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MILL CREEK PRECINCT BIOGRAPHIES
Union County Illinois Genealogy Trails Source: Perrin's 1883 History of Union County CRUSE, John CRUSE, Peter LAWRENCE, Thomas  JOHN CRUSE John Cruse, farmer, P. O. Mill Creek, was born February 16, 1827, in Union County, Ill. His grandfather, Peter Cruse, was a native of North Carolina, a farmer by occupation, who emigrated to Illinois and settled in Mill Creek Township, Union County, in 1819; here he and his faithful wife died after experiencing the hardships of the pioneers' life, and seeing the country where they settled turned from a wilderness to productive gardens. They raised eight children whose descendants are numerous in Southern Illinois. Their son, Henry Cruse, was a native of North Carolina, where he married Miss Elizabeth Lippard, who was born in North Carolina., and died in 1863 in Union County. Henry Cruse, who came to the county with his parents, and with them experienced the hardships of life in a new country, died in 1868, leaving many friends to mourn his death. Our subject was raised on the farm, and received such an education as the subscription schools of the period afforded. He began life for himself as a farmer, an occupation he has since been engaged in, with the exception of about five years spent in mercantile pursuits. On the 9th of February, 1851, he married Miss Maria Smith, a daughter of James and Harriet (Weaver) Smith, early settlers of southern Illinois. Mrs. Cruse was born in Pulaski County, Ill., March 16, 1833. She is the mother of the following children: James H., born December 15, 1854; Martha J., wife of John Miller, born Apri 8, 1853; Laura, born December 27, 1862, and Henry S., born April 15, 1869. Mr. Cruse is the owner of an eighty-one-acre farm; he was formerly a Democrat, but is now identified with the principles of the Republican party. Mrs. Cruse is a member of the Lutheran Church. Mr. Cruse is a reading man, and has filled school offices. PETER CRUSE Peter Cruse, farmer, P. O. Mill Creek, is a native of this county; was born October 20, 1829, and is a son of Henry and Elizabeth (Lippard) Cruse; he was born in North Carolina, and died here. Henry was the son of Peter Cruse, Sr., who was of German descent, and came to this State several years in advance of Henry, probably about 1815-16, and is dead, but has many descendants living here. The parents of our subject had nine children, of whom he was the fifth. His education was limited to the common schools of this community. In early life, he embarked in farming, and in the spring of 1854, he, in company with Solomon Lingle, crossed the plains to California with cattle. While there, he mined with varied success, and returned home in 1856, via Panama. He was married in 1858 to Miss Catherine Poole, daughter of Jacob Poole, also a North Carolinian. They have three children now living--Elizabeth, Minta and Dacota. Mr. Cruse has a farm of 200 acres; in politics, he is a Democrat; is a liberal-minded, wide-awake man, and favors prohibition. THOMAS LAWRENCE T. Lawrence, physician, Mill Creek, was born July 17, 1830, in Swedesboro, Gloucester Co., N. J., and is a son of Job and Elizabeth (Tallman) Lawrence. He was born April 3, 1803, and received his medical education in the Jefferson Medical College of Philadelphia. He is yet living, but has not practiced since 1862, owing to an injury received by a fall from his horse while going on a visit to a patient. His wife was born in 1803, and was the mother of six children--all boys--of whom Charles, Edward and Thomas (our subject), are now living, and all are physicians. Charles is located at Neola, Iowa, and Edward at Osceola, Iowa. She died in December, 1879, in Randolph County, Ill. Our subject was educated principally at the Medical College at St. Louis, where he graduated in March, 1856. He was married in April of the same year in St. Genevieve, Mo., to Miss Mildred W. Eades, born in Albemarle County, Va. She is the mother of five children now living: George T., Joseph M., Samuel S., Arthur W. and Albert S. J. Dr. Lawrence, prior to his marriage, moved to Bollinger County, Mo., where he remained until August, 1861, when he entered the United States Army as Assistant Surgeon, serving until May, 1865. He then located in Alexander County, Ill.., following his profession there for about ten years. He came to Union County and settled in Mill Creek in 1875, soon after the building of the St. Louis & Cairo Railroad. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity and politically is a Democrat. Return to Biography Index Return to Union County Index 2007 Illinois Genealogy Trails |