John Kruse

KRUSE

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 3/10/2009 at 10:25:00

John Kruse, among the leading farmers of the northern part of Beaver township is John Kruse, who has spent his entire life in Boone county, having been born in Yell township, November 6, 1868. His parents were Peter and Margaret (Schosen) Kruse, the father being a native of Northstoble, Germany, who in the year 1865 came to America. He afterward worked for a year upon a farm near Clinton, Iowa and thence came to Boone county, being employed in a similar capacity in Yell township for two years. He then purchased the farm upon which he now resides, it being located upon Sec 19, Yell township, and also extending into Amaqua township. He is a prominent agriculturist and year by year gathers rich harvests from the well tilled fields. He has held the office of school director of his township for several years and is a leading and influential citizen there. Unto him and his wife have been born eleven children: Maggie, the wife of Hans Hendrichs, a farmer of Fairmount, Minnesota, John, of this review, Katie, the wife of Herman Paulson, a resident of Amaqua township, George , a farmer in the same township, Anna, the wife of Claus Heldt, and agriculturist of Yell township, Phoebe, the wife of Dave hardin, a farmer of Amaqua township, Emma, who died several years ago, Hans H, who assists his father in the work of the home farm, Lena, the wife of Claus Peters, who resides upon his father’s farm, Peter, also at home, and Henry, who died at the age of seven years.
Like the other members of the family, John Kruse acquired a common school education and early became familiar with farm work in all its departments. He remained upon the old homestead until he was twenty-six years of age, when he was united in marriage to Miss Emma T Bierfeldt, a daughter of Henning and Katie (Peters) Bierfledt, both of whom were native of Germany, the father coming as an early settler to Boone county. He resided upon a farm in Amaqua township and continued its cultivation until 1898, when he removed to Ogden, where he is now living retired. Unto him and his wife have been born six children. George, who is engaged in farming and is operating a thresher and grain sheller, his home being in Ogden, Maggie, the wife of Clinton McCaskey, a resident to Yell township, Katie, the wife of B F Ritter, a farmer of Yell township, Anna C, the wife of William F Paulson, a resident farmer of Amaqua township, Mrs Kruse, the wife of our subject, and Maria F, the wife of Charles Paulson, who resides on the Bierfeldt homestead in Amaqua township. Unto Mr and Mrs Kruse have been born three children: Freda, Albertie, and Velma, aged respectively sic, four and two years.
After his marriage Mr Kruse settled upon his present farm on Sec 4, Beaver township, where he has 120 acres of choice land and neat and substantial buildings adorn the place, while the fields are well tilled. He also takes great interest in the raising of fine stock and is a very enterprising and progressive agriculturist. Throughout his entire life he has carried on farm work and is a worthy representative of agricultural interests in his native county, In politics he is a Democrat being deeply interested in the growth and success of his party. He and his wife attend the German Lutheran church are people of the highest respectability, enjoying the warm regard of many friends.

1902 Boone County History Book