One of the earliest settlers of Kent Township and the subject of our sketch, owns 120 acres on section 2. He is the son of Jesse and Mary (Crittenden) Buss, who were natives of England. The parents came to America in the year 1850, and upon their arrival journeyed west and settled in Waddams Township, Stephenson County. Subsequently they settled in Kent Township, where the father died about 1853. The mother survives at the venerable age of ninety-four years.

Thankful Buss, the eighth child, was born in Sussex County, England, on the 26th of June, 1828. After he was large enough to labor he was employed in driving a team in England, which occupation he followed until 1848, when he came to America and settled in Stephenson County. He lived in what is now the village of Lena for two years, working by the month at small wages. In the course of time he accumulated sufficient money with which to purchase 160 acres of land, on which he settled and has resided since 1850. At the present time he is the owner of 120 acres of land. In 1881 Mr. Buss met with one of those accidents which come without warning, in the shape of a tornado, by which a large portion of his buildings were destroyed. When the storm was seen approaching, he and his family took refuge in a cellar and thus all escaped injury.

Mr. Buss was married in England on the 8th of January, 1848, to Miss B. D. Richardson, who also was a native of England. In January, 1864, he enlisted in the 146th Illinois Infantry, and served with that command until the close of the war, returning to his home in Kent Township without having been injured or impaired in health.

Mr. and Mrs. Buss have had eleven children, those living being: Esther A., Emma, Charlotte, George H., William, Charles, Allie E., Arthur W. and Della M.; and two dead, Eliza I., and one who died in infancy. Esther is the wife of Edward Hurd, and resides in Lena; Emma is the wife of E. O. Hill, and lives in Nebraska; Charlotte is the wife of J. P. Lockrey, and resides in Iowa; George H. married Amy Galbraith and lives in Nebraska; William married Jennie Shurry, and resides in West Point Township; Charles married Etta Heidenrich, and lives in Jo Daviess County; Ella is the wife of Charles Heidenrich, and lives in Jo Daviess County; Arthur and Della are yet at home. Mr. B. has held the office of Commissioner of Highways for twenty-four years. Politically he is a Republican. His father and mother and all the members of the family belong to the Methodist Episcopal Church. The father and mother have been members of that church for thirty-four years.

Contributed by Carol Parrish from Portrait and Biographical Album of Stephenson County, Ill. (1888), p. 683

Buried at Holly Grove Cemetery - Photo by Diane Boand