Source: History of Madison County Indiana, Volume II, Compiled by John L. Forkner

Prof. Joseph L. Clauser. The educator of today is called upon to meet and overcome many obstacles of which those of an older day knew practically nothing. The enlarging of the curriculum of the public schools, with the demand for the practice of pedagogy, necessitates a long and careful training, and assiduous subsequent study and research on the part of those to who is entrusted the molding of the plastic mind of youth. Popular demand has resulted in a production of a class of men who as educators have had no equal in the history of the world. Their profound knowledge of their work, their keen enthusiasm for their honored calling, their sound judgment and keen insight into human nature, all go to make them eminently able to give to each pupil the individual attention now regarded as so necessary for the proper rounding out of character. Among the men of Madison county who have distinguished themselves as educators in a broad and comprehensive way, none is more worthy of mention then Prof. Joseph L. Clauser, superintendent of the public schools of Elwood. For nearly a quarter of a century he has been devoted to his profession, and his rise therein has been steady and consistent, until today he stands among the foremost men of his profession in this part of the State. Prof. Clauser was born at Owasco, Indiana, June 12, 1869, and is a son of William and Caroline (Kuhns) Clauser, natives of Pennsylvania.

Joseph Clauser, the paternal grandfather of Joseph L. Clauser, was born in the Keystone State, and was there engaged in agricultural pursuits throughout a long and useful life, passing away full of years and honored by all who knew him. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Mary Gross, was also born in that state, and like her husband, attained advanced age. They were the parents of but two children: William and Mary. Henry Kuhns, the maternal grandfather of Prof. Clauser, was also born in Pennsylvania, and was a farmer by occupation. At an early day he came with his family to Clinton county, Indiana, where he settled on a large tract of land, and became one of the substantial farmers of his section. Mr. Kuhns married Catherine Zimmerman, of Pennsylvania, and they died in old age, having been the parents of the following children: David, Charles, Jonas, Samuel, Catherine, Elizabeth and Caroline.
William Clauser was born in Pennsylvania, and in that State grew to manhood on his father's farm, his education being secured in the district schools. When still a young man he migrated to Carroll county, Indiana, where he became an early settler, locating on a farm neat Owasco. There he spent the remainder of his life, clearing his land and making a comfortable home for his family, and winning the regard and esteem of those who had transactions of any nature with him. His death occurred on the homestead in 1888, when he was sixty-seven years of age, his wife having passed away during the previous year, when she was fifty-eight years old. Both were faithful to the teachings of the Lutheran Church, and reared their children in that belief. Their family consisted of ten children, as follows: William H., who is a resident of Delphi, Indiana; Samuel P., who also makes his home at Delphi; John F., who is a resident near Owasco, Indiana; Charles E., who is deceased; Dr. George A., a well known practicing physician of Bridgewater, South Dakota; Albert F., who is deceased; Prof. Joseph L., of this review; Amos C., who is deceased; and one child who died in infancy. There was but one daughter, Sarah, who died at the age of sixteen.

The early education of Prof. Joseph L. Clauser was secured in the district schools in the vicinity of his father's farm near Owasco and like other farmers' lads his training was limited to the short winter terms, the rest of the year being spent in the work of the homestead. He was thoroughly trained in agricultural matters, but it was not the young man's intention to become a tiller of the soil, and he later secured the opportunity to take a course in the Northern Indiana Normal school. Following this he became a student in the Indiana State Normal School, at Terre Haute, Indiana, from which well-known institution he was graduated in 1902. In 1908 he was the recipient of the degrees of Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts from the Indiana State University, at Bloomington, and later took similar degrees in Columbia University, New York. Prof. Clauser entered upon his career as an educator in 1889, and since that year has taught each year except one, that in which he was securing his degrees. For six years he was a teacher in the schools of Carroll county, Indiana, and subsequently became the superintendent of schools at Rossville, a position which he also held for six years. During a like period of time, he was superintendent of the city schools of Mitchell, Indiana, and he was then called to the same position in Elwood, where he has labored during the last five years. A learned scholar, thorough and conscientious in his work, with that happy faculty for imparting his knowledge to others, he is withal an attractive, pleasant man, who makes friends easily and retains them by the force of his personality. He is popular alike with teachers, pupils and parents, while his able handling of the educational problems that have come before him has gained him the entire confidence of the general public.

On September 4, 1895, Prof. Clauser was married to Miss Effie Weaver, who was born at Cutler, Carroll county, Indiana, daughter of William H. and Martha A. (Long) Weaver, and granddaughter of Samuel Weaver. Her father, a native of Indiana, died at the age of seventy-eight years, in Carroll county, while her mother, also a native of the Hoosier State, is still living at Cutler, and is now in her seventy-eight year. They had a large family, of who five children are now living: Addie, Josephine, Margaret, Effie and Mabel. Prof. and Mrs. Clauser have had three children: Earl Durward, Joseph Weaver and Martha Karolyn.Prof. and Mrs. Clauser are members of the Presbyterian Church, in which he has served as an elder for several years. He has interested himself to some extent in fraternal work, and is a popular member of Mitchell Lodge No. 228, F. & A. M., of which he is a past master; Elwood Lodge, Knights of Pythias; and Elwood Lodge, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. His has not cared to enter political life.