JOSEPH KRUSICK

Butte County

Biographies

JOSEPH KRUSICK

JOSEPH KRUSICK.--A native son, enjoying the fortunate inheritance of sturdy Old-World ancestry, and the stimulating companionship of a gifted daughter of Missouri, and now widely rated as one of the most scientific and successful farmers in Butte County, Joseph Krusick has lately sold his ranch and moved to his handsome residence in

Gridley to retire from his active career of many years. He was born on February 19, 1862, at the old Krusick homestead which his father had taken up, two and a half miles south of what is now Gridley, a couple of years before, and was the son of Jacob Krusick, a native of the River Rhine section of Germany, and of Mary (Martin) Krusick, who was born in

Scotland and moved with her folks, while she was quite young, to Ireland, crossing the ocean to America in her seventeenth or eighteenth year. Almost immediately she came to Pittsburg, and there she met and married Jacob Krusick, who had come to Pennsylvania when he was about twenty-two years old. He found employment there in a livery stable and hotel, and as a gardener; and while there, four children were born to the worthy couple. John was the eldest, and the others were Jennie, Harriet and Martin.

In 1858, Jacob Krusick came to California by way of the Isthmus, and proceeded to Long Bar, Yuba County, on the Yuba River, and engaged in placer-mining. He was rewarded with fair results, and in 1860 came to Butte County and took up one hundred sixty acres of land, to which he added by purchase from time to time until he owned nine hundred sixty acres, two and one-half miles south of Gridley, and three hundred twenty acres six miles west of what is now Biggs, in West Biggs precinct. What success these figures really indicate one can judge only when the story of Jacob Krusick's life and unwearying labors is known. Commencing as a poor boy, with little schooling, who was early compelled to hustle for subsistence, and to work hard his whole life, he cleared of live oak and brush the first land he homesteaded, and hauled his wood to Marysville with an ox team--a trip so lengthy and slow that he was compelled to leave at three o'clock in the evening. One of his consolations were the three children born to them in California. First came Fred, a native of Long Bar, Yuba County, now a well-to-do farmer at Gridley; the youngest was Sarah; and the sixth-born in the family was Joseph Krusick, the subject of this sketch.

The latter grew up at Gridley on this father's ranch, and, even while attending the public schools, began, under his father's wise direction, to learn what hard work means, for the father lived to be eighty-nine years of age, although the mother died at sixty-two, and he was thus long the valued counsellor of the family circle. On the home farm, Joseph continued, until he was married, on November 9, 1892, in Marysville, to Miss Jennie Myers, a daughter of Christopher M. and Olive (Cole) Myers, both natives of Ohio. The parents had nine children, eight girls and one boy, all born in Daviess County, Mo., where Mr. and Mrs. Myers were farmers. Miss Jennie came to California to visit three sisters who were living here; and falling in love with Mr. Krusick, whom she met

on this visit, she married him. The marriage was fortunate, if we may judge by the fact that the bride was never homesick for Missouri; although she made two trips back to that state to see her parents. Later the latter came out to California, where they settled in Gridley; and there the good old mother died in 1912, aged eighty-one. After her death,

Christopher Myers lived in turn with the three daughters; and died, aged eighty-five, at Joseph Krusick's home, on August 28, 1916.

Establishing themselves in housekeeping, Mr. and Mrs. Krusick came to a ranch of three hundred twenty acres, of which he became owner and to which Mr. Krusick added, by subsequent purchases, until he owned five hundred seventy-two acres, all splendidly improved, fenced and cross-fenced. Much of this is made-land, a gray, clay deposit washed down from the hydraulic mines; but the soil is rich and productive, his wheat yielding from fifteen to eighteen sacks per acre, and barley as high as thirty sacks. In February, 1918, they sold their ranch at a flattering figure, having previously built a modern residence in Gridley, to which they removed.

Mr. Krusick demonstrated his public-spiritedness and great interest in the development of Drainage District No. 100, by being the first to give the right-of-way for the drainage ditch.

Four children have blessed the union of Mr. and Mrs. Krusick: Muriel, who is the wife of Ernest Wallace, who resides at Los Angeles and is the foreman on a beet ranch; Fred B., who was a farmer but is now in the United States Army serving in France; Josie May, who is the wife of Lilburn DeBerry, of Bay Point, Cal.; and Ernest, also serving in the United States Army overseas. Mr. Krusick is a member of Bidwell Lodge, No. 47, I. O. O. F., at Biggs, where he is a Past Grand, and both Mr. and Mrs. Krusick are members of the Rebekahs at the same place, Mrs. Krusick being Past Noble Grand.

Transcribed by Sande Beach.

Source: "History of Butte County, Cal.," by George C. Mansfield, Pages 670-671, Historic Record Co, Los Angeles, CA, 1918.

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