CHRISTENA'S QUEST
It started with a letter. It was a letter sent to me by my grandmother Christena Crouse Larkins.
She wanted to know more about the family history of John Crouse, her father. She knew he came from
Ohio and since I was living near Ohio at that time, she thought I might be able to help. She knew
he came from Germany and she knew all of the names of his sisters, as well as their husbands and
their childrens names. She didn't know when her grandfather or grandmother came to America and
from where in Germany they had lived.
Christena's nephew Harold Crouse had come from Nebraska and visited
Lucasville cemeteries looking for a Jacob and Catherine Crouse for that was the name listed on John
Crouses death certificate but without much luck. We all had written for the census and found them
in the 1850, 1860, 1870, and 1880 Scioto County Censuses. We knew Jacob Crouse was a farmer so he
had to have land records. He did. He bought land from a Sabra or Labra Spriggs on the 15th day of
February 1843. The surprise was that the land was in Pike County, Ohio. In order to have land a
immigrant must make a Declaration of Intent. On the census they said they were from Baden or Prussia,
In his Declaration of Intent in Pike County, Jacob Crouse renounced all allegiance to King Ludwig of
Bavaria on October, 1841. During that time period King Ludwig ruled Rhineland Pfaltz as well as Bavaria.
That part of the puzzle was answered.
While looking on the internet at Scioto.org, I found the listing
of the marriage of Jacob Crouse and Catherina Minich on the 12th day of April, 1842 in Pike County.
I sent for that record which shows they were married by a F.M. Cortezt, Minister of the Gospel.
I also saw a Christine Minich who had married a Jacob Dellert in 1841. I thought she might be a sister
but I still do not have definite proof. I doubt that Catherina Minich (Minch) traveled across the
ocean alone. This Christina and most of her children died in a cholera epidemic leaving only one son,
George Dellert and her husband. Christina is a common name in the Jacob Crouse family and they were in
the same area at the same time. I haven't found where Catherina Minch Crouse lived in Germany. The
dates of Jacob and Catherines births are different each time on the censuses which made it difficult
to tell their exact age. I keep looking for a connection for the Minches. I found another one in Lewis
Minch. After Christine Crouse Swavel died, (the Jacob Crouses daughter), Leonard Swavel remarried to a Rachel Farmer. Her sister Samantha had been married to a Lewis Minch. Lewis had died while fording a river from drowning in 1855. � Perhaps Lewis
Minch was related to Catherina Minch Crouse in some way. Christine Minch Crouse had named one of her
children Samantha. There is still a lot of questions that need to be answered. This website I hope will
help answer some of these questions. (The information about Samantha Farmer was sent to me by a descendant of Samantha Farmer by Tom Adkins).
THE ANCESTRY OF JACOB CROUSE AND CATHERINE MINCH CROUSE
Jacob Crouse--Born about 1803-1810 in Rhineland Pfalz Bavaria under King Ludwig.
Death Date--after 1880
Married Catherina Minch (Minich) --Born 1815-1820 in Baden or Prussia.
Marriage Date: April 12, 1842 in Pike County, Ohio
1st CHILD OF JACOB AND CATHERINE MINCH CROUSE
Louiza Crouse--Born March 11, 1843, in Pike County, Ohio
Death Date--1901, Burial Site: Thayer County, Chester, Nebraska, Chester Cemetery
Never married.
2nd CHILD OF JACOB AND CATHERINE MINCH CROUSE
Christina Crouse--Born, 1846, in Pike County, Ohio
Death Date: 1879/1880
Burial Site Flatwood Cemetery, Stony Creek
Married Leonard Swavel, Born: January, 15, 1847
Died April 10, 1922
Burial Site: Green lawn Cemetery
Children
-
Jacob Swavel--Born about 1871 in Jefferson Township, Scioto County Ohio
Burial Site: Flatwoods Cemetery, Stony Creek
According to letter, Jake died early.
-
Adam Swavel--Born 1872 in Jefferson Township, Scioto County Ohio (Letter called him Jack.)
Death Date: May 8, 1940
Married Ida Mae Cruell
Their children
a. Paul Swavel--Born May 5, 1897
Death Date:1960 Portsmouth
Married Dorothy Mae Shiefer
Paul had a son Morris who was a pilot shot down over Germany in WWII, 1944.
