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William J. Mauthe, manufacturer of soda and mineral water, ginger ale,
etc., De Soto, bought the establishment of William Lorenz, February 18,
1885, and has since been in the business.  He has met with good success
and supplies the trade of De Soto, Hillsboro, Kimmswick, Crystal City,
Potosi and Pevely, employing three men during the summer season.  Mr.
Mauthe is a native of Pacific, Franklin Co., Mo., and was born in 1860.
He is a son of William and Susan (Kiburz) Mauthe, natives, respectively
of Wurtemberg, Germany and Switzerland.  William Mauthe was born in
1827, and about 1841 left his native country and immigrated to America,
settling first in St. Louis, where he remained until 1843.  He then
located in Pacific, Franklin County, where for the past ten years he
has been engaged in merchandising, having served as postmaster during
the war.  Mrs. Susan Mauthe was born in 1837.  She is the mother of
ten children, of whom seven are living: August, Annie, William J.,
Louisa (wife of Charles Hufschmidt), Louis, Clara and John.  William J.
Mauthe received his education in Pacific, and at the German Institute
in St. Louis.  From the time he was fourteen until twenty years of age
he was engaged in news dealing, the jeweler business, and ran a small
printing office.  In partnership with his brother, August, in 1882, he
established the manufacturing of soda water in Pacific, selling his 
interest to his brother in 1884, and establishing his present business
in De Soto.  December 1, 1886, he married Miss Mary, daughter of Daniel
Schafer, who was born in South St. Louis, in 1867.  They have one child
Annie Adalie.  In politics Mr. Mauthe is a Republican.  He is a member
of the A. O. U. W.