Dr. Ludwig O. Muench, a veteran of the World war, who as a member of the Medical Corps won his captaincy while in France, and who has done important hospital work in St. Louis in addition to his extensive private practice, was born in Washington, Missouri, June 16, 1890, a son of Dr. Otto L. Muench, also a native of Missouri, and a representative of one of the old families of this state. The paternal grandfather, Ludwig Muench, came from Gottingen, Germany, in 1848, making his way direct to this state, where he resided until his death. He was a pharmacist and chemist by profession and for many years engaged in the retail drug business in St. Louis, but passed away in Washington, Missouri, in 1894, at the age of sixty-four years. His son, Dr. Otto L. Muench, was reared in this state and obtained his professional training in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he was graduated from the Miami Medical College at Cincinnati, with the class of 1888, at which time the M. D. degree was conferred upon him. Since then he has been in active and continuous medical practice in Washington, Missouri, and is recognized as one of the able representatives of the profession in that part of the state. He served as regimental surgeon at Camp Lewis, Washington, during the World war and was commissioned a captain. He married Minnie Krog, a native of Washington, Missouri, while her father was a native of Germany, but came to America in 1848-that year which brought such an influx of German settlers, who, opposing the monarchistic rulings of their native land, sought freedom in the new world. He was a machinist by trade and engaged in that business after coming to Missouri. His daughter, Mrs. Muench, is still living and by her marriage has become the mother of four children, all sons, the eldest being Dr. Muench of this review. The others are Herbert E., an X-ray specialist of St. Louis; Otto, who is an ignition expert; and Roland, a student in the Missouri State University.
Dr. Muench was educated in the public and high schools of his native city and in the University of Missouri, from which he was graduated with the Bachelor of Arts degree in 1912. Having determined upon the practice of medicine as a life work he next entered the Washington University Medical School and completed his course there in 1915. Following his graduation he served as resident physician in Mullanphy Hospital in 1915-16 and then entered upon private practice in which he engaged until March, 1918, when he entered military service. He was on duty at Base Hospital, No. 100, and at Base Hospital, No. 113, in France and was also on duty at Camp Grant prior to being sent overseas. He received his commission as first lieutenant and afterward was promoted to a captaincy while in France, where he did important service for the country in the hospitals, receiving his honorable discharge August 25, 1919. Since his return to America Dr. Muench has engaged in general practice in St. Louis and is also well known as instructor of bacteriology in the Washington University Dental College. He belongs to the St. Louis and Missouri State Medical Societies and through the proceedings of these bodies keeps in touch with the trend of modern professional thought and scientific investigation.
On the 28th of October, 1911, in Columbia, Missouri, Dr. Muench was married to Miss Nellie Tipton, a native of Bowling Green, Missouri, and later a resident of Columbia, this state. Her parents were the Rev. William M. and Mary (Moss) Tipton, the former a Baptist clergyman and both representatives of old families of this state. Dr. and Mrs. Muench have many warm friends in St. Louis, occupying an enviable social position. He finds diversion and recreation in hunting and he is a lover of instrumental music. Of the third generation of the family resident in Missouri, he is a typical son of this progressive state, actuated by a spirit of enterprise and progress not only in his profession but in all the relations of life, while as physician and surgeon he has won a most creditable place among the younger representatives of the profession in St. Louis.