Routt County CO Archives Biographies.....Crossan, George C. August 21, 1847 - ?
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Judy Crook jlcrook@rof.net December 20, 2005, 1:35 am

Author: Progressive Men of Western Colorado

    A native of Harrison county, Ohio, where he was born on August 21, 1847, and

reared to the age of seventeen in Iowa, where he received a common-school

education, then serving six months in the Union army during the dying throes of

the Civil war, afterward clerking in a store, farming in various states,

manufacturing brick, teaming and ranching in different parts of Colorado, George

C. Crossan, of Routt county, has had a varied experience in a number of lines of

active usefulness and under a great variety of circumstances, and he has greatly

profited by it in building up force of character and self-reliance, which have

made him ready for any emergency and capable of any proper exertion within the

limits of his capacity.  Mr. Crossan is the son of James and Melila (Cook)

Crossan, who were born in Harrison county, Ohio, and moved to Iowa in 1851, the

father remaining there until 1864, when, his wife having died in 1859, he

returned to Ohio and there passed the remainder of his life, dying on February

14, 1899.  The mother died on December 2d, the day on which old John Brown was

hanged for treason in Virginia.  The father devoted his time to farming and

contract work.  He was a stanch Democrat politically, and an ardent Freemason

fraternally.  Both parents were Presbyterians.  They had six children, five of

whom are living, Robert A., George C., Nancy J., wife of Frank Taylor, James A.

and Mrs. George Stringer.  George remained at home until 1864, then enlisted in

Company C, Seventh Iowa Infantry, in defense of the Union.  He served to the

close of the Civil war, and was mustered out of the service at Louisville,

Kentucky, on July 12, 1865.  Returning then to Iowa, he entered a store at Union

Mills, Mahaska county, as a clerk, being occupied a year and a half.  At the end

of that period he turned his attention to farming and he followed this

occupation until 1867, working for wages on farms in Johnson and Henry counties,

Missouri, then from 1867 to 1871 in Madison county, Iowa.  In 1871 he returned

to Mahaska county, Iowa, and there farmed two years on his own account.  In 1873

he began the manufacture of brick and continuing this enterprise until 1876 with

fair profits, found himself in a condition for a more ambitious undertaking. 

So, disposing of his interests in Iowa, he moved to Abilene, Kansas, where he

spent two years and a half in contract work and one and a half years as

assistant in the office of a coal merchant.  In 1881 he came to Colorado and

located at Breckenridge, remaining two years during which he did teaming under

contract.  On April 14, 1883, he located a homestead in Egeria park, being the

first settler on the creek and having the first choice of land in the

neighborhood.  His choice was wisely made, as his ranch is considered one of the

best in the whole country around Yampa.  He has bought additional land and now

owns four hundred and eighty acres, of which three hundred and twenty-five can

be cultivated.  The ranch is ten miles south of Yampa and has independent

ditches which furnish water for its cultivation, and good improvements made by

Mr. Crossan.  When he settled here the whole region was in a state of primeval

wilderness and wild game, which was plentiful, afforded him abundant supplies of

meat.  They had a scare from the Indians, which proved to be caused by a

wandering Indian on a hunt.  Being a carpenter, Mr. Crossan built cabins for new

settlers and helped to build up the country by inducing them to come in.  Soon

after his arrival and location here he went to Breckenridge and formed a colony

consisting of S.D. Wilson, E.H. McFarland, S.C. Reid, L.L. Newcomer, Preston

King, Silas Sutton and a Mr. Siebold, who, excepting the two last named, moved

to the park and became permanent residents there.  Mr. Crossan raises the best

quality of grain, hay and vegetables in abundance, and carries on an extensive

cattle industry.  His early arrival in the section and his large success in

building it up and advancing his own interests at the same time have made him

prominent and highly respected and placed him at the head of the old settlers. 

He is a Republican in political faith and a third-degree Mason fraternally, with

membership in the adjunct order of the Eastern Star, his wife and two daughters

belonging also to the latter.  On February 29, 1872, he was married to Miss

Rachel Roberts, a native of Mahaska county, Iowa, the daughter of Joseph and

Rachel (Kirk) Roberts, who were born in Ohio but made Iowa their final earthly

home, and died there in 1855.  They were farmers and had a family of five

children who are living, Martha A., Mrs. Crossan, Anna, Beulah and Leverson. 

Mr. and Mrs. Crossan have five children also, James C., Charles L., Myrtie, wife

of James McFarland, Lila E., the first white child born in that part of the

county, and Robert R.  J.C. is a past master of the Masonic lodge.

Additional Comments:
From Progressive Men of Western Colorado.  Chicago:  A.W. Bowen & Co., 1905

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/co/routt/bios/crossan81gbs.txt

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