August Kutzbock (also known as Augustus) born ca. 1814 in Bremen, Germany. (He was born and
trained in Prussia?)
He moved to the United States in 1852 and settled in Rochester, NY where he was listed in the
1853-1854 city directory as an architect. In 1854, he moved to Sandusky, Ohio. Kutzbock was
married to Maria Bartels, also from Bremen, Germany who had at least four children from a
previous marriage and who was ten years older than Kutzbock. Kutzbock and his family moved
to Madison in 1855 (Kutzbock's account book) and shortly thereafter he joined in partnership
with Samuel H. Donnell.
The partnership of Donnell and Kutzbock probably began in 1855, since the
Gov. L. J. Farwell residence
of that date was attributed to both men in reliable contemporary sources. The last
known citation for the partnership was a newspaper advertisement from 1859. The offices of
Donnell and Kutzbock were in the 100 block of King Street.
Donnell died in 1868 at the age of 37. After Donnells' death, Kutzbock practiced alone here
until the fall of 1864 or so (an 1864 article mentions a design for a Madison building by
Kutzbock). In late 1864, Kutzbock moved to San Francisco. He received many commissions there,
but fell into ill health, which precluded him from doing any work. He was ill for about 13
months and after recovering decided to return to Madison. In the fall of 1867, he advertised
that he had returned from San Francisco, where he had spent three years, and was taking orders
for work at his son-in-law's (John L. Bartels) dry good store. In November, 1868, having become
increasingly despondent over failed business ventures and a lack of work, Kutzbock committed
suicide by drowning in Lake Mendota. While in Madison, Kutzbock lived in a brick house on 609
E. Main Street, between Blair and Blount (Lot 2, Block 123, gone).
Kutzbock departed for San Francisco in 1863, but returned to Madison four years later. In 1868
he took his own life by drowning in Lake Mendota near Picnic Point. He was 54.
Interred at Forest Hill Cemetery
Kutzbock Designs that still exist:
Bashford House
Gates of Heaven Synagogue
Keenan House
Kendall House
Leitch House
McDonnell/Pierce House
Napoleon Van Slyke House
Some Kutzbock Designs that are gone:
Turner Hall
City Hall
Leonard J. Farwell Octagon House
Second Wisconsin State Capitol
State Asylum Building (West Wing)
Donnell & Kutzboch
