Rev. Theophilus Crusse and Family
Part One: Word of Mouth
According to oral family history, passed down through the grandchildren of Rev. Theophilus Crusse, Theophilus was born on July 23, 1823 in Germany to the family of a catholic Baron. (The family name was supposedly Von Crussen.) Theophilus entered the Catholic priesthood, but after some undetermined time, left and married. His father, being of sufficient authority, had the marriage annulled and sent Theophilus to America, where he became a Lutheran minister and also taught german in school.
At some point in the oral story, Theophilus married Christina Reiniger and had 7 children: Theodore, Herman, Louis, Mathilda, Pauline, Lydia, and Marie (also known as Mary). Of these children only Theodore, Louis, Mathilda, Pauline, and Lydia are known to have married and have had children of their own. The children of Theodore, Pauline, Louis, and Lydia all heard the above story in remarkably the same version. Contact has been lost with Mathilda's children, so it is not known what, if anything, they had been told about their ancestor. Marie was known to have married, but it isn't known whether or not she had any children.
Margaret Elizabeth Crusse Chrisman, a daughter of Theodore, had made an attempt at keeping genealogical notes about 15 years prior to her death. In these notes she had written next to Theophilus' name "1823- Sept 9, 1883 60 yrs-1 mo-9 days". Next to Christina's name was written "1843- Oct 30, 1893 50 yrs-6 mo-29 days". In 1975, when asked about these papers, she could not remember from where or from whom she had received this information. The dates, and accompanying ages give the impression of coming from either headstones or county death registers, though the county death registers would probably have clearly stated the entire date of birth. In these notes Margaret also listed all of her grandchildren, so it is possible, by looking at the birthdates of the grandchildren she did list, versus the dates of the next born grandchild not listed, to figure that this genealogical attempt was made sometime between 1965-1967.
From the recollections of Margaret's sister, Marie Margaret Crusse Richard, (in the period from 1985-1988), Marie remembered that their aunt, Pauline Crusse Stamm (Theophilus' daughter) made a visit to the Aurora/Lawrenceburg Indiana area in the early to mid 1960's. (Margaret lived in Aurora and Marie lived in Lawrenceburg, both towns are in Dearborn County.) It seems very probable that Margaret got these dates from her Aunt Pauline either at the time of the visit, or through later correspondence. Neither Margaret, Marie, or any of the children of Louis Crusie, Lydia Crussen Drout or Pauline Crusse Stamm claimed to know where their grandparents had died or were buried.
Another interesting facet of the "Crusse Legend" is Theophilus' son, Herman. In Margaret's genealogical notes, she has him listed as "Herman Crussen (Capt) went back to Germany to claim estate, not heard from since." (no dates or other references as to when this inheritance claiming trip took place.) Marie remembered "Uncle Herman coming around to ask my father (Theophilus' eldest son Theodore) for some money to help with the passage fare for the trip back to Germany." Marie was unsure how old she was when this happened, but she was born in 1898 and her father died in 1913, so it was sometime in this timespan.
In the Chrisman notes on the Crusse family, one other child appears, Mary (also known as Marie) Crussen. The Chrisman notes indicate that Mary married Charles Brown and that they did not have any children. No other information on Mary is contained in these notes, nor did the children of Lydia Crussen Drout or Pauline Crusse Stamm recall ever hearing about her.
The grandchildren of Theophilus Crusse who have perpetuated the oral story in the above paragraphs are Margaret Crusse Chrisman, Lydia Crusse Edwards, Kathryn Drout Herbert, Marie Crusse Richard, Frances Crusse Shehane, Jack Stamm and Buelah Drout Wray. All are deceased.
Part Two: The Facts
Theophilus Crusse married Christina Reinniger on 06 Nov 1862 in Jackson County Ohio (during the Civil War). They were married by Henry Weber, a Justice of the Peace.
The family Bible of Theodore Theophilus Crusse and his wife Philomena Amelia Armbruster states that Theodore was born on 26 Jun 1865 in Portsmouth, Scioto County, Ohio.
In the "Early Court Records of Scioto County Ohio" Theophilus is shown as registering as an Evangelical Protestant minister on 01 Aug 1866. In German, Lutherans are called "Evangelische Protestantische".
The second child in this family, Herman, was born about 1867 in Ohio.
The next child to be born was Louis Henry . He was born on 09 September 1870 in Ohio.
The records of St. Nicholas Lutheran Church, of Peppertown, Franklin County, Indiana show that they had a minister by the last name of Crusse from 1870 to 1872.
The county marriage records of Franklin County, Indiana show that Theophil Crusse performed 12 marriages between 01 Nov 1870 to 11 Mar 1873. Ten of these marriages included "minister at Peppertown, Franklin County, Indiana" after Theophilus' name.
