John Krutchen
History of
Kentucky and Kentuckians, E. Polk Johnson, three volumes,
Lewis Publishing Co., New York & Chicago, 1912. Common version, Vol. III,
pp. 1150-51. (Campbell Co)
It would indeed be difficult to find among the citizens of the thriving town of
Dayton one who takes a truer or more active interest in its welfare than John
Krutchen, president of the Bank of Dayton, a
conservative and substantial
banking institution which he assisted in organizing in 1906 and which in the few
years of its career has achieved a
most gratifying growth.
As an efficient public servant Mr. Krutchen has a record comprising four years in the city council and eight years as mayor of the municipality. His loyalty to this section of Kentucky is not difficult to understand, for he was born on a farm in Campbell county, near Dayton, and has spent about all his life in this locality. The date of the nativity of John Krutchen was September 6, 1860, and his parents were Matt and Mary (Wagner) Krutchen.
Both of them were natives of the picturesque old city of Luxemborg [sic] in Germany, where they were reared and educated in both the French and German languages. They were already acquainted when they left their native land and their marriage was solemnized in Dayton, Kentucky, whence they came soon after crossing the Atlantic, the year of their emigration and union having been 1857. The father engaged in agriculture, and was in the prime of his life and accomplishment when he was killed in 1867 by the kick of a horse.
The mother survived
for many years, thirty-five in fact, and died in 1902 in Dayton, where many
years before she had taken up her residence. Matt Krutchen was a member of
the
Home Guards during the Civil war and participated in the Kirby Smith troubles,
his sympathies being with the Union cause. He and his wife were the
parents of six children, four of whom are still living.
John Krutchen, who was the second child of his parents,
was but seven years of age when death deprived him of his natural protector. The
widowed mother brought her young family to Dayton at an age when most boys have
little concern in life had begun to fall upon the shoulders of young John. There
was little time for schooling, and had he been passive about it John Krutchen
might have had an extremely limited education, for he was taken from the public
schools to begin the business of wage earning not only for his own support but
for contribution to the family exchequer.
Fortunately he was
zealous about learning and pieced out his interrupted mental discipline most
effectively by night attendance at the parochial schools. He is one of the
brightest examples of the self-educated and self-made man, and his career should
serve as an inspiration to those of the coming generation to whom Dame Fortune
has been chary in her gifts.
Mr. Krutchen set about learning the baker's trade and
worked at this for about nine years, assisting materially in the support of his
mother and young brothers and sisters. Eminently thrifty and industrious,
he was able in 1885 to engage in business for himself, choosing the line of
flour and feed, and making a thorough success of the enterprise of which he is
still the manager and proprietor. His interest have by no means been of a
limited character, and among them have been enrolled the Citizens' Loan and
Savings Association, which is one of the largest and most successful
organizations of its kind in the county.
For four years he was vice-president of the Citizens' Loan and Savings Association and for the past eight years has held the office of president. In 1906 he assisted in the organization of the Bank of Dayton, which opened for business on March 6 of that year, with Mr. Krutchen as president. This bank had a capital stock stock of $25,000 at the time of its organization and has since experienced a substantial growth, its deposits now being about $150,000, its surplus and profits over $8,000, and its loans and discounts $135,000, with semi-annual dividends of three per cent paid and stock quoted at one dollar and thirty-four cents.
In February, 1910, the bank of which Mr. Krutchen is the head, was housed in handsome new quarters. This is equipped with the most modern appliances in the way of safe deposit boxes and the like. Mr. Krutchen gives his support to the men and measures of the Democratic party and plays an active role in home affairs.
After serving two
four-year terms as mayor he retired from the duties of this office in
January, 1910. His fraternal relations extend to the Eagles and to the
Jackson Club, the latter a Democratic organization.
Mr. Krutchen laid the foundation of a happy married
life in 1887, on May 4th of which year he was united to Miss Anna B. Paul, a
native of Newport and the daughter of Joseph Paul, a machinist residing in that
city. Mr. and Mrs. Krutchen have two daughters, named Alma Marie and Stella
Magdaline. The family are consistent communicants of the Catholic church
of Dayton and assist in the advancement of its good works not only with their
means but with their sympathy and personal effort.