Bio: Herman Krause, Sr., 1832

Contact: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org on Sat, 17 Feb 2001

Surnames: KRAUSE, KROUSE, MEGLOEN

----Source: History of Clark County, Wisconsin (1918), by Franklyn, Curtiss-Wedge

Mr. and Mrs. Herman Krause, Sr.

HERMAN KROUSE, SR., one of the early settlers in Grant Township, where he developed a farm from the wilderness, was born in Poihmern, Germany, Nov. 6, 1832, and on beginning industrial life became a laborer.

He was there married to Rica Fredericka Megloen, and in 1871, with four children--Herman, Albert, Charles and Henry--they left their native land for the United States, taking passage in a sailing vessel and spending two months on the ocean. Locating near West Bend, in Washington County, Wis., about forty miles northwest of Milwaukee, they resided in that vicinity for three years, Mr. Krouse working at whatever he could find to do. Then, coming to Clark County, he located on a tract of forty acres in Grant Township, which was covered with timber and to which there was no road. A log house was the first requisite and he, accordingly, built one, 18 by 26 feet in size, and containing one room. He also erected a g barn, and, having made these preparations, started on the arduous labor of clearing the land. With nothing but his hands to work with he cleared in time nearly forty acres. During part of this time he had to walk to Neillsville for supplies, as it was five years before he got an ox team, which he obtained by raising a steer and then buying another one to make a yoke of steers. In the second spring on the farm he got a cow. There he lived until his death in 1901.

His wife, who was born April 4, 1837, is still living. Besides the children already mentioned, they had four others, who were born in Clark County: August, John, Mary and lda. The family were members of the German Lutheran Church, which Mr. Krouse helped to start in Grant Township. In early days services were held in their log house.