John was the son of John and Rebecca (McElhaney) Strouss, born near Beaver Falls, Beaver County, PA. He served in Co. G, 37th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment (1861-1864) during the Civil War. John married Mary Addie Campbell in Champaign County, IL on 14 Nov 1867. He farmed in Champaign County for several years before moving to the Walnut area in 1894. He died at Walnut, Bureau County, IL where services with military honors were performed on 30 Apr 1933.

The Walnut Leader, Walnut, Bureau County, Illinois, May 5, 1933, Page 1:

"CIVIL WAR VETERAN ANSWERS FINAL CALL
FOUGHT WITH GEN. GRANT

John Strouss Laid to Rest With Military Honors Sunday by Walnut Legion Post

John Strouss, Civil War veteran, and one of the remaining two veterans of that conflict in Walnut community, was born August 1, 1839, near the village of Unionville in Beaver county, Pennsylvania. He was the fourth child in a family of eight children.
For several months Mr. Strouss had been in failing health, although able to go about his usual duties until the past few days. Death came to relieve the sufferer at his home in Walnut, on Thursday, April 27, 1933, being at the time of his death, ninety-three years, nine months and twenty-seven days of age. In childhood he moved with the family to Michigan, where they lived for a number of years. From thence they moved to Champaign county, Illinois, where they resided until 1894, when, as a young man, he moved to a farm north of Walnut.
On November 14, 1867, he was united in marriage to Mary Addie Campbell of Fisher, Illinois, who preceded him to the Great Beyond on August 8, 1926. To this union were born ten children, one girl, Ruby, passing away in January, 1927, and a son, Emmett Strouss, the youngest son, who died in 1929. The surviving children are A. G. Strouss, South Bend, Indiana; Frank and Wilbur, Walnut; John, Tampico; Mrs. Cassie McDougal of Arlington Heights, Ill; L. E. of Earlville and Alva Strouss of Oak Park, Illinois. There are thirty-five grandchildren, thirty-one great-grandchildren, and one great great grandchild.
Mr. Strouss became a member of the Fourth Street Church of Christ in Walnut in 1894, and has been a faithful supporter, both materially and spiritually until the day of his death.
In the days when the loyal sons of the Republic were needed to defend her banners from spoilation by enemy hands in 1861, he gladly and willingly volunteered at the very beginning of the struggle. He fought valiantly with General Grant and General Rosecrans on the Mississippi campaign, and during the latter part of the war was transferred to the Mexican border. After nearly four years of hardships and struggles, he was called to Washington, D.C., in 1865, where he received his honorable discharge.
Mr. Strouss was active and energetic until his last illness began, on March 5, 1933. He had walked to town only a few days before and until the last two days of his illness, expressed his determination to get well. But at last the suffering and pain broke down that indomitable spirit and he told those about him that he was ready to meet his Maker and looked forward to that end with the same valiant acceptance of destiny that had characterized every ordeal in the ninety-three years he had lived.
Funeral services were conducted from the Fourth Street Church of Christ on Sunday afternoon, April 30, 1933, by Rev. Thos. W. Bass, his pastor for almost six years. Music was furnished by Miss Elnor Johnson and Mrs. John Fisher, with Mr. Eddy Clark at the piano. Interment was made in the Walnut cemetery.
Those attending the last sad rites from out of town were Mr. and Mrs. L. E. Strouss and family of Earlville, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Edwards and Mr. and Mrs. Preston Yates, Chicago; Mr. and Mrs. Olive Peabody, Chicago; Mr. and Mrs. Alva Strouss and Harriett Strouss, and Mr. and Mrs. Morgan, Oak Park; Mr. and Mrs. Val McDougal, Arlington Heights; Miss Maude Strouss, Hinkley; Miss Esther Strouss, Barrington; Mrs. Winifred Wells and two children, Dixon; Lloyd McDougal and family of Compton; Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Hill, Fisher; John Strouss, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Howland, Mr. and Mrs. E. W. Meredith, Mr. and Mrs. Floyd Reinagle, Alfred and Earl Smith, Myron Howland, Harry Rice, George Davis and Walter White, all of Tampico."

Corrections: The obituary mentions that John's family moved from Pennsylvania to Michigan when he was quite young. Actually, they moved from Beaver County, Pennsylvania to Port Washington, Wisconsin on the shore of Lake Michigan in 1856 where they remained for no more than two years before moving on to Brown Township, Champaign County, Illinois.
Also, John and Addie's daughter, Ruby, died in May 1891 in Champaign County at the age of five. Their daughter, Cora, died in January 1928 in Des Moines, Iowa and their son, Emmett, died in 1930 in Jackson, Michigan.