The parish baptismal records of St. Lawrence Roman Catholic Church of Lawrenceburg, Indiana show that Mathilda Sophia, daughter of Theophilus Crusse and his wife Christina nee Reinniger, was born on 27 May 1873 (no place of birth was shown.)
Theophilus' next daughter, Lydia Indiana Crusse, was born on 12 Sep 1876 in Laurel, Franklin County, Indiana.
According to Franklin County marriage records, Theophilus performed a marriage on 08 Jan 1876 and was shown on the minister's return as "Minister at Laurel."
Pauline Christina Crusse was born in Somerset, Franklin County, Indiana on 27 Apr 1878 to Theophilus & Christina.
The county marriage records of Ripley County Indiana show that Theophilus performed seven marriages between 20 Jun 1878 and 14 Oct 1880. Three of these marriage returns show his last name as Crussen, (instead of Crusse), and one return says "Minister Theoph. Crusse at Napoleon, Ripley County, Indiana".
The 1880 US Census of Franklin Township, Ripley County, Indiana taken on 24 Jun 1880 shows the following information;
A B C D E F G
Crusse,Theophalas 52 head minister Eng Bav Wurt
" Christina 39 wife housewife Wurt Wurt Wurt
" Theodore 15 son farm labor OH Eng Wurt
" Herman 13 son at home OH " "
" Julius 9 son OH " "
" Matilda 7 dau IN " "
" Lydia 4 dau IN " "
" Paulina 1 dau IN " "
A=name of individual
B=age
C=relationship to the listed head of household
D=occupation
E=birthplace
F=birthplace of father (Bav=Bavaria, Germany;
Eng=England, Wurt=Wurtemburg,Germany)
G=birthplace of mother
The parish records of St Lawrence Roman Catholic Church in Lawrenceburg, Indiana show that Marie (Mary) Philomena Crusse, daughter of Theophilus and Christena Reinecker Crusse was born on
27 March 1881 (no place of birth shown, presumably Ripley County, Indiana).
The death records of Scioto County Ohio show the death of a Christina Cruse on October 30 1892 (One year different than the date shown in the Chrisman notes). She died in Clay Township of Typhoid Fever and her birthplace was shown as Germany.
Theodore, Pauline, Mathilda, and Marie/Mary were converts to the Catholic Church. According to St Lawrence Parish records, Theodore converted on 10 Nov 1892, Pauline on 05 Mar 1895, Marie/Mary on 29 Mar 1899, and Mathilda on 01 Jul 1899. They also appear to be the only children of Theophilus and Christina that retained the Crusse name instead of Crussen and to have remained in the Lawrenceburg area after their parents death.
Theodore Theophilus Crusse married Philomena Amelia Armbruster on 09 Oct 1893 in Lawrenceburg, Dearborn County, Indiana. They were married by John F Sondermann, rector of St Lawrence Catholic Church. They had eight children, all born in Lawrenceburg: Lydia Ann (1894-1973); Eleanora Pauline (1896-1969); Marie Margaret (1898-1990); Richard Louis (1900-1960); Frances Josephine (1902-1978); Helen Augusta (1904-1962); Margaret Elizabeth (1906-1979); and Thelma Mary (1908-1978).
Mathilda Sophia Crusse married Herman Steigerwald sometime before the birth of their first child, Susan Agnes Steigerwald, on 02 Feb 1893. Their next child was a son, Francis (Frank?) Nicolas Steigerwald born on 13 Mar 1899. Both children were baptized at St. Lawrence Church on 11 Jun 1899. According to the St. Lawrence records, Mathilda was still married to Herman Steigerwald at the time of her conversion on 01 Jul 1899.
Louis married Mary A Wilson on 13 Oct 1894 in decatur County, Indiana. They were the parents of 6 children: Lawrence, Clarence, Marie, Virgil, Raymond, & Glenn. All of their children spelled their last name as Crussen, except for Raymond. He legally had his name changed to Crusie.
Lydia Indiana Crussen married Charles Rector Drout on 12 Jun 1896 in Newcomb, Champaign County, Illinois by Melancthon Crews, a "Minister of the Gospel". They had 12 children: Valley Alford (1897-1952) born in Manchester, Indiana; Dewey Schley (1899-1967) born in Blue Ridge, Illinois; Phoebe Marie (1900-1975) born in Osmond, Illinois; Buelah Mae (1903-1993) born in Dearborn, Illinois; Blanche Elizabeth (1906-1973) born in Blue Ridge, Illinois; Lulu Katherine (1907-) born in Blue Ridge, Illinois; Cary Crussen (1910-1990) born in Blue Ridge, Illinois; Harry Laverne (1911-1977) born in Mark Center, Ohio; John Sherman (1914-1914) born in Mark Center, Ohio; Helen Gertrude (1917-), born in Bryan, Ohio; and Kathryn Lucille (1919-) born in Bryan, Ohio. There was also an unnamed stillborn child born, and buried, in 1902 in McLean County Illinois.
