 1842, and is the
second of eight children born to Conrad and Margaret (Kemmel) Herman,
who were born, respectively, in 1818 and 1821.  Conrad Herman was also
a contractor and builder by trade.  Otto Herman served an apprenticeship 

of three years at the brick and stone mason's trade, and the following 

two years worked as a journeyman.  When twenty-one years of age he was 

drafted in the regular army, and served three years.  In 1867 he 

immigrated to America, for a short time followed his trade in St. Louis, 

Mo., but in the fall of the same year he located in De Soto, where he 

resumed the trade.  The following year he commenced contracting and 

building, and in 1873 began the manufacture of brick, which he has since 

continued, manufacturing on an average 500,000 per annum, for which he 

receives $6.50 per thousand; altogether he has manufactured about 

7,500,000 brick.  He has erected nearly all the brick dwelling and 

business houses of De Soto, among the most prominent being the public 

school building, opera house and machine shops.  He is a skillful workman 

and an energetic business man.  In 1870 he married Miss Margaret Flank, 

daughter of Phillip and Catherine Flank.  Mrs. Herman is a native of 

Germany, and was born in 1851, coming to the United States when five 

years of age.  To Mr. and Mrs. Herman five children have been born: Clara, 

Otto, Emma, Charles and George.  Mr. Herman is a Knight of Pythias.