Kruse, Louis

KRUSE, WEISE, MOEHR, JACOBS, JESSEN, POARMANN, SCHROEDER, DAVID, UNHRHU, PETERSON, FLEMING, MYER, MUHL, NEAVE, WILSEFF, ARP

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 2/14/2003 at 20:50:45

Source: "The 1901 Biographical Record of Clinton Co., Iowa, Illustrated" published: Chicago : S. J. Clarke Pub. Co., 1901.

LOUIS KRUSE.

Louis Kruse, a prominent and well-to-do agriculturist residing on section 22, Deep Creek township, is one of Clinton county’s native sons, his birth having occurred in Center township, June 6, 1854. His father, Heinrich Kruse, was born in Holstein, Germany, March 3, 1829, and emigrated to this country in the fall of 1851, sailing from Hamburg on a vessel which dropped anchor in the harbor of New Orleans after thirteen weeks spent upon the water. He remained in the Crescent City until the following spring and then came up the Mississippi river to Davenport. he had borrowed the money with which he paid his passage to this country, and having no capital he at first worked at anything which he could find to do. On the 3d of May, 1853, he was married in Davenport to Miss Catherine Weise, who was also born in Holstein, Germany, on the 28th of November, 1830, and came to America in May, 1852, landing in New York City after a voyage of twelve weeks’ duration. From there she went by rail to Buffalo, by water to Detroit, by rail to Racine, Wisconsin, by wagon to Galena, Illinois, and then down the river to Davenport, where she had a brother living. Her father, Hans Weise, spent his entire life in Germany. For one year after his marriage Heinrich Kruse continued to make his home in Davenport, and then came to this county in 1854, he and his brother-in-law, Hans Weise, buying eighty acres of wild land in Center township, where he lived for two years. Selling that property he purchased another unimproved tract of forty acres on section 22, Deep Creek township, which he placed under cultivation, and prospering in his farming operations he added to his landed possession s until at the time of his death he had two hundred and forty acres of rich and fertile land improved with good buildings. He had not a cent in the world on coming to this country, but by hard work, strict economy, and close application he achieved a well-merited success. He died July 8, 1872, and his wife departed this life December 21, 1882, their remains being interred in Center Grove cemetery. She had two brothers who came to this country; Hans, who married Catherine Weise and lived in Center township, this county, where his death occurred; and Paul (who married Anna Kruse, now deceased), and resides in Cass county, Iowa. He was a soldier on the western frontier for three years.

Louis Kruse, of this review, is one of a family of nine children, the others being as follows: Henry, born October 30, 1855, is married and lives in Dallas county, Iowa, Frederick, born October 23, 1858, is deceased. Margueritte, born October 17, 1860, is deceased. Josephine, born March 14, 1864, married Carl Moehr, and lives in Center township. Ogunata, born April 11, 1866, is deceased. Otto, born March 3, 1868, married Tillie Jacobs, of Deep Creek township. Emma, born July 21, 1870, married Will Jessen, of Pipestone, Minnesota. Flora, born January 1, 1872, married H. P. Poarmann, of Deep Creek township.

The subject of this sketch was only two years old when the family removed to Deep Creek township, and he acquired a good practical education in its district schools, which he attended until about seventeen years of age. During his boyhood and youth he also assisted in the cultivation of the home farm, and after his father’s death he rented it for a time. Subsequently he purchased the place, and now has a well improved and valuable farm of two hundred and eighty-four acres, under excellent cultivation.

On the 12th of October, 1877, Mr. Kruse was united in marriage with Miss Catherine Schroeder, a daughter of John H. and Christena (David) Schroeder, both of whom were natives of Schlewsig, Germany, and came to this country in 1882, locating at Gooselake, this county, where the mother is still living. The father, who was a carpenter by trade, died April 26, 1889, and was buried in Center Grove cemetery. Mrs. Kruse was born in Germany, April 4, 1855, and in the winter of 1876-7 she sailed from Hamburg and after eighteen days spent on the ocean landed in New York on the 1st of January, whence she came direct to Gooselake. She is the second in order of birth in a family of nine children, the others being as follows: John H., who married Catherine Unhrhu and lives in Preston, Jackson county, Iowa; Anna, wife of Henry Schroeder, of Crawford county, Iowa; Elizabeth, wife of Morris Peterson, of Charlotte; Mary, wife of Herman Fleming, of Jackson county; Christena, wife of John Myer, of Gooselake; Frederick; (sic) who married Alma Muhl, and makes his home in Preston, Jackson county; Peter, who married Lena Neave and resides at Gooselake; and Margaret, wife of Nicholas Wilseff, of Lowden, Iowa.

Mr. and Mrs. Kruse have a family of nine children, namely: Catherine E. S., wife of Herman Arp, of Waterford township; Amelia C. A.; Leona A. M.; Henry J.; Johannas L. A.; Algunda C. L.; Carl F. O.: Lorena A. O.; and LeRoy G. D., all at home with the exception of the eldest. They also lost one child in infancy.

In politics Mr. Kruse is independent, voting for the men whom he considers best qualified for office regardless of party lines. He has filled the office of township trustee for some years, secretary of the school district for a number of years; and has held other local offices, the duties of which he has always capably and satisfactorily performed.