AUGUSTUS U. LUX. There are few residents of Princeton Township whose prosperity is marked by more definite and convincing terms than that of Augustus U. Lux. At the outset of his career Mr. Lux had none of those resources such as capital and influential friends, and was compelled to rely entirely upon what he had within himself-character, honesty, industry, and a judgment which was soon developed by experience. In early life he had vicissitudes and crosses, but now for thirty years or more has been traveling the center of the road to prosperity, and without any conspicuous deviation therefrom. His family is one of the oldest represented in Northwest Indiana. His parents were Peter and Christina (Fox) Lux. Peter Lux was born January 11, 1809, in the Province of Lorain, which only a few years before had been transferred from German sovereignty to the French Empire by the great Napoleon. However, Peter Lux was of Teuton family and grew up with an education in both the French and German languages. Very early in his career he emigrated to America and in 1830 located at Logansport, Indiana, becoming one of the earliest settlers along the Wabash in Cass County. He was married after coming to Logansport. By trade he was a blacksmith, but for many years followed farming. A few years after his location in Cass County he was detailed to take charge of a party of Indians when the red men were being removed from the country around Peru and Logansport to their homes west of the Mississippi. In this work he was under the command of General Tipton and Doctor Fitch and made three separate trips with his charges. Later he saw active service in the war against Mexico in 1846-48, serving with the cavalry. He was a man of no little prominence in Cass County during the early days, and for eight years served as deputy sheriff. In politics he was a democrat. In 1862 Peter Lux moved out to Piatt County, Illinois, locating on a farm near Bement. While in Illinois he served as a constable and justice of the peace. He was a Catholic by training and by faith until a few years before his death, when he joined a Protestant Church. He died in Illinois and was buried in Bement Cemetery, in Piatt County, passing away May 14, 1902, at the age of ninety-three years, four months, three days. He and his wife became the parents of thirteen children. Those now living are named Peter, Henry F., Martin E„ Mrs. Louisa Bogue, Augustus U., Harvey A., Mrs. Katie Bauman. Those deceased are Mary, John, Jacob, Mrs. Susan Myers, Charles and Nicholas. It was in the city of Logansport, Indiana, that Augustus U. Lux was born, March 27, 1861. In infancy his father removed to Illinois and he grew to manhood in Piatt County. At the age of twenty-two he returned to Logansport to enter the employ of his brother, John, in the wholesale and retail grocery" business. He was with his brother four years, fifteen days. He then married Alice Sidenbender, a daughter of George and Mary (Hoover) Sidenbender of Carroll County, Indiana. After his marriage he removed to Piatt County, Illinois, took up farming on the old homestead, but within a year his wife died and after this loss he became dissatisfied with farming and returned to Logansport. Here he was once more in the employ of his brother four months, and from there moved to Seafield in White County and bought the only store of that village from John G. Kerlin. This was in 1886, and after conducting the store nineteen months he sold out to G. L. Schlademan, and returned to Logansport. For eight years Mr. Lux was a traveling salesman, at first for his brother and later for the firm of Marion Collins Company of Chicago. At Seafield, in White County, December 1, 1887, Mr. Lux married Miss Anna Hinchman, daughter of William Hinchman, one of the prominent pioneers of Princeton Township. To this marriage were born five children. The sons, Verdent and Fred, are associated together in the grocery and fire insurance business at Wolcott, and Verdent married Mabel Watson while Fred's wife was Estella Keck, and they have a child, named Jean. The other three children are Ola, Floyd B. and Helen, all living at home. Ola received her diploma from the public schools, also graduated from the Wolcott High School, and is now a member of the class of 1916 in the Woman's College, at Jacksonville, Illinois. She is a member of the Baptist Church, as are also all the children. Floyd B. received his diploma from the public schools, and has eight honor rolls for promptness, never having been tardy, and is now in the first year of the Wolcott High School. Helen is a member of the seventh grade of the common schools. Since 1888 Mr. Lux and family have resided in Wolcott, with the exception of one year spent at Royal Center, Indiana. During all this time he has been esteemed for his substantial civic qualities as well as his business enterprise. As a democrat he has served three terms as justice of the peace, and for a number of years has been a trustee of the Baptist Church, to which both he and his wife belong. He is affiliated with Wolcott Lodge No. 180, F. & A. M., of which he is past master, and with the royal arch chapter at Monticello. He and his wife are members of Wolcott Chapter No. 171 of the Order of Eastern Star, in which Mrs. Lux served as worthy matron two years. On giving up his business as a traveling man Mr. Lux entered the road contracting business, with headquarters at Wolcott. That was his chief work from about 1898 to 1906. and in that time he was associated with Robert F. Dobbins and George M. Cheney in the construction of the Charles E. Thrasher macadam road, a system aggregating in length 24 miles, 311 feet, all in Princeton Township. Mr. Lux had the active charge and the entire superintendence of this important piece of road building, which required 433 days to complete. Following this he was engaged in the building of concrete arches and bridges in Sullivan and Greene counties, Indiana, and fulfilled several large contracts there. Mr. Lux was in the grocery business at Wolcott up to two years ago, at which time lie retired from merchandising, and has since devoted his time to the handling of real estate and loans and the active supervision of his extensive farms. His holdings in White County comprise 140 acres, besides 192 acres in Cass County, while in Central Missouri lie has 440 acres and 360 acres in Kearney County. Kansas. Thus, at the middle stage of life, Mr. Lux finds himself situated high above the line of want, and with promise of many years of usefulness before him.

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