Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-11-22
HERMAN EOUNTzE IS DEAD
Pioneer and Leader in Omaha Commercial
Life Dies in New York,
BODY WILL Be BRVuOHT TO THIS CITY
only HE Devoted wife r. with Him
when Death, Unexpected De-
spite Ions Illness,
Occurs

Occurs
Herman Kountze aged a. a pioneer and
one Of the wealthiest, men OF Omaha died
suddenly at o'clock Tuesday night at Wat
kins Glen, ~ Y, where he had gone about
two months ago for his health. He had
been sick for nearly two years, but his
death was unexpected, and only his
wife was present at his bedside Mr..
kountze vas president of the First Ma
tional bank. member OF the firm Of
Kountze Bros. of New York and Denver
and one of the largest owners Of real es-
tate in Omaha.
a telegram was received by Charles T.
Kountze. assistant cashier Of the First Ma
tional bank and a son of Mr. Kountzc,
from Augustus f Kountze another son.
who is manager Of the New York house,
stating that Mr.. Kountze had died sud
denly at Watkins Glen and that he had
left for that place and would bring the
body to Omaha in company with Mrs.
Kountze. Further particulars as to the
cause, of the sudden death of the eminent
f1nancier have not been received by, any
members of the family in Omaha, hut u is
believed that death was due from ailments
Incident to old age. .f
Mrs. Kountze went TO Watkins Glen last
fall, engaged a sutc Of rooms at the
Glen Springs and was soon followed By
her husband. who intended to take the
treatment at the hotel for few months
and then go TO Hampton Terrace, a south
ern winter resort, to spend the remainder
Of the winter. Mrs. John T. Stewart of
Omaha a daughter Of Mr.. Kountze, spent
some time at the Glen with her father and
mother aud returned to Omaha last Thurs
day. At that time Mr. Kountze was greatly
improved so her presence was no longer
needed.
Hardening of Arteries.
For several years Mr.. Kountze had been
troubled with a hardening OF the walls Of
the arteries and his death can probably be
traced to this affection.
Herman Kountze was one Of a family Of
five sons and FIVE daughters of Christian
Kountze. who emigrated 10 this country
from saxony when youth and settled at
Osnaburg o., and was engaged in mercan-
tile pursuits in that city until his death.
Herman and Augustus Kountze who have
been associated together in nearly all the
business Affairs Of the Arm. received their
early training in their fathers store at
Osnaburg, and most thorough training it
was.
! The elder brother, Augustus, came to
/ Omaha first and being impressed with the
4 opportunities OF the country was followed
/ by Herman In the fall OF 1896, when the
4 two tbrothers acquired considerable land
at various Missouri river towns, none of
which proved profitable investment. how
ever. except that qt Omaha In 1857 they
established tho banking firm OF Ropntze
Bros, Just after the great. panic OF that
year, and erected a. small story and a. tafi
frame structure at the corner of Twelfth
and Forpap streets, where the Nebraska
National hank now stands. on the win
dows Of this unpretentious structure were
| the signs: Gold dust and government
vouchers bought and sold"
! y few years later the business of the
firm warranted IT'S occupying more COM
inodious quarters. and a larger building
was erected on the corner Of Thirteenth
and Farnam streets, the, present site of the
First National bank In 1856 this building
was torn down and the present magnificent
structure erected.
Change I'm the Firm.
The firm Of Kountze Bros. went out OF
existence. In Omaha when the First Ma
tional bank was organized August 26. 1855
with Edward Creighton as president and
Herman Kountze cashier. Upon the doatf
OF Mr.. Creighton in 1874 Mr.. Kountze was
elected president, which position he occu.
pied at the time of his death
With the assistance OF Luther and Au,
gustus Kountze the firm of Kountze Bros
was established in New York and has
grown to be one of the most potential fac
tors in the financial world. The business
handled by the New York branch. increased
so rapidly and 70 such an extent that fl
IL
Kountzo TO leave Omaha and assume per.
sonaI direction Of the affairs of the New
York concern, Two sons of Herman
Kountze.-Augustus r. and Herman Oar,
employed in this hank.
In addition to his many other financia
interests Mr.. Kountze organized bank a
Denver In 1862. He was the owner Of &
great portion OF the choice residence realt,
Of Omaha having bought a tract OF Is
acres now known as the Kountze addition
in the northern part of the city. He wa,
also Interested in railroads, being one OF IN,
original owners Of the Omaha & North
western, which Is now q part Of the Chi
cago, Minneapolis. St Paul & Omaha road
He owns many shares of stock OF tn
Union stock Yards company OF soutl
Omaha and also large tracts OF land Il
Iowa, Minnesota and Texas.
Marriage and Family.
Mr. Kountze married Elizabeth Davis O
Omaha on May 10, 1854, and four sons an,
two daughters were born Of the marriage
all OF whom are living. Augustus f. an,
Herman D. Rountze are in New York an,
Charles 7. Kountze and Luther L. Kountz
are assistant cashiers at the First Natioua
bank and reside In Omaha. One of tb
daughters, Mrs. Meredith Nicholson, wifi
4
apOlis and the other daughter, Mrs. JON
T. Stewart lives in Omaha The forme
Mrs. Kountze died many years ago an
MIR. Kountze married Mrs. Cotton in 1855
II is expected the body will ar
rive here Thursday or Friday and that tn
funeral will be held at the Konntze Me
rnn,.ial church which rs nnmed In hnrnr q