Kraus Notables and Anecdotes

This page contains information and stories related to all members of note of this Kraus family line. If you find errors or omissions, or if you have related stories to share please send Email.

 Last Update: 29 Dec 2005

Jacob Kraus (1805-1886) was about 25 years old he departed Germany and arrived in New York Harbor on October 17th, 1830. Family lore states that he and a brother jumped ship while serving in the Prussian Navy. His wife was also born in Württemberg. It is not known when she arrived in the country. By 1833 he made his way to first Huntington County, Pennsylvania  and then after 1838 to Cambria County, Pennsylvania. There his known sons George and Edward were born in 1833 and 1842. In April 1836 Jacob filed for naturalization in Huntington County, affidavits were provided by John F. Saiger and John Milliken. By 1845 he was settled in Juniata County. His citizenship was granted on February 3rd, 1846. In 1851 he moved to Allegheny County. Between 1864 and 1868 son George migrated to Indiana. Between 1873 and 1876 son George migrated to Illinois and then to Arkansas by 1880. Son Edward migrated to and was settled in Indiana by 1868. Between 1870 and 1871 son Edward migrated to Arkansas. Edward was in Kansas in 1873 and back in Arkansas by 1878. In 1880 Jacob lived in the home of his son George in the Spadra Township of Johnson County, Arkansas. Apparently his wife passed away before 1880.

Andrew Jackson Stumbaugh (1824-1911) son of David Dart Stumbaugh and Rhoda Gilliland, husband of Anna Fitzer, father of Laura Lavina Stumbaugh, wife of Jasper Kraus; enlisted as a Private in Company K of the 142nd Indiana Infantry Regiment on 13 November 1864 and mustered out on 14 July 1865 in Nashville, Tennessee.

John G. Kraus (c1828-1914) son of Jacob Kraus and Mary Steiner, served the Union during the Civil War enlisting on 11 October 1861 in the 77th Pennsylvania Infantry.

George William Kraus (1832-1888) son of Jacob Kraus and Mary Steiner, fought for the Union in the Civil War. He enlisted in Company E of the 3rd Infantry Regiment, Pennsylvania, as a Private on 11 September 1862 and mustered out on 25 September 1862. Not long after the war George, his brother Edward and father Jacob migrated to Indiana.

Edward Henry Kraus (1842-1910) son of Jacob Kraus and Anna Mary Steiner served the Union during the Civil War serving in Company B of the 202nd Pennsylvania Infantry from 2 September 1864 to 3 August 1865.

Dr. Thomas Jefferson  McCord (1843-1919) son of George William McCord and Charlotte Ring. Thomas was one of the most important factors in the industrial, commercial and financial growth of Stone County, as well as being a prominent physician of Galena, Stone County, Missouri for many years. When the Civil War began and he ran away from his home in Johnson County, Arkansas and went to Springfield, Missouri, where at the age of 17 he enlisted in the First Arkansas Union Infantry as a Hospital Steward. After the conflict was over he went to Ann Arbor, Michigan where he worked his way through college, continuing his studies until 1868 when he graduated. He went directly to Galena, Stone County, Missouri, where at one time he owned practically the entire town, having acquired the land on which the town is now located. He was a member of the Southwest Missouri Medical Association since its organization. At one time he owned 1,500 acres of valuable farm land in Stone County. On 8 Nov 1870 he was elected Clerk of the Circuit Court and County Court of Stone County. In 1889 he organized the Bank of Billings of which he was president for a number of years.

Edward Joseph Kraus (1859-1906), son of George W. Kraus, owned a brick factory in the Spadra Township of Johnson County, Arkansas. Many years after the factory was closed, Edward's grandchildren would uncover old bricks in the pasture after a hard rain.

Gwennie S. Evans (1862-1909) immigrated to America from Wales with her parents when she was 7 years old in 1869/70. We don't yet know exactly when or on what ship. Her family settled in Doylestown, Wayne County, Ohio before migrating to Johnson County, Arkansas, arriving on 1 February 1878. She married Edward Joseph Kraus about 1885. It is said that Gwinnie administered many acts of charity and that far and wide about town she visited the sick and needy--never empty handed. 

