SHEBOYGAN HISTORY

William Kroos, Sr., Page 717

WILLIAM KROOS, Sr., of Sheboygan, is numbered among the well-known early settlers of this city.  He is a native of Prussia, where he was born August 11, 1818, and where he grew to manhood.  The father of the subject of this sketch died before the birth of his son William.  Later the mother re-married, but has been many years deceased.  She had a large number of children by both marriages, nine of whom are still living and have become residents of the United States.  The first of the family who left the old home in Germany and came to America was William Kroos.  In the fall of 1842 he crossed the ocean, landing in New Orleans.  He went thence to St. Louis, which was his home for a number of years.  He also resided at other places before becoming a permanent resident of Sheboygan.

    Our subject's first appearance in this city was in 1847, and on April 19, 1850, he was married here to Miss Theresa Weickelmeyer, who was born in Saxony, September 22, 1833, and is a daughter of Frederick Weickelmeyer.  In July, 1849, Mr. Weickelmeyer, with his wife and their family, landed in the city of New York.  They proceeded direct to Albany by steamboat, continuing thence by train to Buffalo, where they again took a steamer, making the trip around the Lakes to Sheboygan, where the family settled.  There the father died of cholera, August 15, 1852.  Two years later the mother went to Peoria, Ill., where she lived with her son Gustav for a time, but later returned, and continued to live alternately at Peoria and Sheboygan until her death, which occurred June 22, 1876, in Sheboygan.  She had reached the advanced age of seventy-six.  Of the seven children who came with their parents to America three are deceased.  Gustav, the eldest son, and his sister Mary died at Peoria; and Louisa died in Seattle, in the State of Washington, August 14, 1892, at the age of sixty-three years.  The surviving members of the family in 1893 are:  Mrs. Bertha Heinart, of Sheboygan; Frederick, of Peoria, Ill.; Mrs. Kroos; and Mrs. Clara Howeler, of Peoria.

    Mr. and Mrs. Kroos have nine children, four sons and five daughters, the sons being F. William, Henry W., Max and Julius.  The daughters are:  Anna, wife of Henry Bade, of Plymouth; Emily, the wife of Holcey C. Akin, of Sheboygan; Clara, the wife of John M. Steimle, of the same city; Bertha, the wife of Martin Keohn; and Emma, who is the wife of William Muth, also of this city.

    Mr. and Mrs. Kroos are numbered among the well-known pioneers of Sheboygan, where they have lived so many years.  They are consistent members of Trinity Lutheran Church in this city.