Iowa
Old Press
The Globe
Grand Junction, Greene Co. Iowa
February 1925
A. B. CROW BURIED HERE TUESDAY ASHES SHIPPED FROM SAN
PEDRO, CALIF.
Aged 76 Years, 10 Months and 4 Days *
A Civil War Veteran With 30 Engagements.
Mr. A. B. Crow, father of Ben Crow of this city, left here last
January for a visit with his daughters in California. Within a
few weeks he was taken suddenly ill but no alarm was entertained
until about 15 minutes before he passed away. When he left
Junction he made request that if he should depart this world
while on this visit that his ashes be shipped to Grand Junction
and interred in the cemetery beside his wife who preceded him
eleven years.
Mr. Crow was a familiar visitor to Grand Junction at every
Decoration time when he would return from the Soldiers Home or
wherever he was visiting. No decoration ever passed that he was
not seen in the line of march here. For about forty years he
resided in and around Grand Junction where he had many fast
friends among the older residents and also many friends among
those of younger years.
Deceased has enjoyed fairly good health during most of his life
time. His army record, which we will give below, was something
that he always held most dear and the memory of the many
engagements in which he participated formed an ever open book and
a ready source of conversation with all old-time Civil War
Veterans.
Aquila Belt Crow was born April 4, 1883 and died February 8,
1925, at San Pedro, California, aged 76 years, 10 months, and 4
days. In July 1865 he was united in marriage with Mary Susanna
Harrison, who died October 6, 1914. To this union were born 8
children, as follows, Ada, Ida Washburne, Los Angeles, Calif.;
Mary Belangee, San Pedro, Calif.; Winnie Smith, Chicago. Ill.;
Jennie (deceased); Ben of Grand Junction; Clarence and John (both
deceased).
At San Pedro full military honors were held in honor of the
deceased, a letter from that place describing the ceremony, in
part, as follows: He was dressed in navy blue suit, his best one,
and a white broad cloth shirt, and a black silk tie. He had a
small silk flag on his breast and the regulation flag from Ft.
McArthur was on his casket. There was an abundance of flowers
with one immense basket of red, white, and blue carnations. Rev.
Grice of the M. E. Church preached the funeral services and
Chaplain Patrick of the Pacific fleet took charge of the services
and paid a really wonderful tribute to him as a war veteran. The
full services of the W. R. C. were held over the casket and all
the war veterans of '65 were there.
Corporal A. B. Crow enlisted at Anamosa, Iowa, September 10, 1861
and was mustered out of service July 18, 1865. He belonged to the
9th Regiment, Third Brigade, first Division, 15th Army Corps. He
was wounded at Vicksburg, Miss., May 20, 1863. Total number of
engagements: 30.
His ashes arrived in Grand Junction on Saturday at noon. The
funeral services were held on Tuesday, the ashes being taken to
the Legion Hallhere where a military service in charge of Ray
Hawbaker Post, No. 28, was held. At the grave Rev. G. S. Davis of
the local Presbyterian church pronounced the final rites after
which the Post members gave the final military salute over the
grave of the dead.
The Globe and its family of readers join with the
community in according due honor and recognition to the passing
of another of the grand old heroes of Civil War fame. He has gone
but his good deeds remain. The cause that he fought for was not
lost nor will his deeds of valor be erased from the pages of
history.
[*transcribers notes: transposed birth year, which should read "1838" and age is misstated, it should read " 86 years, 10 months, and 4 days." Daughter's full name was: Ada Blake, Los Angeles, Calif. Death occurred on Feb. 8, 1925. Transcribed by M.A.N., April 2006]