Crouse, George Newton 1863-1935 & Catherine Smith Family

CROUSE, SMITH, REHRER, BRIGGLE

Posted By: Wilma J. Vande Berg - volunteer (email)
Date: 4/3/2023 at 06:42:56

Crouse, George Newton 1863-1935 & Catherine Elizabeth Smith Family

This story was taken from page 368 of the Ireton Centennial Book (1882-1982). The story was transcribed for this BIOS by Beth De Leeuw of the Greater Sioux County Genealogical Society. Some research notes were added.

George Crouse came from Lewistown, Pa. around 1890 and married Kathryn Smith in 1895. He rented several farms in Eagle & Reading Twps. before buying a farm near Paullina in 1919. Their children are: Alma (Mrs. Harley G. Brown); Ara (Mrs. Dave Bonnema). He [ David Bonnema] became a Christian Reformed minister. While in Hospers, he passed away in 1956, and she moved to Zeeland, Mi. where she still lives; Their [George and Catherine’s] sons, Harry moved to the Paullina area with his folks; Lester also moved to the Paullina area. Alma and Ara were both married in the house on the farm just south of the Ireton Cemetery, then known as the Sherman place, and later bought by Henry Koopman, Alma lives in Nebraska City, Ne., Ara lives in Zeeland, Mi., Harry lives at McAllan, Tx. but travels with his wife in a mobile home during the summer, visiting their children in several places in the United States, Lester moved to Elk Horn and passed away in 1980.

The Crouse Short Horn cattle were popular when they lived around Ireton.
After the Crouses moved into Paullina, he raised a few hens. They would look forward to the fresh “mown grass” meal that Mr. Crouse caught in a bag behind his push lawn mower, during the summer.

RESEARCH NOTE: added by Wilma J. Vande Berg of the GSCGS Society.
In a family report on Ancestry.com submitted to ancestry by other than this submitter, lists:

George Newton Crouse was born 18 Nov 1861 Pennsylvania, and died 12 Feb 1935 Paullina Iowa. He was the son of Samuel Crouse 1825-1899 and Sarah Elizabeth Rehrer 1834-1893. George married Catharine Elizabeth Smith on 16 Jan 1896. Catharine Elizabeth Smith was born 14 Jan 1860 Ashland OH and died 23 Jun 1943 Zeeland MI. She was the daughter of Philip Harvey Smith 1822-1875 and Elizabeth Briggle 1833-1915. (This ancestry report done by others, listed only three children omitting Ara Crouse Bonnema)

CHILDREN of George and Catherine Crouse:
1. ALMA ELIZABETH CROUSEborn 19 Apr 1896 Ireton Iowa died 12 Jun 1989 Hawarden IA.
From the Thursday, June 22, 1989 Ireton Examiner:
Alma E. Brown Alma Elizabeth Brown, 93, of Hawarden, died Monday in a hospital in Hawarden. Services were Friday, June 16, in the First Baptist Church in Hawarden with burial in Pleasant Hill Cemetery, in Ireton, under the direction of Porter-Dow Funeral Home. Alma E. Brown was born on April 19, 1896, northeast of Hawarden, the daughter of George and Kathryn (Smith) Crouse. She attended rural schools and graduated from the Ireton High School in 1915. She taught school prior to her marriage to Harley Brown on March 15, 1916. This marriage took place near Ireton. Together they farmed near Foreston, Minnesota until returning to a farm near Ireton in the fall of 1916. They farmed for many years until retirement. In the year 1956 they moved to Nebraska City, NE. They moved to Hawarden in the fall of 1986. Alma became the resident of the Hass Hillcrest Care Center in May of 1988. Survivors include her husband, Harley; son, Jerrold, of Caro, MI; four daughters, Mrs. Jack (Mildred) Bushby of Ireton, Lois Brown of Sebring, FL, Mrs. Reiny (Lola) Huber of Richfield, Minnesota and Mrs. Karl (Wilma) Groen of Cudahy, WI; one brother, Harry Crouse of McAllen, Texas; 17 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents; one son, Wayne; one brother, Lester Crouse; a sister, Mrs. Ara Bonnema; and a great-granddaughter, Jody Bushby.

2. ARA CROUSE born 3 Jul 1897 Eagle Twp. Sioux County IA daughter of George Crouse and Kate Smith. Source Sioux County Iowa birth record. In lieu of finding Ara’s obit have included her husband David Bonnema’s
HOSPERS - Rev. Bonnema. Rev. David Bonnema 62, pastor of the Christian Reformed Church of Hospers, died at 9:30 Monday morning in the Sioux Center Community hopital. He had been ill with heart trouble for several months. Funeral services were held Wednesday afternoon in the Christian Reformed Church, and in the Reformed church at Hospers. The body is being sent to Zeeland, Mich, for burial.
Rev. Bonnema came to Hospers from Zeeland, Mich, in October, 1951. He had previous served in Grand Rapids, Mich., and Denver, Colo. Rev. Bonnema was born at Rock Valley and spent most of his boyhood on a farm 11 miles northeast of Hawarden. He attended Calvin College and seminary, graduating in 1924. He was married July 3, 1908, to Ara Crouse of near Ireton. Survivors include the widow and four children, Wendell and Kenneth Bonnema and Mrs. Mabel Corson of Zeeland, Mich, and Clarence Bonnema of Zeeland, Mich. There are nine grand-children.
The Alton Iowa Democrat, page 7, Thursday, April 05, 1956. Sioux Center News (3-29-1956)

3. HARRY NELTON CROUSE born 15 Sep 1899 Ireton Iowa died 11 Jun 1998 Harlingen, Cameron, Texas. He married Maidie Moffitt Davis 1898-1992 Children listed were Gale Newton Crouse 1827-2011 and three others marked ‘private’ in the ancestry report.

4. LESTER HOWARD CROUSE born 4 Mar 1902 Eagle Township Sioux County IA He married Agnes M. Goodmanson. He died 2 Oct 1980 Elk Horn, Shelby Iowa buried Paullina Iowa. One child listed – Howard Wesley Crouse 1939-2019

OBITUARY OF GEORGE CROUSE
Hawarden Independent, February 14, 1935:
George Crouse Died at Paullina
The many friends of George Crouse of Paullina were saddened when word reached them that he had passed away at his home Tuesday morning. Mr. Crouse had been seriously ill for some time but he rallied time and again, giving hope to the loved ones for him. He was formerly a resident of this vicinity and well known in a large circle. Mrs. Harley Brown is a daughter as is Mrs. Dick Bonnema of Grand Rapids, Mich.

OBITUARY OF KATHRYN SMITH CROUSE
IRETON - Death Calls former Ireton Lady.
Burial services -were held here Thursday for Mrs. George Crouse, former Ireton woman who later lived with her family at Paullina. Deceased passed away at the home of her daughter, Mrs. David Bonnema, at Zeeland, Mich. Mrs. Crouse was born in Ashton, Ohio, in 1860 and was early in life bereft of her father. The mother with the young family moved from there to Benton County, la., in 1884 and four years later to Sioux County.
In Jan. 1890 she was married to George Crouse who preceded her in death. Two sons and two daughters were born to this union who survive their mother. They are: Harry and Lester Crouse, of Paullina, Mrs. David Bonnema of Zeeland, Mich., and Mrs. Harley Brown of Eagle township.
Rev. and Mrs. David Bonnema and son Clarence returned to Zeeland, Mich., following a short visit with relatives in this vicinity. They accompanied the remains of Mrs. Bonnema's mother, Mrs. A. Crouse, who died at their home while on a visit The aged lady, whose home was in Paullina, had spent the winter in the home of her daughter.

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