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JOHN STRUVE, a prominent stockfarmer of Cedar township, Benton county, was born May 9, 1865, in Rock Island county, Illinois, and came to Benton county with his family, July 1, 1867. He is a son of Henry and Maria (Schroder) Struve. Henry Struve was born in Holstein, Germany, November 21, 1819, and was reared in his native country; he fought in the war between Germany and Denmark. He was married in Germany in 1848, and four years later came to the United States, settling first in Davenport, Iowa. He lived a short time in Moline and later removed to Rock Island county, Illinois, and there purchased a farm of eighty acres, upon which he made some improvements. April 25, 1867, he removed to Benton county, Iowa, selling his farm in Illinois. He purchased two hundred acres of raw unimproved prairie land in Cedar township, in a region that was very little settled. Part of his family followed, and he lived there until his death, March 26, 1898. He put up a good house and barn, hauling the lumber across the prairie from Waterloo, and until the house was erected the family lived in a wagon. He worked industriously to make improvements, and had four hundred and twenty acres at his death. He left the farm to his family. He took an active interest in public affairs, and became a useful, patriotic citizen. He came to the United States with very little capital, and at his death was possessed of a comfortable fortune, due to his own energetic labor. His wife, also reared in Germany, died in Benton county, March 2, 1892. Their children are: Carl, of Cedar township; Emma, wife of Theodore Hoist, of Fulda, Minnesota; Mathilda, wife of Hans Miller, of Bruce township, Benton county; Annie, wife of John Kruse, of Bruce township; Caroline, wife of Robert Hill, of Cedar township; John; Theodore, deceased; and George also deceased. Three other children, older than these, died young, namely: Margaret, Lina and Jane.
John Struve has spent most of his life on the place he now occupies, and received his education in the district school. He now owns three hundred and twenty acres of land in sections 20 and 21, of Cedar township, and makes a specialty of high grade Poll-Angus stock and Poland China hogs. He is a hustling, wideawake farmer, and has added substantial buildings to the other improvements on his farm. He has a fine house, with all modern comforts, and takes great pride in his home. Before settling down on the farm Mr. Struve spent some time in traveling. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of Mount Auburn.
On March 7, 1894, Mr. Struve married Amelia Kahler, daughter of James Kahler, whose sketch appears on another page of this work, and their children are: Frank, born January 16, 1895; Ella, born November 27, 1897; James, October 4, 1900; Harold, July 2, 1902; Raymond, January 26, 1907, and Helen born April 7, 1910.
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