DR. SIMON SCHNIDER STROUSS. The first recorded history of the Strouss family in the United States was enacted in Northampton county, Penn. David Strouss and wife came over from Leipsic, Germany, about the year 1750. Of this date we are not quite certain, but there is conclusive evidence that they sailed about the middle of the eighteenth century. David Strouss was a musician and also somewhat of a fighter. He was chorister in the German Lutheran Church, and took up arms with his adopted fellow-countrymen in the war of the Revolution. That he was a soldier worthy of the name, we know from the fact that he was made colonel under Washington. After the war he settled down to quiet farm life in Northampton county. His son, John Strouss, moved to Allegheny county, Penn., in 1806. He was a millwright by trade, but as he grew older, country life and bucolic charms increased in attractiveness to him, and he started West for his fortune. He pitched his family tent on a little creek in Allegheny county, about twenty miles northwest of Pittsburgh, now the junction of Allegheny, Beaver and Washington counties. Here he spent the remainder of his days. When asked by his children later in life, why he did not settle nearer the confluence of the two rivers, he would reply: "I could see no great advantages then. Pittsburgh was only a few houses near an old fort. One cart load of produce would supply its daily demand, and if we shipped down the river we were obliged to walk back or row up stream, which was slower and harder work than walking." So he concluded to go farther into the country and establish a little kingdom of his own. We can look back and say: "What a mistake he made." But, perhaps, our conclusion would be too hasty. Viewed from a financial point of view, doubtless it was a mistake; but when we consider the fact that the thread of life has been spun to an unusual length to almost all the descendants of this line we may credit it to pure air, sanitary living, and muscle making of necessities of this pioneer farmer.
John Strouss married Mary Schnip, September 10, 1795, and there were born to them four sons and five daughters: Lydia, Elizabeth, Jonas, John, David, Mary, Simon S., Hannah and Martha. Mary Strouss died in 1815, and John was married, the second time, to Annie McCoy. There were born to him of this marriage three sons: William, James and Henry. Of these seven sons, Dr. Simon S. Strouss (whose likeness appears with this sketch) was the youngest of the first marriage. From this brief history of ancestry we can form an idea of the limited pleasures, and opportunities for any thing else than farm work, that fell to him in his youth. The paterfamilias and his wife and twelve children all believed and practiced strict economy, and the daily catechism of hard work, relieved on Sundays by the austere principles and rigorous observance of "Blue- Stocking" Presbyterianism, which creed, slightly modified, has been adhered to by nearly all this large family.
Dr. Strouss was born in Allegheny county, Penn., Wednesday, January 10, 1810. His educational advantages were necessarily quite limited. Even public schools were unthought of in his neighborhood, and he was obliged to search a few of not the best books and pamphlets for his little store of general knowledge. Finally, to his great delight, a Latin school was started in Hopewell church, near his father's farm, and he, having expressed a preference for the medical profession, was permitted to study this dry language in all its original dryness, for a few mouths. Thus equipped, as to his mental outfit, he came to Washington county and read medicine with Dr. Jonathan Letherman, who at that time had an office near Canonsburg. On a faded sheet of old- fashioned letter paper we find the following: "To all whom it may concern: This is to certify that Simon Strouss has attentively and diligently studied the science of medicine, including anatomy, surgery, midwifery, and therapeutics, and I can further state that his moral character is unimpeachable. February 20, 1831. Jonathan Letherman, M. D." This was his diploma, and now he starts out in the world, fully equipped, as Dr. Strouss. He first went to Pittsburgh, and practiced about one year with Dr. Wray, of that city. In 1832 and 1833 he practiced in Beaver county, located in what is now Independence (then Hopewell) township. He left there in the fall of 1833 and established an office in Amity, Amwell township, Washington Co., Penn. It was there that a long and useful life was spent, in service to his fellow men. He was eminently successful in every sense of the word. Beloved by his clients and respected by all with whom he came in contact. Compared with present customs, his remuneration for service was small; yet his practice became so extensive that he accumulated a comfortable fortune. With this he was liberal to the end of his days. The unfortunate always found a sympathizing helper, and of his church he was a strong moral and financial supporter.
Dr. Strouss first married, August 12, 1836, Jane F. Dodd, who was the eldest in the family of nine children of Rev. Cephas Dodd, viz.: Jane F.; Sarah; Thaddeus, M. D.; Cornelia; Elizabeth; Hannah; James F.; Cephas, M. D.; and Elias F., M.D. Their father was the son of Rev. Thaddeus Dodd, the founder and first pastor of Upper and Lower Ten-Mile Churches. Washington county; Rev. Dodd commenced his labor there in 1777. and later in his work was one of the principal actors in the establishing of what is now Washington and Jefferson College. Mrs. Strouss died Thursday, August 13, 1863. There were born of this marriage two sons and five daughters. Dr. Strouss was married, the second time, March 12, 1868, to Mrs. Anne Conger (nee Anne Day). There were no children of this marriage. Of the seven children we record the following: Hanna D., born September 20, 1837, died September 29, 1843; Mary Jane, born March 26, 1839; Cephas D.. born January 1, 1841, died September 26, 1843; Martha Elizabeth, born November 19, 1843; John D., still-born; Sarah Ann, born March 13, 1846; Ruth D., born June 11, 1848, died October 3, 1858. Of these, Mary Jane married William C. Condit, July 8, 1858; Martha Elizabeth married Demas McCollum, December 4, 1863; Sarah Ann married David B. Baker, March 2, 1865. These three daughters settled on farms given them by their father, and are still living in Washington county. Dr. Strouss died Tuesday, April 24, 1883, and his wife on Wednesday, May 16, 1883. Thus within three weeks this beloved old man and his worthy wife passed away, breaking the Strouss line in this branch of the family as no sons were left to carry the name.
The life of Dr. Strouss was one of undeniable consistency, and in his old age there was allotted to him the esteem and regard that true worth justly merits. He was jovial, kind-hearted and earnest. Always willing to sacrifice personal comfort and consideration for a suffering patient. He early acquired a practice that extended to a radius of twelve or fifteen miles from his office. There was considerable of a German element in his locality, and they still reverence the memory of Dr. Strouss. His pills and drops were a panacea for all their ailments. Many of them affirm that even his jolly presence was enough to put one beyond the notice of suffering. Although he never read psychology, yet he understood the influence of mind over matter, and the power of the will. He had the true secret of the practitioner. This was best evinced in his treatment of fevers, in which he was eminently successful; often being called as council, especially in such cases to other localities. He was an earnest, active follower of the Master, always at his place with heart and purse in the Presbyterian Church of Lower Ten- mile. He did his life work well, and has left us a noble example of an upright, useful and honorable life.
As a rule, Dr. Strouss never speculated or tampered with the vagaries of fortune. Once he was tempted by the Western sheep craze, and ventured some capital but finding himself losing, he withdrew, and devoted himself more exclusively to his chosen profession. He has gone to his reward, and to us, his descendants, there is left a sacred memory and Christian example. May we strive toward true merit as he did, and preserve the mantle he has left to us with his benediction, unsullied from dishonor's pollution. For the name and honor is ours to carry before the searching eyes of an exacting world. This feeble tribute we offer as a token of our undying gratitude, love and esteem.
(This sketch is from the pen of S.S.B.)
Text taken from page 298 of:
Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893).Transcribed June 1997 by George A. and Mary Ann Plance of Gainesville, FL as part of the Beers Project.
Published June 1997 on the Washington County, PA USGenWeb pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.[ [Back to Beers Table of Contents] [Back to Beers Project Page]