John P. Munch, a farmer of Central Township, Perry Co., Mo., residing four miles west of Perryville, was born in the Kingdom of Bavaria, Germany in 1825, and is the youngest son of a family of eight children born to Paul and Margaret Munch.

John P. was reared for manhood on his parents� farm in his native country, and in 1852 immigrated to the United States, where he was soon afterward employed on the Pennsylvania & Ohio Railroad, on which he worked four months. He then worked eighteen months on the Steubenville & Indiana Railroad, and in 1855 came to Perry County, Mo.

In the same year he was married to Miss Rosena Meyer, a daughter of John Meyer. She was born in the Kingdom of Bavaria, Germany, in 1831, and came to the United States with her parents when eleven years of age.

In 1857, Mr. Munch purchased 181 acres of land where he now resides for $1,140, which means he had earned by hard work having come to America without money or friends. By paying close attention to business and practicing economy he has added to his farm until he now has ??6 acres and a good home.

To him and wife have been born six children who are living: Mary (wife of John Bergman), B. John, George A., Elizabeth (wife of John M. Hoehn), Michael and Annie M. In religious belief the family are Lutherans. Mr. Munch is a Republican, and served in the Home Guards during the war.

The Goodspeed Publishing Company compiled a series of histories of various counties in the U.S. in the late 19th century. The information in the History of Southeast Missouri, published in 1888, was provided by the contemporary residents of Perry County and her neighboring counties. The biographies are a valuable source of genealogical information, despite a few minor inaccuracies. We are glad to present the transcribed biographies here for anyone researching Perry County's history.