FRANS H. D. KRUSE was born in East Friesland, Germany, in 1821. His father, Dierk Kruse, son of George Kruse, was born in the same place. The father of the present subject learned the trade of millwright and followed it in his native land. He bought several important mills - erected mills and set them in successful operation, and sold them. In 1835, he came to America, in the Virginia, a ship sailing from Bremen, bringing with him his sons, Frans H. D. and Sunke M., and landed in New York, July 4.
From there he went to Albany, by way of the Hudson river, thence across to Schenectady, and by Erie canal to Buffalo, thence by lake to Cleveland and from there by land and the Ohio river to Cincinnati. He afterward went West into Illinois to Beardstown, and a few months afterward bought a mill on Sugar creek, ten miles east of Rushville. Six months later he sold the mill and bought a small farm two and one half miles east of Rushville and turned his attention to farming. Here he resided for eight years, when he returned to the old country. Some years afterward he returned to America and settled in Texas, remaining there five years. He afterward came to Illinois and bought a farm in McDonough county. This farm was exchanged for a farm five miles southwest of Rushville in Woodstock township, where he lived until his death in 1860.
The mother of the subject of this sketch was Hiske J. Miller. She was a native of the same country as her husband, and spent her entire life there. She had five children, all of whom grew to manhood, the present subject being the youngest, who was in his fourteenth year when he came to Illinois with his father. The country was but sparsely settled at that time, and some of the land was still owned by the Government. Frans assisted his father at the mill and afterward in cleaning out the farm. As the land was heavily timbered they were able to build a small frame house on it. In 1843 he bought the farm of his father and has had his residence here ever since. Good, substantial buildings have since been erected upon it, and the farm is in a high state of cultivation.
He married, in December, 1843, Elizabeth C. Garrett, who was born in Georgetown, Scott county, Kentucky, in April, 1824. Her father, Thomas Garrett, was born in Delaware and was the son of David Garrett, who lived for many years on the line between that State and Pennsylvania and spent his last days there. The father of Mrs. Kruse went to Kentucky when a young man, and married in Lexington, Susanah Wigert, who was born in Maryland and went with her parents to Kentucky, while she was an infant. After her marriage she removed to Georgetown with her husband, and some years later again removed with him to Illinois by way of the Cumberland, Ohio and Mississippi rivers. Mr. Garrett made several removals in Illinois and spent the last few years of his life near Browning, Schuyler county. The mother of Mrs. Kruse survived her husband for many years, and died at the residence of a younger daughter, who was a resident of Nebraska, at the advanced age of ninety-one years.