Member of the Harmony Society
John S. Duss was the son of John Duss/Rutz and Caroline Kroll Duss. Although this death certificate says he was born in Covington, KY all other reports including his own writings say he was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. At the time, his father was in New Orleans representing a brewing company. His father was conscripted into the Confederate army, at variance to his own convictions. He escaped and joined the Union army (75 PA Infantry Co H). He changed his name to Rutz because if he were captured by the Confederates he would have been shot for desertion. He fought at Gettysburg and was wounded. He died of those wound a few days later at West Building Hospital, Baltimore, MD. He never saw his son.
After her husband was conscripted Caroline took her son and went to the Zoar community in Ohio. While they would have been able to take her, they could not deal with a small child so mother and son went on to the Harmonist in Economy, PA. He rcieved his early education there, including train in water colors and in music.
In 1873, he began to attend the Soldiers Orphan's School owned by Rev. W.G. Taylor in Phillipsburg (now Monaca, PA) and then went Mt. Union College in Mount Union, Ohio. After graduation he took a job teaching at the Kansas Reform School.
John and Susan were married on July 17, 1882. in Keokuk, Lee County, Iowa at the home of her brother David. In August they moved to Mount Union where John sold organs and pianos.
Next they moved to Burr Oak, Kansas (home of her brother Mitchell) to look for land for a ranch. They bought land near Red Cloud, Nebraska, but could not yet afford cattle, so John worker for Mitchell Creese in a photography business and also sold organs for the Kansas Organ Company. In 1883, their daughter Vera was born in Burr Oak, Kansas.
In May of 1884, they moved to the ranch near Red Cloud to raised cattle, but when the price they could get for the beef fell, they switched to raising hogs. In 1885 their son, John S. Jr. ("Hans") was born
In 1885, they returned to Economy to teach at the request of Jacob Henrici. They joined the Society.
In 1890, he was made a junior trustee of the Harmony Society. He became senior trustee with the death of Jacob Henrici in 1892.
By the 1890's the village businesses and farms were failing as were many of the Society's outside investments. John Duss oversaw the selling off of many assets to pay off debts. He resigned his trusteeship in 1903 leaving his wife Sussana as sole trustee. The Society was dissolved in 1905.
As time went on, he was more and more devoted to his music. He played coronet and conducted the Economy Band. The band played many local events. In 1902 under the name Duss Concert Band the played the Metropolitan Opera House for a season. During the summers of of 1903 to 1904 they went on national tour.
After they bought the house in Florida he divided his time between New Smyrna and Economy.
He died at Sewickley Valley Hospital at the age of 91.
Source(s):
English, Eileen Aiken, Demographic Directory of the Harmony Society, Richard W. Couper Press, 2011.
"Iowa, County Marriages, 1838-1934", database, FamilySearch
Duss, John S, The Harmonists: A Personal History, reprinted by The Harmony Associates, Inc., Ambridge, PA, 1970.
Knoedler, Christiana F., The Harmony Society: A 19th Century American Utopia, Vantage Press, New York, 1954.
John S. Duss was the son of John Duss/Rutz and Caroline Kroll Duss. Although this death certificate says he was born in Covington, KY all other reports including his own writings say he was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. At the time, his father was in New Orleans representing a brewing company. His father was conscripted into the Confederate army, at variance to his own convictions. He escaped and joined the Union army (75 PA Infantry Co H). He changed his name to Rutz because if he were captured by the Confederates he would have been shot for desertion. He fought at Gettysburg and was wounded. He died of those wound a few days later at West Building Hospital, Baltimore, MD. He never saw his son.
After her husband was conscripted Caroline took her son and went to the Zoar community in Ohio. While they would have been able to take her, they could not deal with a small child so mother and son went on to the Harmonist in Economy, PA. He rcieved his early education there, including train in water colors and in music.
In 1873, he began to attend the Soldiers Orphan's School owned by Rev. W.G. Taylor in Phillipsburg (now Monaca, PA) and then went Mt. Union College in Mount Union, Ohio. After graduation he took a job teaching at the Kansas Reform School.
