Looking for information on two businesses that were in Palestine, Crawford Co, Ill. Houpt Bakery and Houpt Cutters which has moved to Olney, Ill.

I grew up in Palestine, IL and remember well going down onto Main Street in the 200 south block on the west side of the street to Houpt Bakery. This would be in the late 1940's and 1950's. We would go on Saturday especially and stand outside the window where we could see Mr. Houpt frying the donuts in the basement area. We would wait until the donuts were dipped in the icing and then take HOT donuts home for breakfast. He ran the business with his wife, Ruth. I can't remember his first names. The basement of the store was a large room where the Business and Professional Women met monthly or where large group gathering would occur for various clubs. It was the only large area for meetings in those days except for the school gymnasium. My father, Dr. John Taylor, is 92 in December and is close to the oldest resident of the town and was born and raised there. His mind is still pretty sharp for historical items and I will try to find out what he can remember. I think that the bakery closed probably in the early 60's. I have no recollection of Houpt Cutters.

Mary,

Thank You for your efforts and your fathers. I have had people tell me that Houpt Cutters was an offshoot of the bakery, but no one seems to know for sure. This is not my direct family line, however I would like to find out where it ties in.

My grandfather, Donald M. Houpt built the bakery building on Main Street in 1924? and operated the bakery for about 20 years, when my father, James, took over. The bakery was closed in 1956. In the process of operating the bakery, Don Houpt also designed a revolving donut cutter, essentially cutters mounted on a wheel and expanded that design to produce a variety of bakery products. Upon his death in 1966, the business transferred to his brother, Burl, and Burl's son Kenny in Olney, who had previously run a small foundary that produced the castings. Kenny owns and operates the busness now.

There was a Henry Hummel who owned a bakery in Robinson, Illinois in the 1920s. His sons, Arthur and Roland Hummel were also involved in the bakery business. Because my uncle remembers them as being very successful, the business could have been there for a long time. Do you have any information about them?

Sorry, No I do not have any info about them.

My Grandmother was Hallie M Houpt, sister to Donald Houpt.
I remember well the bakery and the donut cutter. I have started in researching my grandmothers family and would be very interested in any information that you would be willing to share.

I have been doing some family history research and found this message. My aunt married Jess Richmond Houpt and I believe he had a sister named Hallie Devlin and also brothers, Donald and Burl. His parents I beleive were William Lee Houpt and either Frances M. or Florence Cooksey. If this rings a bell, would love to hear more about your family.
Phyllis-Danville, Ill.

I do have in my Houpt family line, a William Lee Houpt who married Florence M. Cooksey, Jan 8, 1898. I have them with 4 children, Donald Melvin, Hallie M. Byrl V. and Jesse R., but I don't have dates of their births, marriages or deaths. What I do know is that William Lee was the son of John Henry Houpt who was the son of Henry Lee Houpt. His father was Anthony Houpt and Henry Lee was a brother to my gg-grandfather Jacob Houpt. Willing to share info of ancestors and other family branches that I do have about Anthony and Susanna Albright Houpt

My friend has a antique shop in the former Houpt Shop on
Main Street in Palestine. Around 7 years ago most of the inside was a huge empty dark hole from a fire. She and the
owner a folk artist with a shop in the other half used a lot
of hard work and made it a pretty shop. They found Houpt
crates, cutters and displayed them in the shop. There is a
picture of the employees in front of a Houpt Truck. A couple of older local women came in talking of when they worked there. Also found during the clean up was a lot of
old sheet music. We found out that the Houpts were a musical family. They played many insturments and sold sheet
music as a side line. At local auctions and garage sales the Houpt cutters sometime come up for sale, once in awhile
on online auctions too. If you get to Palestine, IL come into Wonderland Antiques and tell Phyllis your a Houpt I am sure she would show you her collection and tell you the stories of the Houpts that others told her.

Sincerely,
Teri