John Straw 1822-1901

STRAW, COUSAY

Posted By: Volunteer - Rich Lowe
Date: 10/2/2001 at 21:32:19

An Eventful Life.

John Straw was born in Frankfurt, Germany, June 20, 1822. At the age of eight his parents emigrated to America. They landed in Baltimore, Maryland, where they lived two years. Then they moved to Van Buren County, Iowa, where John has lived the remainder of his life excepting two years which he lived in the vicinity of Davenport, Ia., among the lead mines, and ten years in California. He made two trips to California at that time that a journey across the great plains was a serious thing.

About 1857 when living in California he married Marie Antoinette Cousay who was a prominent opera singer and a beautiful, educated French lady who passed to the beyond several years ago.

His father was a German of a good family. His mother was of French origin. There were three children born in his father's family, a sister older and a brother younger than John.

John Straw was a man of rare intellect and ability. He was endowed with a powerful imagination which if it had been properly trained would have placed him among the most favored scholars in this country. He always used good English to express his thoughts and never was known to indulge in scandal. He firmly believed every story that he told and always resented any imputation that any statement could be an untruth.

He died September 1, 1901 at 1:30 A.M. aged 79 years, 2 months and 12 days. Now that he has gone it is difficult for us to realize that he is dead, but he will yet live in the minds of those who have been associated with him and his influence will long be felt among them.
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Source: Entler Scrapbooks, vol. 4, Iowa Historical Library, Iowa City, IA