CROOKE, William Dawson died 1894

CROOKE, UPDEGRAFF

Posted By: S. Ferrall IAGenWeb volunteer
Date: 5/30/2012 at 19:08:16

William Dawson Crooke
Major Twenty-first lowa Infantry, United States Volunteers. Died at Hinsdale, Illinois, April 27, 1894

As the lightning writes its fiery path across the storm-cloud and expires, so the race of man amid the surrounding shades of mortality, glitters for a moment amid the dark gloom and vanishes from our sight forever.

The spirit of William Dawson Crooke, an honored Companion of this Commandery, passed into the great unknown on Friday, the 27th day of April, 1894.

Major Crooke was born at Hebden Bridge, Yorkshire, England. His parents were members of the Baptist Church, and his father, the Rev. John Crooke, was the minister of the church at that place. He came to this country in 1853, when about sixteen years of age, and settled near McGregor, Iowa, where for about two years he worked upon a farm. Later he studied law with Odell & Updegraff, at McGregor, and was admitted to the bar in 1862.

Major Crooke entered the service as Captain of Company B, Twenty-first Regiment of Iowa Volunteer Infantry, August 18, 1862, and was promoted to be Major of the same regiment, January 25, 1865. His military record is that of a typical soldier.

He served in the Department of Missouri — attached to the Brigade of General Fitz Henry Warren — and was stationed at Rolla, Salem, Hartville and Houston, in October, November and December, 1862, and January, 1863. He was engaged in the battle of Hartville, January 11, 1863, with Marmaduke's rebel force, which was returning from an attack on Springfield. Afterwards he was attached to Brigadier General Davidson's Army of Southeastern Missouri during an expedition to West Plains, returning with his regiment to St. Genevieve, Missouri; embarked for Milliken's Bend, Louisiana, joining General Grant's army before Vicksburg, April 6, 1863, and was assigned to the Second Brigade, Fourteenth Division, Thirteenth Army Corps, and served throughout the remainder of the Vicksburg Campaign, being engaged in the battles of Port Gibson, Champion Hills, Big Black River Bridge, and the assault upon Vicksburg, May 22d, and the remainder of the siege, and afterwards took part in Sherman's expedition to Jackson, Mississippi. Major Crooke was in command of his regiment from June 15 to July 24, 1863.

In August the regiment was sent to New Orleans for service in the Department of the Gulf, when it took part in the Bayou Teche Campaign under General Banks.

In November following, the regiment under command of Major Crooke was sent to Texas and served under the command of General C.C. Washburn. Upon the return of the regiment to New Orleans it was assigned to the Second Brigade, Second Division, Nineteenth Army Corps, and served in the lower Mississippi, White and Arkansas River country. On December 1, 1864, it marched from Memphis to Wolf River, in support of Grierson's cavalry raid upon the rear of Hood's army. Afterward the regiment returned to Memphis and New Orleans.

He resigned in January, 1865, and was immediately appointed to the charge of a large cantonment of negroes near Baton Rouge, under the direction of the Freedman's Bureau, where he remained for several months and until after his regiment was mustered out at Baton Rouge.

He returned to McGregor in broken health, and afterwards engaged in the business of insurance at that place, where he was elected Recorder of Deeds for Clayton County. He subsequently formed a partnership in the insurance business with his brother, George Crooke, an honored Companion of the Wisconsin Commandery.

He came to Chicago in 1876 and later was appointed Assistant Manager of the Northwestern Department of the Royal Insurance Company of Liverpool, England, in which position he remained until he was, in 1882, appointed Manager of the Northern Insurance Company of Liverpool, England, the duties of which he continued to discharge to the satisfaction of that prominent company until the day of his death. When his health began to fail he tendered his resignation to the company, which it declined to accept, and sent one of the executive officers to this country to assist in the discharge of the duties as Manager until Major Crooke should be restored to health, as was then earnestly hoped.

Major Crooke was a singularly modest man, but with a firmness to do the right as he understood the right, regardless of personal consequence. One of his chief characteristics was a conscientious discharge of duty, whether as a soldier or civilian. Duty was with him always, "as exacting as necessity, inflexible as fate, and as imperative as destiny."

Major Crooke was married at McGregor, Iowa, in 1866, to Miss Sarah S. Updegraff, who, with a niece, Miss Lydia Timmons, as a member of his family, survives him. Nearly two years since he was stricken with an incurable disease. Fully realizing his situation, he calmly and yet minutely began to put his house in order, and with a courage that was truly heroic, awaited the final roll-call. When it came, he was ready.

When such a man is removed from our councils, it is meet that while we mourn his loss, we should also testify to the world our love and our respect for him and our appreciation of his character and services. The day on which the last respects were paid to the memory of our late Companion, was an ideal one, as also was the simple yet dignified service over his remains. Kind friends, among whom were members of this Commandery, laid him away tenderly; the vault which contains his remains was covered with a profusion of beautiful flowers, placed there by gentle hands, guided by the sorrowing hearts of the employe's of our late Companion, his business associates, and this Commandery, as their tribute of respect.

Our harp is tuned to mourning; the life of our late Companion has been accomplished and is complete. While we his memory cherish, let us his virtues imitate and his death improve. With fragrance eternal, may the acacia—as an emblem of resurrection and immortality—ever be green over his mortal bed.

Charles E. Bliven,
Eugene Cary,
Amos J. Harding

~Memorials of deceased companions of the Commandery of the state of Illinois ... By Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States. Commandery of the State of Illinois; 1901; pg 183-187

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