Crouch, James R.

CROUCH, RIPLEY, ERDICE, FALL

Posted By: mjv (email)
Date: 9/9/2020 at 15:04:14

James R. Crouch, a farmer and stock-raiser, resides on section 20, Oregon Township, and is the son of John and Sarah (Ripley) Crouch, the former a native of Kentucky, and of German descent, and the latter a native of Missouri, and of English descent. The former died in December, 1854, and the latter is now the wife of Hugh Erdice, of this county.

The subject of this sketch was reared upon a farm and received his education in the public schools. In 1861, he enlisted in Co. F, 11th Iowa Vol. Inf., and served till July, 1865. This regiment, together with the 13th, 15th, and 16th Iowa, formed the 3d Brigade of the 4th Division, 17th Army Corps. At Shiloh it received its first baptism in blood, and there the Iowa brigade proved to be of good mettle. Its second battle was at Corinth. The winter of 1862-63 was spent in the operations in front of Vicksburg, Milliken’s Bend, Providence, Bayou Tensas and Macon, to the close of the Vicksburg campaign in July, 1863. In August following, the regiment went with the brigade on the expedition to Monroe, La., in October to Jackson, and in December to Redbone. In February, 1864, it was on the Meridian expedition, at the close of which, in March, it came home on veteran furlough, having re-enlisted in January. Returning to the front, it joined Gen. Sherman’s army at Newark, Ga., and first met the enemy at Kennesaw, June 15. It was next in the siege of Atlanta, where it was under fire nearly eighty-one days, sixteen of which were in battle. It then joined the memorable march to the sea, finally making Washington, D. C., where it formed part in the grand review. It was mustered out July 15, 1865, at Louisville, Ky. The regiment traveled over 8,000 miles, over half of which was on foot, and it has a record of 386 men and forty officers lost. Mr. Crouch was among the fortunate ones, receiving only a slight flesh wound in the left arm. On receiving his discharge at Davenport, where he was ordered after being mustered out, he returned to his home in Washington County, and once more resumed the peaceful vocation of a farmer. Mr. Crouch was united in marriage in 1866 with Miss Sophronia Fall, daughter of George and Harriet Fall. She was born in Pennsylvania in 1831. They have three children - Cora A., Ollie J., and Charles R.

Politically, Mr. Crouch is a Republican, one who believes in the principles of the party and is not afraid to maintain them at the polls or elsewhere. He has been a resident of the county since 1856, ad is well satisfied that Washington County is as good a place for a home as any other portion of the civilized globe.

Source: Portrait and Biographical Album of Washington County, Iowa (1887). Excerpt from Biographical Sketch of James R. Crouch, pages 596-597.