Cornelius William, tenth child and eighth son of John and Elizabeth (Beitel) Krause, was born at Bethlehem. Pennsylvania, July 15, 1837. He was baptized in the Moravian church, which had been the faith of his fathers for many generations, by Rev. J. H. Herman. He grew up in Bethlehem, and was educated there in the Moravian parochial school. After leaving school, in 1853, he entered the dry goods and grocery establishment of A. Walk & Company, of Bethlehem. His diligence and business aptitudes made him a valuable clerk, and he remained with the firm until 1870, when he became a partner in the business, the firm being Wolle, Krause & Erwin. He was afterwards engaged in various enterprises up to his death, April 2, 1904. Since 1880, he has been secretary of Lehigh Council, No. 356, Royal Arcanum. Mr. Krause married in 1863, Jane Eleanor, daughter of William Theodore and Belinda (Luckenbach) Roepper, born May 3, 1844.