Buena Vista County, IA
USGenWeb Project

Erick P. Kruse owns and cultivates an excellent farm of one hundred and fifty-seven acres on section 6, Newell township, and is also the secretary of the Coon River Creamery.  He was born near Rawberg, Denmark, July 10, 1862, and is one of a family of eleven children, whose parents were Edward and Anna (Davidson) Kruse.  The father is a laboring man and still lives in Denmark, but the mother died in 1888, at the age of forty-nine years.  Both were Lutherans in religious faith and Edward Kruse served his country as a soldier in the war of 1848.  Their children were:  Hans C.; Catherine, the wife of N. J. Kinnrup of Newell; Erick P.; Helen, the wife of Peter Thorpe, of Denmark; Edward; Maria, the wife of Julius Petersen; Grato, the wife of Matt Hansen; and four who died in childhood.

Erick P. Kruse lived in Denmark to the age of nineteen years and acquired his education in the public schools.  He early learned the value of industry and perseverance as factors in the business world and throughout his entire life, his indefatigable energy and diligence have constituted salient features in his success.  In 188l he came to America and for a year or more resided in Detroit, Michigan.  He then removed to Cedar Falls, Iowa, whence he afterward came to Buena Vista county, where he resided for a year.  On the expiration of that period he removed to Utah, settling near Frisco, where he followed silver and lead mining for about fifteen months.  He afterward spent one year at Fremont, Nebraska, and then returned to Buena Vista county, where he was employed as a farm hand for about two years.  His careful expenditure and untiring industry brought him the capital that enabled him to purchase one hundred and fifty-seven acres on section 6, Newell township, but has since sold twenty acres.  This property he still owns and it is well cultivated and improved, lacking in none of the accessories and conveniences of a model farm.  He follows farming along most scientific methods, practices the rotation of crops, studies the soil and knows exactly what grains are best to be produced on certain tracts of land. His work is bringing him well merited success and he derives a good income from his farm, and also adds thereto through the profits of the Coon River Creamery, of which he is secretary.

On the 25th of January, 1892, Mr. Kruse was married to Miss Mary Work, a daughter of Christian Work.  Mr. and Mrs. Kruse became parents of a son, Edward P.  The wife and mother died in 1893, and on the 8th of January, 1894, Mr. Kruse was married to Miss Augusta Thompson, by whom he has four children:  Emil H., George F., Anna and Greta.  The parents are both members of the Lutheran church and are people of genuine worth, enjoying in large measure the confidence and good will of all who know them. Mr. Kruse belongs to Newell Lodge, No. 282, I. O. O. F., while his political faith is that of the republican party.  He has served as school director, but has never been a politician in the sense of office seeking, preferring to give his time and energies to his business affairs, which, capably conducted, are bringing him well merited success.  He has never had occasion to regret his determination to seek a home on this side of the Atlantic, and in a land unhampered by caste or class he has made steady progress toward the goal of prosperity, which is the ambition of all worthy and enterprising business men.