BIOGRAPHIES 
George Puchta, was born in Cincinnati on April 8, 1860, and died at the age of 77, in Manilla, Phillipines, on April 18, 1937. His body was returned to Cincinnati in May and placed at Spring Grove Cementary. His daughter, his wife and then his son died before him. Mr. Puchta's sole surviving kin, four grandchildren, were Lawrence J. and Georganna Puchta of 3423 Moonery avenue and Margaret and Frances Knight.
Puchta said as a Cincinnati boy, he "thrived on hard work." At 14, he had his first job in J. G. Fuller's wholesale house, which dealt in shop machinery and tanners' supplies. He said he received $4 a week and gave all of it to his mother. In 1881, he started work as a book-keeper with the Post & Co. In 1890, Mr. Puchta (then 30 years old) was ready to go into business for himself. He had saved $4000 and with his friend, Frank X. Pund (who also had $4000) bought a mill supply business from the company and went heavily into debt for it. The Puchta, Pund Co. was almost immediately successful. In 1904 Mr. Pund sold his interest to Mr. Puchta and the business, reorganized, became the Queen City Supply Co. In 1892, Puchta, Dr. Alfred Springer and Henry Rikhoff were appointed water works trustees by Mayor McNeill. Puchta was president of the Norwood Orchestra in 1894 (and probably other years) and was one of three 1st violins in that orchestra. Later, he moved back to Cincinnati and was Mayor of that city from 1916-17. The 1900 Census had the following information about the Puchta family: Geo. Puchta was born in Ohio in April, 1860. His parents were born in Germany. His business was in "railway supplies." He owned his home free of mortgage (probably 2257 Madison Avenue, on the south side of that street, at the 2nd house east of Ashland Avenue). He had been married for 14 years to Anna M., who was born in Kentucky in August, 1863. Her father was born in Germany and her mother was born in Ohio. They had two children: Ella A. and Lawrence G., both born in Ohio. Ella was born in May, 1890, and Lawrence was born in January, 1895. Ella was attending school. Living at the Puchta home was Sophia Kohler(?), a servant. She probably did housework for the family. Miss Kohler was born in September, 1874, in Ohio of German-born parents. Everyone in the household, except Lawrence–because of his age–was listed as being able to read, write and speak English.
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| TIME LINE FOR GEORGE PUCHTA |
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|---|---|---|
| 1860 (April 8) | Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, at Pearl & Pike Streets. | |
| 1874 | First job at the age of 14 with J. C. Fuller, machine business. He made $4 a week, which he gave to his mother. | |
| 1881 | Starting as a book-keeper for Post & Co. | |
| 1886 | Married Kentucky-born, Anna M. |
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| —— NORWOOD RESIDENCE STARTS HERE —— | ||
| 1889 | Puchta has a home built on Madison Avenue, Norwood. The address would later be given as 2257 Madison Avenue. The property consisted of lot 224 and parts of lots 233 and 193, which the Puchta's had acquired earlier. | |
| 1890 | He and partner F. X. Pund buy the supply business of Post & Co. and renamed it Puchta-Pund Company, and later Queen City Supply Company | |
| 1890 (May) | First child, Ella A., is born | |
| 1892 | Appointed a Norwood Water Works Trustee | |
| 1894 | President of the Norwood Orchestra | |
| 1895 (January) | Second child, Lawrence G., is born | |
| 1904 (January) | The Puchta's sold their Madison Avenue home and moved to a nearby house at the corner of Madison and Ashland Avenues, which was owned by a Mr. Wickersham. | |
| —— NORWOOD RESIDENCE ENDS HERE —— | ||
| 1906 (January) | The Puchta's had a home built at 4039 Rose Hill Avenue in Avondale, where they lived until their children married and started their own households. | |
| 1914 (June 29) | Mr. Puchta was appointed a member of the Rapid Transit Commission. | |
| 1915 (November 2) | Mr. Puchta won the Cincinnati Mayor election over Charles Sawyer by about 22,000 votes, the largest Republican victory in the city's history at that time. | |
| 1916-17 | Mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio | |
| 1937 (April 18) | Died in Manilla, Phillipines, at the age of 77, while on a cruise with his friend, George F. Dieterle | |
BIOGRAPHIES