Also had a living daughter
b. Charlotte Swavel: Born Mary 4, 1903
Death Date: 1981
Married George Cumutte
Married 2nd Alonzo Jordan
No children
-
Catherine Swavel--Born 1877, Jefferson Township, Scioto County, Ohio
She was not mentioned in the letter.
-
Nellie Swavel--Born 1878, Jefferson township, Scioto County, Ohio
Married Oscar Grimes
Children
a. Donald Grimes--Born 1902, Died 1969
b. Ray Grimes--Born 1899, Died November 2, 1975
Married Lona?
Born 1905, Died 1968
-
Cora Swavel--Born Dec. 1879, Jefferson Township, Scioto County, Ohio
Burial Site: Greenlawn
Married Elmer Knost 1910 in Scioto County Ohio
Burial Site: Greenlawn
THIRD CHILD OF JACOB AND CATHERINA CROUSE
John Crouse---Born Dec. 19, 1848, Lucasville, Ohio
Death: February 23, 1911
Burial Site: Thayer County, Chester, Nebraska, Chester Cemetery
Marriage: Katherine Rohrer in Logan County, Lincoln, Illinois
She was daughter of Sebastian Rohrer and Catherine Cedar Rohrer.
She was born Aug. 24, 1858
Death Date: August 28, 1948
Burial Site: Thayer County, Chester, Nebraska, Chester Cemetery
John does not appear with the Jacob Crouse family in the Scioto County census of� 1880.
We do know he traveled to Illinois for that is where he met his wife, Kate.
Children of John Crouse Sr.
-
John S. Crouse--Born 1882
Married Alta Harriet Thomas
Their children:
a. Paul Delmar (1920-1927)
b. Wilbert Earl Married Jean Davenport, three children
c. Ruth Fern Maahs Born 1924 Married (children)
d. Elmer Lewis--Born 1930-1932
e. John E. Crouse --Born 1927 Married Joan Davis Davenport
- Ida May Crouse (May) Born 1883 Died at an early age
-
William Jacob/Will, married Anna Depke Born 1892-1950, had two children
a. Melvin W. (1917-2000) married Ilo Fraley, They had two children
Living, Married
Living, Married
b. Harold born 1919, married Maxine Davenport and had four children.
Living
Living
Living
Living
-
Christena Crouse --Born Dec. 25, 1884
Death Date: November 26, 1979
Married William Larkins
They had six children. One is living.
a.Evelyn Larkins --Born August 22, 1914
Death Date: April 1, 1994; Buried Chester Cemetery, Chester, Nebraska
b. Ella Larkins Smith-Born October 17, 1912 Death Date March 2, 1939
c. Shirley Larkins Walta--Born 1917, Died 1980, Married
Two daughters both living
d. Willard M. Larkins--Born March 4, 1919, Died April 29,2000 of cancer, Married
Two children living
e. Hazel Jean Larkins--Born September 4, 1922 Married, living
Five children living
f. Ilo Fay Larkins--Born February 22, 1924, Married,Died January 21, 2004
Two children living.
5. Ella Crouse Yusey, Dry, (Married twice, little information)
FOURTH CHILD OF JACOB CROUSE AND CATHERINE MINCH
Samantha Crouse--Born about 1853, Died 1922
Married a ___________Carlisle
Child --Rose Krauss--Born 2/2/1874, Died in June 19, 1970; She was 96.
Married Dave Parks, After his death lived on 137 Shull Ave, in Gahanna, Ohio
Left Portsmouth when a teenager. Rose, her husband and her mother Samantha Carlisle were living in Mifflin in the 1900 census.
Buried in Mifflin Cemetery, Gahanna; Information for Samantha, Rose, and Grimes boys supplied by Mrs.
Ruth Chrysler Schneider in a letter January 4, 1977. She was a neighbor and friend of Rose Parks. Information supplied for death certificate; Mrs. Helen Chrysler.
The burial site of Christina Crouse Swavel can be seen at the SCCOGS Virtual Cemetery under Jefferson Township at Flatwoods,Stony Cemetery. Samantha Farmer sister of Rachel the second� wife of Leonard Swavel is there also. I suspect that Jacob and Catherine Crouse may be there too.
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