William Struve

STRUVE, SCHNOOR, FRAHM, MYERS, KLINE

Posted By: Barbara Gehlsen Nugent (email)
Date: 7/25/2011 at 13:37:43

1911 Wolfe's History of Clinton County, Iowa, by P. B. Wolfe - copy in the Clinton County Historical Society, Clinton, Iowa. Excerpt - pages 1019-1021.

WILLIAM STRUVE

The name which heads this sketch is one of the best known names in Elk river township and in Clinton county, as that of the miller of Hauntown, while his mill is one of the historic landmarks of the county. William Struve was born in Jackson county, Iowa, on August 18, 1858, the son of Ernest H. and Safrina (Schnoor) Struve, both natives of Germany. Ernest H. Struve was born in 1826, and in 1848 came to America, first locating in Texas, and later in Scott county, Iowa. He bought raw land and in 1854 bought in Jackson county. In 1868 he sold this and engaged in milling at Teeds Grove, having learned the millwright's trade in his native land. He remained but one year at Teeds Grove, and then bought an interest in the mill near Hauntown, in Elk River township, which he conducted until 1887, when he sold the mill to his son, William, and moved to Almont, where he bought an improved farm, and where he was postmaster for a number of years, living mostly a retired life. He was a very competent miller, did both merchant and custom work, and was very successful and much respected, being known as the "honest miller." In politics he was a Republican and took much interest in public affairs, being proud of his adopted country. Both he and his wife were members of the Lutheran church. He died on April 24, 1900; his wife preceded him in December, 1898. She was the daughter of Henry Schnoor, a native of Germany, who came to America in 1854, with his family, and located in Jackson county, where he followed the millwright's trade for a time, which he had learned in the old country, and also did carpenter work. He was a Lutheran. Mr. Struve was among the oldest of his eight children.

To Ernest Struve and his wife six sons and two daughters were born, namely: The eldest died in infancy; Paul H. is a farmer and assistant in the mill; William; John, the miller of Lyons; Ferdinand, formerly a farmer and miller, now lives retired at Miles, Iowa; Amelia married John Frahm; Edward is a farmer; Martha M. married J. L. Myers.

William Struve grew up at farming and milling, attended the district schools, and has a good practical education. He assisted his father in the mill for some time, then rented it from him, and finally bought it. This mill was an old-style buhr mill, which he has since remodeled and now uses up-to-date machinery, having six pairs of rolls for wheat, while he uses the old stone mill for buckwheat and rye, and does merchant and custom work. He exchanges with the farmers flour for wheat, grinds feed, and also runs a saw mill in connection. The Elk River mill is one of the oldest in Iowa, the present mill, which succeeded others on the same site,having been built in 1854, originally using water power from the Elk river, but Mr. Struve has attached a steam engine for use when the water is low. In early days the settlers came for one hundred miles about to Elk River mill, and Hauntown was one of the prosperous early settlements, while the mill is an old landmark known to all of the early settlers. It has always been operated by capable millers and the people have been treated honestly. Mr. Struve uses home grown wheat except when the supply is short, then ships in from elsewhere. For many years he gave his entire attention to the mill, but has later branched out. The mill property contains over three hundred acres of farming, pasture and timber land, and Mr. Struve raises cattle, hogs and horses, and feeds cattle and hogs for market, mostly shipping his own stock. In 1898 he assisted in organizing the Sabula Telephone Company, which was incorporated in that year, and is president of the company, which has over three hundred phone in operation. In politics he is a Republican, and active, being a leading member of the township committee and having filled school offices and served as township tax collector with credit to himself and satisfaction to the people and party.

Mr. Struve has been twice married, the first time in 1888 to Ella Myers, a native of Elk River township, the daughter of Adam and Lizzie (Kline) Myers, her father a native of Germany and her mother of Ohio. Adam Myers was a farmer, but has now retired to Lyons, where his wife died in April, 1910. Four children were born to Mr. Struve by his first wife: Cora M., Ethel I., Joseph W. and Roy A., all at home. Their mother died in March 1896. Mr. Struve was again married in November, 1897, to Dora Myers, a sister of his former wife. To this union there have been four children born: Virtus H., Lyle A., Harvey E., and Leslie M.