J.C. Hubinger
Industrialist and philanthropist, John Carl Hubinger was born in New Orleans in 1851, the first of eight children. The family moved north when J.C. was four, living in Kentucky and Indiana before moving to Keokuk. Here, Hubinger's father opened a bakery on Main Street and later at 1308 Johnson Street, the family residence.
In his mid-twenties, Hubinger left Keokuk to join his brothers Nicholas and Joseph who were selling house- wares door-to-door in New England. By 1881, they had developed a formula for Elastic Starch and opened the J.C. Hubinger Bros Company In New Haven, CT. The business prospered, and in 1887, J.C. moved back to Keokuk.
With his fortunes growing, he built a lavish mansion at 1229 Grand Avenue that stretched from 8th to 15th on both sides of the street. The mansion included many staircases with silks and velvets used as wallpaper.
Electricity came to Keokuk in 1389 because J.C. wanted electric power for his home. He built his own plant and sold electricity to citizens for 75 cents per light bub per month. The plant operated from 4pm to 1am daily. In May 1902, with 20 million dollars in financing, construction started at Sth and A Streets on a second Hubinger Starch Plant. President Theodore Roosevelt visited Keokuk on April 29, 1903 and participated in the plant's opening ceremony.
On December 21, 1903, an explosion set the factory ablaze. The plant was rebuilt 1904, and eventually, J.C. was bought out by his brothers. On January 27, 1908, J. Hubinger died of pneumonia while living in a boarding house at 616 High Street. He is buried in Oakland Cemetery.
The Hubinger mansion was razed in 1918. The remaining Hubinger brothers and their descendants owned the Keokuk factory until 1925. The plant has continued production and was acquired by Roquette in 1991.