Pauline Christine Crusse married Paul Stamm on 30 May 1900 in Lawrenceburg Indiana. They were married by Michael P Seter who was shown as "Asst Pastor", no church or affiliation referenced. They had 6 children, all of whom were born in Lawrenceburg Indiana; Catherine (1900-deceased); Marie (1901-); Anna (1903-); John Paul "Jack" (1907-1988); Loretta (1909-); and Joseph who died in infancy.
Theodore Theophilus Crusse died on 05 Dec 1913 in Evansville, Vanderburgh County, Indiana of diabetes mellitus. He was buried in St Joseph Catholic Cemetery on 10 Dec 1913. No member of his family was there at his death or was able to attend his funeral. His family in Lawrenceburg was notified of his death by mail.
Lydia Indiana Crussen Drout died on 05 Aug 1934 in Toledo, Lucas County, Ohio of heart disease. She was buried in Schiffler Cemetery in Pulaski, Williams County, Ohio.
Pauline Christina Crusse Stamm died on 28 May 1973, at the age of 95, of heart failure due to arteriosclerotic heart disease in Watseka, Iriquois County, Illinois. She was buried on 02 Jun 1973 in Mount Calvary Cemetery in Kankakee, Illinois.
Part Three: The Unanswered Questions.
Where was Theophilus really born, Germany or England? When?
From what source did Margaret Chrisman obtain the death date for Theophilus? Where did he die? Where is he buried?
Whatever really happened to Herman?
Mathilda, according to the Chrisman notes, had three husbands: Mr Steigerwald, Mr Howell, and Mr Smith. (According to Marie Richard, her aunt Mathilda " seemed to marry for money.") Where did Mathilda, her children, and the two last husbands disappear to?
Was there a falling out among the children? Was it over religion?
If there really was an inheritance, why did Herman go to get it? He wasn't the eldest, odds are he wasn't Catholic. If his father had been sent from Germany in disgrace over the priesthood/marriage business, why would the family want to possibly upset the Catholic German relatives by sending Theophilus' protestant son? Was it because he was the only unmarried member of the family, and therefore had the freedom to go?
Since Theodore died on Dec 1913, and World War I started about 5 months later, did Herman get caught up in that mess while trying to clean up the inheritance?
This compilation on the family of Rev Theophilus Crusse and his wife Christina Reinniger Crusse was done by:
Kurt Cook (great-great-grandson)
336 I Street #A
Salt Lake City UT 84103
801-366-5240 (kkjjc@xmission.com)
Sources:
Chrisman Genealogical Papers in possession of Kurt Cook
Jackson County Ohio Marriages (Vol D Page 176) FHL film # 0301044
Family Bible of Theodore & Philomena A Crusse in possession of Shirley S Murphy, Cincinnati, OH
Probate Records of Scioto County Ohio (Ministers list) Shoemaker, v2, page 24, copy obtained from Laurie Vogel,Cincinnati OH
1880 US Census of Franklin Township, Ripley County, Indiana
Vol 29, ED 155, Sheet 38, Line 21 FHL film # 12454307
(for family of Theophilus Crusse)
1900 US Census of Jackson Township, Fayette County, Indiana
(for family of Louis Crussen)
Microfilmed Church records of St Nicholas Lutheran Church of
Peppertown, Franklin County, Indiana FHL # 1510509
Franklin County Indiana Marriage Records (1870-1873)
FHL film # 0549351
Copy of Family Bible of Charles R. and Lydia Crussen Drout in possession of Betty Wray, Walnut Grove CA
Copy of marriage license & marriage license application for Charles R Drout and Lydia Indiana Crussen obtained from Betty Wray, Walnut Grove CA
Copy of 95th Birthday announcement for Pauline Crusse Stamm obtained from Jack Stamm, (deceased).
Death Certificate for Theodore T Crusse issued by the State of Indiana 1913
Death certificate for Lydia I. Drout issued by the State Of Ohio 1934
Death certificate for Pauline C Stamm issued by the state of Illinois 1973
Microfilmed Church records of St Lawrence Roman Catholic Church, Lawrenceburg, Indiana, FHL film # 1535796 items 7 & 8;and film # 1535797 items 1-6.
FHL=Family History Library of the LDS Church
CRUSSE1.GEN
(last revision 09May2000)