Jesse F. Luse

LUSE, HIGBEE, LIKEN, DOWNING, RICE, SHELBY

Posted By: Marthann Kohl-Fuhs (email)
Date: 4/22/2009 at 14:43:26

JESSE F. LUSE, merchant, Ross, Iowa. Mr. Luse was born in Johnson County, Iowa, near Big Bend, July 31, 1861, and is a son of Joseph and Sarah (Higbee) Luse. Joseph Luse was born in Butler County, Pennsylvania, October 19, 1830, and is a son of Stephen and Hannah (Liken) Luse; the Liken family were of Swedish and Welsh ancestry, and the Luse family were of German and French descent. Joseph Luse drifted west when a young man, and stopped in Johnson County, Iowa, where he married and settled on a farm, where he resided until 1834, with the exception of a trip to Pike's Peak in the time of the gold fever, when he removed to Missouri, where they spent three years. They then went to Kansas, where they lived five years, and were driven away by the grasshopper raid and drought; they returned to Johnson County, and from there to Audubon County in 1847, where they were again attacked by the grasshoppers. They stood their own ground this time, and since then have prospered. Mr. Luse improved his farm, which is situated on the Chicago & North western Railroad, near Ross. He had built a fine house, and was surrounded with many comforts when he died, April 26, 1887, by the horrible effects of a cancer, admired and respected by all who knew him. Mrs. Luse, who survives him, occupies the homestead and manages the farm with the assistance of her youngest son, David N. Luse. The place consists of 160 acres. Joseph Luse and wife were the parents of ten children Charles (deceased), John W., Hattie, Stephen and Jesse F. (twins), Ezra (deceased), David, Susan (deceased), Alice and Annie. Jesse F. Luse passed his youth in Missouri and Osage County, Kansas, with plenty of Indians for companions, where he had the advantage of a common school education. He removed with his parents to Audubon County, and remained with them until his majority. During this time he followed breaking up prairie and farming. In 1884 he was married to Miss Ida W. Rice. Mr. and Mrs. Luse have one daughter Nellie I. Mrs. Luse is the daughter of Samuel and Rebecca (Downing) Rice. On quitting his farm Mr. Luse bought the stock of goods belonging to H. B. Shelby, which consisted of a general stock. He has built up a large trade, and is well and favorably known as proprietor of the Farmers' Store, and dehorner. Mr. Luse has invented a machine for dehorning cattle, with which he has re moved the horns of hundreds of cattle. The machine is simple in construction and swift in action, and promises to be the means of making him a fortune. This practice of dehorning cattle is now generally approved.

1889 BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF
SHELBY AND AUDUBON COUNTIES, IOWA
W. S. DUNBAR & CO., PUBLISHERS
113 ADAMS STREET, CHICAGO
page 754