Charles F. Buss
After a residence of over half a century in Union township Charles F. Buss may well look back with satisfaction upon a life spent in honorable industry and feel that he has met with that success which it is the desire of every man to attain.
Born in Prussia, May 12, 1833, he is a son of Gottlieb Buss. His mother, who bore the maiden name of Homenberg, dying when he was but two years old, he was adopted by an aunt, with whom he made his home until he reached the age of seventeen years, when he emigrated to the United States. His father and only sister both died in Prussia. Upon his arrival in this country he first located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and engaged in the lumber business. buying wood in the country and selling it in town. He continued to follow that vocation for about eighteen months and then, removing eighteen miles west of Milwaukee, began working on a farm, his wages being eight dollars a month. There he remained until about 1853, when he concluded to go farther west and started for Oregon. About this time, however, occurred an Indian outbreak and after getting as far as the state of Iowa he decided to remain there and bought eighty acres of land on Middle Coon, Carroll county.
This Mr. Buss later sold and in 1855 purchased two hundred acres of land in Union township, Crawford county, upon which he has resided since 1859. The land was wild and unbroken, no furrow having as yet been turned upon it, but imbued with characteristic energy he at once began its development, made improvements, set out trees and from time to time added to his property until he now owns three hundred and twenty acres comprising the home place, besides which he has three quarter sections in Boyer township and thirty-seven acres of timber land on section 30, Union township. While devoting his main efforts to general farming he makes a specialty of live stock, feeding cattle and hogs for the market.
In 1857 Mr. Buss was married to Miss Eudosia House, but of this union no children were born. His second marriage took place in June, 1863, when he was united to Miss Maria Agens, and they became the parents of eight children, of whom the following named are living: Lydia, who is the wife of Lewis Yore and lives in Union township; William, who also resides in Union township; Clara, who married Fred Parker, a resident of Michigan; and Fred, who is living at home and assists his father in the management of the home farm.
In his political relations Mr. Buss gives his support to the principles advocated by the democratic party, although in former years he was a republican. Both he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, while fraternally he is aftiliated with the Patrons of Husbandry. Mr. Buss is in every respect a self-made man who, after coming to this country realized the great advantages it offered to those who wished to make the most of them and his advancement in life has come because he has made the most of his opportunities.
Source: History of Crawford County, Iowa. Vol. II. Chicago: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1911.