John William Kohus

1880-1917

John William Kohus born 17 Sep 1880 in Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio. He was the son of Louis Kohus 1858-1907 and Julia E. Elbrey 1860-1945. He was the eldest of his siblings, Veronica 1881-1883, Herbert Bernard 1886-1969 and Alma 1890-1981. When John was still a child, his parents moved from Cincinnati to Addyston, Ohio, a small village just a few miles west of Cincinnati along the Ohio River. That is where John's mother and father ran a boarding house. When he was about 29 years old he was the proprietor of his own Saloon business, the "John Kohus' Cafe" located at 1215 Main St. in Cincinnati. His brother Herbert B. Kohus Sr. worked there tending bar.

John married Mary Schaefer 1882-1959, the daughter of John Shaffer and Bertha. They had a daughter, Loretta S. Kohus 1902-1962. John Kohus died of Tuberculosis on 28 May 1917 in Cincinnati. His wife Mary continued to run the business until about 1919, though after John died, she  was listed in the Cincinnati Williams Directory as selling soft drinks from this location. John's brother Herbert left the business some time after John's death and went to work for the Cincinnati Street Railway Company as a street car conductor. When I (Mike Kohus) was growing up, my grandfather (Herbert B Kohus Sr) always spoke fondly of his memories growing up in Addyston and how him and Johnny would race on horse back seeing which was the fastest. He also told stories of working in the saloon with John and the poker games and gambling that would occur there. John William Kohus died on 28 May 1917 in Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio (#210). Mary (Shaffer) Kohus died on 13 Aug 1959 in Cincinnati. John William Kohus and wife Mary (Schaefer) Kohus are buried in St. Mary Cemetery, Cincinnati, Ohio. Photo left - John William Kohus (photo from funeral card)

THE SUHOK CLUB

(driver) John William Kohus  (back 3rd from rear) Herbert Bernard Kohus Sr. 1886-1969

The people in the truck represent the SUHOK CLUB. SUHOK is the name KOHUS spelled backwards. The name of the club is written on the back of the photo. The club was probably organized at John Kohus' Cafe. I believe this photo was taken from the front of the business looking across the street. The SUHOK CLUB was a baseball team, but I don't know if the club  had other functions. The truck is a Packard.

John's brother Herbert Kohus Sr. standing in front of John's Saloon on Main Street in Cincinnati, Ohio.  (circa between 1907-1917)

St. Mary Cemetery, Cincinnati, Ohio