Bio of Kuehn, Lucas (b.1834) Wabasha Co., MN
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This bio comes from "HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY" 1884.
Check out Barbara's site for more great information on this book:
http://www.rootsweb.com/~mnwabbio/wab1.htm
There are also some pictures and information from descendents for some 
of the bios on her pages.

Kuehn, Lucas, general merchant, corner Main and Alleghaney streets. Mr.
Kuehn has been a resident of the county since 1855, a resident of the city
since 1858, and one of it business men since 1862, at which date he
established a bakery, and two years later, abandoning that branch of
business, engaged in drygoods trade, which he has now successfully
conducted for twenty years. His block, two store-rooms of which are
occupied with stock, fronts sixty feet on Main street and eighty feet on
Allegheney. It is a solid brick and stone structure, two stories and
basement, the upper story occupied for offices, storage, and the composing
and editorial rooms of the Wabasha "Herald." He has also a branch store
about sixteen miles from the city in Glasgow township. The corner building
of the block was erected in 1868, the forty feet on the west in 1874. In
1879 Mr. Kuehn erected the Commercial Hotel corner of Main and Bailly
street, which will be more particularly noted elsewhere. He is also
president of the Wabasha bank, and in every way, as a liberal and
public-spirited citizen, has fully identified himself with the interests
of the city. Mr. Kuehn reports a gratifying increase of trade over that of
1882, sales in his clothing department being twenty-five to fifty per cent
in advance of previous season. His establishment gives employment to a
force of from six to eight clerks, and one wagon for the delivery of
goods. He is also engaged in furnishing ties and timber for the Chicago,
Milwaukee & St. Paul railway, his contracts averaging about one thousand
dollars per month for the past ten or twelve months. Mr. Kuehn is a native
of Baden, Germany, born October 18, 1834, came to America in 1852, and
three years later settled in this city. He married Miss Clarrie Genthner
of his native city, born there December 8, 1840. Marriage celebrated in
this city November 30, 1858. Their children are Magdalena, born November
23, 1861; Louisa, July 11, 1866; Emil, November 27, 1868; Clara, August
16, 1871; Frank, April 17, 1877.
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This bio comes from "HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY" 1920.
Check out Barbara's site for more great information on this book:
http://www.rootsweb.com/~mnwabbio/wab3.htm
There are also some pictures and information from descendents for some 
of the bios on her pages.

Kuehn, Lucas (page 380), founder of the Kuehn Mercantile company, one of
the largest and most important business enterprises in Wabasha, which he
is still operating, is a favorable type of the "self-made" man, having
risen from comparative poverty to a high position in the business world
through his own exertions and the exercise of sound judgment. He was born
in Baden, Germany, October 18, 1834, son of Michael and Cordelia (Bauman)
Kuehn, his father being a linen weaver by occupation. In 1852 the family
emigrated to the United States, settling first in Ohio, where they resided
for three years. Lucas, who was 18 years old when he arrived in this
country, found employment at ore mining, and showed such ability and close
attention to his duties that in a year and a half, though still very
young, he was made foreman, his father and brothers working under him. In
1855 the family made another removal, setting out with the intention of
going to St. Paul by way of Dubuque, to which latter place they journeyed
overland, and there took passage for their ultimate destination on an
up-river steamer. While on the boat, however, the father heard that it
would be impossible to procure a house in S. Paul, so he, with his wife
and children, left the boat at Read's Landing, just above Wabasha. That
night, the night of May 12, 1855, they spent on a woodpile, being unable
to find shelter. Early the next morning Lucas found employment, being
engaged to run log rafts down the Mississippi to Dubuque and other points,
and saying goodbye to the other members of the family, left for down the
river. At that employment he spent one season, and for the next two worked
on board a river boat under Capt. James. In September, 1858, being as yet
unmarried, he settled in Wabasha, and built a cheap house on a site near
the location of the present Wabasha Hospital. In this house he took up his
residence with a sister, and for a few years subsequently followed various
occupations. In 1862 he laid the foundation stone of his present
prosperity by building an oven and starting a bakery, selling his wares
from a rented room opposite his bakeshop. His capital, when he began this
enterprise, consisted of a five-dollar gold piece, with which he purchased
his first supply of flour, his pans and dishes being obtained on credit.
Two years later, in 1864, he disposed of his bakery and entered into the
dry goods and grocery business, in which he made good progress, so that in
1868 he was able to erect a substantial two-story brick and stone building
on the corner of Main and Alleghany streets, having a front of 20 feet on
the former and 80 feet on the latter thoroughfare. In that store, as it
then stood, he did business until 1874, when he enlarged it by building an
addition of 40 feet on the east, which addition with the original building
constitutes his present place of business, the largest store in Wabasha.
The upper story of the block has long been occupied by attorneys and
physicians and the editorial and composing rooms of the Wabasha Herald. As
early as 1883 Mr. Kuehn employed eight clerks, while since then the growth
of his business has been impressive, if not phenomenal; and, though now in
his eighty- fifth year, he guides it with a firm and sure hand, ably
assisted by his son-in-law, Henry Schwedes. At the early period above
mentioned, Mr. Kuehn, besides conducting his store, furnished from a tract
of 640 acres of timber land that he owned across the river in Buffalo
County, Wisconsin, thousands of ties, with timber and wood, to the
Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway, operating portable mills on the
land, and teaming the product to the railroad site in West Wabasha. A
number of years ago Mr. Kuehn was made president of the First National
Bank, but the pressing demands of his other business interests caused him
to resign that position at the end of two years. In the early eighties,
seeing the need of a good hotel for the city, he built the Commercial
Hotel on the corner of Main and Bailley streets, a house of 40 rooms,
which is still standing and in good condition, and which is now held by
other parties on a lease. It was by means of such quick observation and
foresight, and readiness to take advantage of a good opportunity, that he
steadily advanced his fortunes, at the same time rendering a service to
his fellow citizens and helping to promote the general prosperity. Through
all his successes, however, he has remained modest and unostentatious,
being satisfied to do things without the blare of trumpets, except when
publicity was necessary to accomplish the desired results. In such cases
the publicity has been given to the enterprise to be advances, his own
personality being kept as much as possible in the background. In politics
he has never been a strong party man, preferring to support the best
candidate regardless of party affiliations. Religiously he was reared a
Catholic, but long since ceased church attendance. He has, however, been
liberal in the support of all churches and the worthy causes set on foot
by them. He is a charter member of Teutonic Lodge, No. 19, I.O.O.F., of
Wabasha. Also a member of the Rebeccas. Mr. Kuehn was married Nov. 30,
1858, to Clara Guenthner, who was born in Baden, Germany, December 8,
1840, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Theo. Guenthner, and whom he saw in Baden
when she was eight years of age. She had come to this country in 1855 with
one sister, the parents being already here. After a married life of over
58 years, the happiness of which was tempered only by the loss of several
of her children, she died in Wabasha, September 8, 1917. The children of
Mr. and Mrs. Henry Kuehn were as follows: Louise, born in 1859, who died
in childhood; Mary Magdaline, born November 23, 1861, who became the wife
of Henry Schwedes, and died in Wabasha May 12, 1918; Julia, born July 13,
1863, now deceased; Louise (second), born July 11, 1866, now Mrs. J.
Achenbach, of Wabasha; Emil, born November 27, 1868, who is practicing
dentistry in Wabasha; Clara, born August 16, 1871, who is the wife of
William Burg, a banker of Portland, Ore.; and Frank, born April 17, 1873,
who is a practicing dentist in Minneapolis, Minn.