John and Susan were married on July 17, 1882. in Keokuk, Lee County, Iowa at the home of her brother David. In August they moved to Mount Union where John sold organs and pianos.
Next they moved to Burr Oak, Kansas (home of her brother Mitchell) to look for land for a ranch. They bought land near Red Cloud, Nebraska, but could not yet afford cattle, so John worker for Mitchell Creese in a photography business and also sold organs for the Kansas Organ Company. In 1883, their daughter Vera was born in Burr Oak, Kansas.
In May of 1884, they moved to the ranch near Red Cloud to raised cattle, but when the price they could get for the beef fell, they switched to raising hogs. In 1885 their son, John S. Jr. ("Hans") was born
In 1885, they returned to Economy to teach at the request of Jacob Henrici. They joined the Society.
In 1890, he was made a junior trustee of the Harmony Society. He became senior trustee with the death of Jacob Henrici in 1892.
By the 1890's the village businesses and farms were failing as were many of the Society's outside investments. John Duss oversaw the selling off of many assets to pay off debts. He resigned his trusteeship in 1903 leaving his wife Sussana as sole trustee. The Society was dissolved in 1905.
As time went on, he was more and more devoted to his music. He played coronet and conducted the Economy Band. The band played many local events. In 1902 under the name Duss Concert Band the played the Metropolitan Opera House for a season. During the summers of of 1903 to 1904 they went on national tour.
After they bought the house in Florida he divided his time between New Smyrna and Economy.
He died at Sewickley Valley Hospital at the age of 91.
Source(s):
English, Eileen Aiken, Demographic Directory of the Harmony Society, Richard W. Couper Press, 2011.
"Iowa, County Marriages, 1838-1934", database, FamilySearch
Duss, John S, The Harmonists: A Personal History, reprinted by The Harmony Associates, Inc., Ambridge, PA, 1970.
Knoedler, Christiana F., The Harmony Society: A 19th Century American Utopia, Vantage Press, New York, 1954.
Member of the Harmony Society
John S. Duss was the son of John Duss/Rutz and Caroline Kroll Duss. Although this death certificate says he was born in Covington, KY all other reports including his own writings say he was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. At the time, his father was in New Orleans representing a brewing company. His father was conscripted into the Confederate army, at variance to his own convictions. He escaped and joined the Union army (75 PA Infantry Co H). He changed his name to Rutz because if he were captured by the Confederates he would have been shot for desertion. He fought at Gettysburg and was wounded. He died of those wound a few days later at West Building Hospital, Baltimore, MD. He never saw his son.
After her husband was conscripted Caroline took her son and went to the Zoar community in Ohio. While they would have been able to take her, they could not deal with a small child so mother and son went on to the Harmonist in Economy, PA. He rcieved his early education there, including train in water colors and in music.
In 1873, he began to attend the Soldiers Orphan's School owned by Rev. W.G. Taylor in Phillipsburg (now Monaca, PA) and then went Mt. Union College in Mount Union, Ohio. After graduation he took a job teaching at the Kansas Reform School.
John and Susan were married on July 17, 1882. in Keokuk, Lee County, Iowa at the home of her brother David. In August they moved to Mount Union where John sold organs and pianos.
Next they moved to Burr Oak, Kansas (home of her brother Mitchell) to look for land for a ranch. They bought land near Red Cloud, Nebraska, but could not yet afford cattle, so John worker for Mitchell Creese in a photography business and also sold organs for the Kansas Organ Company. In 1883, their daughter Vera was born in Burr Oak, Kansas.
In May of 1884, they moved to the ranch near Red Cloud to raised cattle, but when the price they could get for the beef fell, they switched to raising hogs. In 1885 their son, John S. Jr. ("Hans") was born
In 1885, they returned to Economy to teach at the request of Jacob Henrici. They joined the Society.
In 1890, he was made a junior trustee of the Harmony Society. He became senior trustee with the death of Jacob Henrici in 1892.