Gomer Edward Kraus (1890-1950) played professional baseball as a young man. By all accounts he was a very good pitcher. When he was 21 years old he got the mumps while the team was on the road in Texas. The team had to leave him at the hotel and the lady who ran the hotel took care of him until he could travel. He joined an Indian team and traveled with them until he got close enough to home to get back. He said they would parade through the town in full Indian regalia before the game to drum up interest. His brother William "Allie" Kraus, who was four years older, worried about his little brother being on the road away from home and he sent letters constantly with $1.00 in them so Gomer wouldn't be broke. When Gomer would get home the letters would keep filtering in for weeks, having followed him all over and back again. When he had sons of his own he taught them all to throw a curve, spit ball, and a few other things that he had left from his days in baseball. He later owned a construction and architectural business and designed and constructed many of the larger buildings in Clarksville, Arkansas and some apartment complexes in Oklahoma. He donated a strip of his land to the city for construction of a new road. In return the city named the new street "Kraus Street."

Arville W. Kraus (1895-1970) son of Abraham Eldsworth Kraus and Cora M. Flemming served in the U.S. Army during World War I as a Sergeant in the 16th Company of the 162nd Depot Brigade.

Wallace C. Kraus (1896-1970) son of Abraham Eldsworth Kraus and Cora M. Flemming served in the U.S. Army during World War I.

Eugene W. Kraus (1909-1990) son of George Wilson Kraus and Amanda Elizabeth Williams is a veteran of World War II, serving in 1944 and 1945.

Lawrence E. Kraus (1912-??) son of George Wilson Kraus and Amanda Elizabeth Williams is a veteran of World War II, serving in 1943.

Gomer Edward Kraus, Jr. (1917-1991) attended Oklahoma A&M (now Oklahoma State University) and studied architecture. To unwind from studying, he would go out to the ball field and shag flies for the baseball team. The coach talked him into joining the team as short stop and he played there for the rest of his college career and was captain of the baseball team. Upon graduation, he was drafted by the Red Sox. This was the very beginning of the war in Europe and his dad talked him into starting his profession, saying that ball players would be the first to go if we got into the war. So Gomer passed up the Red Sox and started his career, designing the air base at Corpus Christi, Texas and then the base in Jacksonville, Florida before he joined the Navy as an Ensign. He served in the Pacific during World War II as the Executive Officer on an aircraft carrier tender. After the war Gomer settled in Jacksonville, Florida and started a successful architectural firm. 

Gwennie Elizabeth Kraus (1913-1992) never married or had children. She lived her whole life in the house in which she was born, along with her parents. She was a teacher and later principal of Hurlie School in Clarksville, Arkansas (School District #17). After she retired a new school was constructed and named the "Kraus Elementary School" in her honor. She spent much of retirement taking cruises with friends.

Joe Kraus (1919-1997) made the honor roll list in the sixth grade class of the West Hill School in 1931 for perfect attendance. Joe went to Midshipmen's School at Columbia University in New York and was commissioned an Ensign when he graduated. He served as skipper of a converted landing craft as a Lieutenant, J.G. during World War II. He and his brother Gomer both served in the Pacific. They even ran into each other on the Marshall Islands during the war and Gomer traded shoes for a case of beer from Joe. He was promoted to full Lieutenant when he returned to the States. After returning to Clarksville he was the football and Junior High School basketball coach. He later went on to be the basketball coach and principal of Harrison High School in Harrison, Arkansas.

Jack Stanley Kraus (c1920-1982) son of Arville W. Kraus and Beulah M. Williams, served in the U.S. Navy during World War II aboard the USS Pasadena.

Ralph Eugene Kraus (1929-2005) son of Nargus Jasper Kraus and Marie Goode, husband of Janet Coley, served in the US Army Signal Corps from March 1951 to March 1953 and continued in the US Army Reserves from 1953 to 1956. He served on the City Council of Ridgefield, Clark County, Washington from 1856 to 1969 and was Mayor of Ridgefield from 1984 to 1993. 

Jerry Wills Kraus (1930-1989) son of Harlow Alton Kraus and Glenna Doris Watkins, husband of Polly Calhoun, served in the U.S. Air Force from 3 December 1953 to 26 August 1961 attaining the rank of Captain. Buried in Willamette National Cemetery, Portland, Multnomah County, Oregon.

Family Lore

According to family lore Jacob Kraus came to this country from Germany by deserting the German Navy. As the story goes, Jacob and his brother were on a ship that docked in New York Harbor. They both jumped ship. Jacob worked his way south eventually arriving in Arkansas. His brother stayed up north. No proof of this story has yet been found. But naturalization records do indicate that he arrived in the Port of New Your in 1830.