Crosby, William H.

CROSBY, DELBRIDGE, WELLINGSTON, BORTLES, KINGDON, HOADLEY, KITTREDGE

Posted By: Volunteer Transcribers
Date: 1/31/2003 at 02:17:35

Source: "The 1901 Biographical Record of Clinton Co., Iowa, Illustrated" published: Chicago : S. J. Clarke Pub. Co., 1901.

WILLIAM H. CROSBY

One of the most popular passenger conductors on the Chicago & Northwestern Railway residing in Clinton, Iowa, is W. H. Crosby, who was born in Stafford, Genesee county, New York, February 1, 1850, and is a son of Harvey and Elizabeth (Delbridge) Crosby. The father, who was a shoemaker by trade, was born in Vermont, July 18, 1814, and was a son of Jeremiah Crosby, born April 10, 1791, who was of early Puritan stock. At one time Harvey Crosby owned the site of the present city of Flint, Michigan, and made his home there for some time. His death occurred at Springport, Jackson county, that state, in 1899. His wife, who is still a resident of Springport, and is now seventy-nine years of age, was born in Northampton, England, May 26, 1822, and was a child of six years when she came to America with her father, William Delbridge, who settled at Stafford, Genesee county, New York, his wife having died in England. Mr. Delbridge died in this country at the advanced age of eighty-nine years. In the Crosby family were seven children, namely: Juliaett, wife of Elias Wellingston, of Springport, Michigan; Ella, wife of George Wellingston, of the same place; W. H., the subject of this sketch; James, also a resident of Springport; Ada, wife of G. W. Bortles, of Albion, Michigan; and Hattie and Carrie, who died the same day of black measles.

In an interesting letter written June 17, 1901, to our subject, his mother writes as follows: “Your grandfather Delbridge was born in Lynmouth, Devonshire, England, April 30, 1776, while your grandmother, Grace (Kingdon) Delbridge, was born in the same town March 12, 1779. They were married December 14, 1800, and became the parents of thirteen children, eleven of whom were baptized in North Moulton church, it being the old Episcopal church in that town. My mother had a brother who was wounded in the battle of Waterloo, and was found dead by the side of the road leading from London to North Moulton. He was supposed to have had some money in the Bank of England, but we never got any of it. My father came to America in 1834, being about seven weeks on the passage, as we sailed the 8th of April, and got to our home in Stafford, New York, June 1.

“Your great-grandfather Hoadley was eighty-three years old when he died. He was your father’s grandfather on his mother’s side. His mother was a Kittredge. I do not know when your grandfather and grandmother Crosby were married, but they were born in Massachusetts, while your father was born in Kirtland, Vermont, July 18, 1814. Your great-grandfather Hoadley was among those who threw the tea overboard in Boston harbor. He was later held a prisoner in Boston, but taking some rags, he tied up his legs and passed through the British lines, as the British did not care to have any cripples around. His family were permitted to go with him. His wife having a piece of new linen, wrapped it around the children under their clothes, and that was all they saved of their possessions. One of his sons was later in the battle of Bunker Hill.

“Your father had two brothers, Eben and Jefferson. He left Vermont in the fall of 1838 and worked in Leroy for a few months and then came to Stafford and worked for Henry Kingdon for about three months, and in February, 1840, we became acquainted. In June of the same year your father came to Michigan, while I remained in York state. In the fall of 1840 he came back to New York, and on the 6th of October we were married, and moved to Byron Center, where your father worked as a journeyman for Mr. Wareham Cook for five years. Mr. Cook then started a shop in South Byron, and your father carried it on until in May, 1848, when we moved back to Stafford, and we remained there until after the close of the Civil war. December 9, 1865, we sold our home in Stafford and came to Michigan, and April 21, 1898, your father died, and I am left to journey alone. I was born in North Moulton, Devonshire, England, in 1822. I forgot to state that your grandmother Crosby’s maiden name was Kittredge, and her mother’s maiden name was Hoadley.”

When a lad of fourteen years W. H. Crosby accompanied his parents on their removal to Michigan and completed his education in the public schools of that state, having previously attended school in New York. For two summers he worked upon a farm, but in 1870, at the age of twenty years, came to Clinton and entered the employ of the Chicago & Northwestern Railway as passenger brakeman. Seeing no prospect of advancement at an early day, a few weeks later he began brakeing (sic) on a freight train, and at the end of a year and nine months was promoted to conductor, running freight and extra passenger trains for about ten years. Since that time he has been in the regular passenger service, and is one of the most trusted employes on the road, being at all times diligent in the performance of duty and very careful and conservative. He has had a very successful experience in railroading. Mr. Crosby at present being on the Overland Limited and Colorado Special, the two best trains on the road. In point of service there are at present only two conductors on his division older than he is.

Mr. Crosby is quite prominently identified with a number of social orders. In 1872 he was made a Mason at Mt. Herman Lodge, No. 263, A. F. & A. M., of Cedar Rapids, and is now connected with Keystone Chapter, No. 32, R. A.M., of Clinton; Holy Cross Commandery, No. 10, K. T., of the same place; DeMolay Consistory, No. 1; and El Kahir Temple of the Mystic Shrine, of Cedar Rapids. He is also a member of the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks and the Order of Railway Conductors, No. 33, of Clinton. He is a pleasant, genial gentleman, who makes many friends, and is held in the highest esteem by all who know him. Mr. Crosby has traveled extensively through this country, and is the owner of an orange grove in California.