John C. Buhs. One of the sound, substantial men and successful general farmers and stock raisers of Champaign County is found in John C. Buhs, who is located in section 33, Urbana Township. Mr. Buhs is one of the heavy landowners of this section and his finely improved farm extends also into sections 34 and 21, all in Urbana Township.
John C. Buhs was born in the village of Baritz, in the province of Mecklenburg, Germany, September 11, 1847. His parents were Carl and Fredricka (Raforth) Buhs. His father died in Germany and the mother continued to live there until John C., her only child, was nineteen years of age. She was a wise and farseeing woman and not only consented when he proposed seeking better opportunities in America, but agreed to accompany him. They reached the United States safely and found a home to please them in Fairfield County, Ohio. There John C. Buhs engaged in farming and continued until the spring of 1876. In the meanwhile, on September 23, 1870, Mr. Buhs was married to Fredricka Albright, and on March 10, 1876, they came to Champaign County, Illinois, and lived at Philo until the fall of 1887, Mr. Buhs all the time keeping himself employed in agricultural pursuits.
In 1893 Mr. Buhs bought 240 acres of land in Urbana Township and since then has kept adding to his possessions until he now has 480 acres, all finely cultivated and well improved. Mr. Buhs devotes this large body of land to crop raising and to stock raising, finding a ready market for all his land can be made to yield. He has always set an example of industry and his large amount of property has been acquired in the way of hard work.
Mr. and Mrs. Buhs have four children, namely: Frank C., who is his father’s right hand man on the home farm; Herman H., who is a farmer in Urbana Township; Edward E., who resides at home; and Anna Fredricka, who is the wife of John Krumm, and they have a little four-year old daughter named Marie. Mr. Buhs and his family belong to the German Lutheran Church. He belongs to no political party but, nevertheless, always casts his vote, and it is for a candidate who has won his approval because of his honesty and his fearlessness in doing the will of the people. As for himself, Mr. Buhs has never accepted any public office, finding his time sufficiently occupied in looking after his own affairs. He is known all over the county and is everywhere respected.