By the 1890's the village businesses and farms were failing as were many of the Society's outside investments. John Duss oversaw the selling off of many assets to pay off debts. He resigned his trusteeship in 1903 leaving his wife Sussana as sole trustee. The Society was dissolved in 1905.
As time went on, he was more and more devoted to his music. He played coronet and conducted the Economy Band. The band played many local events. In 1902 under the name Duss Concert Band the played the Metropolitan Opera House for a season. During the summers of of 1903 to 1904 they went on national tour.
After they bought the house in Florida he divided his time between New Smyrna and Economy.
He died at Sewickley Valley Hospital at the age of 91.
Source(s):
English, Eileen Aiken, Demographic Directory of the Harmony Society, Richard W. Couper Press, 2011.
"Iowa, County Marriages, 1838-1934", database, FamilySearch
Duss, John S, The Harmonists: A Personal History, reprinted by The Harmony Associates, Inc., Ambridge, PA, 1970.
Knoedler, Christiana F., The Harmony Society: A 19th Century American Utopia, Vantage Press, New York, 1954.
John S. Duss was the son of John Duss/Rutz and Caroline Kroll Duss. Although this death certificate says he was born in Covington, KY all other reports including his own writings say he was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. At the time, his father was in New Orleans representing a brewing company. His father was conscripted into the Confederate army, at variance to his own convictions. He escaped and joined the Union army (75 PA Infantry Co H). He changed his name to Rutz because if he were captured by the Confederates he would have been shot for desertion. He fought at Gettysburg and was wounded. He died of those wound a few days later at West Building Hospital, Baltimore, MD. He never saw his son.
After her husband was conscripted Caroline took her son and went to the Zoar community in Ohio. While they would have been able to take her, they could not deal with a small child so mother and son went on to the Harmonist in Economy, PA. He rcieved his early education there, including train in water colors and in music.
In 1873, he began to attend the Soldiers Orphan's School owned by Rev. W.G. Taylor in Phillipsburg (now Monaca, PA) and then went Mt. Union College in Mount Union, Ohio. After graduation he took a job teaching at the Kansas Reform School.
John and Susan were married on July 17, 1882. in Keokuk, Lee County, Iowa at the home of her brother David. In August they moved to Mount Union where John sold organs and pianos.
Next they moved to Burr Oak, Kansas (home of her brother Mitchell) to look for land for a ranch. They bought land near Red Cloud, Nebraska, but could not yet afford cattle, so John worker for Mitchell Creese in a photography business and also sold organs for the Kansas Organ Company. In 1883, their daughter Vera was born in Burr Oak, Kansas.
In May of 1884, they moved to the ranch near Red Cloud to raised cattle, but when the price they could get for the beef fell, they switched to raising hogs. In 1885 their son, John S. Jr. ("Hans") was born
In 1885, they returned to Economy to teach at the request of Jacob Henrici. They joined the Society.
In 1890, he was made a junior trustee of the Harmony Society. He became senior trustee with the death of Jacob Henrici in 1892.
By the 1890's the village businesses and farms were failing as were many of the Society's outside investments. John Duss oversaw the selling off of many assets to pay off debts. He resigned his trusteeship in 1903 leaving his wife Sussana as sole trustee. The Society was dissolved in 1905.
As time went on, he was more and more devoted to his music. He played coronet and conducted the Economy Band. The band played many local events. In 1902 under the name Duss Concert Band the played the Metropolitan Opera House for a season. During the summers of of 1903 to 1904 they went on national tour.
After they bought the house in Florida he divided his time between New Smyrna and Economy.
He died at Sewickley Valley Hospital at the age of 91.
Source(s):
English, Eileen Aiken, Demographic Directory of the Harmony Society, Richard W. Couper Press, 2011.
"Iowa, County Marriages, 1838-1934", database, FamilySearch
Duss, John S, The Harmonists: A Personal History, reprinted by The Harmony Associates, Inc., Ambridge, PA, 1970.
Knoedler, Christiana F., The Harmony Society: A 19th Century American Utopia, Vantage Press, New York, 1954.
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Records on Ancestry
Advertisement
