This page last modified -- Thursday, 27-Jun-2019 15:28:00 CDT
This compilation was done by:
Kurt Cook
(Great-Great-Grandson)
336 I Street #A
Salt Lake City, Utah 84103
Phone: 801-366-5240
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;
G=birthplace of mother
Eng=England
Wurt=Wurtemburg,Germany
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.
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