Effingham County IL Archives Biographies.....Le Crone, John 1816 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/il/ilfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 October 20, 2011, 11:09 pm Source: See below Author: Lake City Publishing Co. DR. JOHN LE CRONE, the present efficient and popular County Clerk of Effingham County, Ill., is one of the few surviving pioneer settlers who can boast nearly a half-century's residence within its borders. He has also been one of its useful and valued citizens. The Doctor was born in the town of McClelland, Fayette County, Pa., on the 12th of December, 1816, and is the eldest son of Daniel and Elizabeth (Sprinkle) Le Crone. The father was also a native of the Keystone State. He was born in Lancaster County, Pa., on the 26th of March, 1791, and was descended from an old Pennsylvanian family that dated its origin in that State long prior to the War of the Revolution, the original emigrant settler having come to America from Strasburg, on the Franco-German border. The mother of our subject was born in Fayette County, Pa., and was descended from an old Kentucky family. The Doctor's parents were both members of the Presbyterian Church. They had a family of ten children, of whom six are now living, all being residents of Effingham County. Our subject is the eldest. He was followed by Henry, who resides in Watson, this county; William, who makes his home in the same county; Mathias, who is living in Jackson Township, Effingham County; Mrs. Catherine Ashbaugh and Mrs. Mary Parks. While a youth, Dr. Le Crone remembers to have seen Gen. La Fayette while on his last visit to America, riding in a carriage in Uniontown, Pa., in company with Gen. Jackson. This was in 1834. The Doctor's parents removed with their children to Perry County, Ohio, in 1832, and ten years later, in 1842, came to Illinois, locating in Effingham County. Daniel Le Crone entered a tract of land near where now stands the village of Watson, and was engaged in farming until his death, which occurred July 8, 1845. His wife died January 10, 1848. For more than half a century the family has been connected with the history of this county, where the living children still reside. The subject of this sketch removed with his parents to Ohio when a youth of sixteen summers. He had attended the public schools in his native State, and on going to the Buckeye State pursued his studies in the same class of schools until seventeen years of age. At that time he entered Marietta College, where he remained two years as a student, teaching at intervals to defray his expenses. At the expiration of that period he gave up trying to complete the course and engaged in teaching, also devoting some time to the study of medicine. Under the preceptorship of Drs. Hyde and Evans, of Rushville, Ohio, he pursued his medical studies, and at this time, although not yet twenty-one years of age. nor far enough advanced to regularly engage in medical practice, he had the temerity to assume the responsibilities of the head of a family, and on the 8th of September, 1836, was united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth Allen, a daughter of Joseph Allen. Mrs. Le Crone was born in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. Her people were of an old and honored family of the Old Dominion, whence they removed to Ohio about the year 1829. The Doctor pursued the practice of medicine in the Buckeye State until 1844, when he determined to come to Illinois, whither his parents had already removed. He took up his residence in Effingham County, settling at Ewington, then the county seat. There he succeeded in building up an extensive and lucrative practice and in acquiring a valuable property at that place. In 1860 the county seat was removed from Ewington to Effingham, and in consequence the properly in the former place depreciated in value so much that it became almost worthless. Dr. Le Crone removed to this city and, as the natural result, had to begin in Ellingham, financially, at the bottom of the ladder, but he had the advantage of extensive acquaintance and a high reputation in his profession. In consequence, he soon retrieved his losses and became comfortably situated again. His removal to Effingham occurred in April, 1861, and since that time he has resided continuously in this place. At the time of Dr. Le Crone's advent into Ewington there were but two other physicians in the county—Dr. J. M. Long, now of California, and Dr. C. M. Fally, now of Wisconsin. As these two gentlemen long since took their departure, our subject enjoys the distinction of being the oldest resident physician of Effingham County. In the early days of his practice in Illinois, Dr. Lc Crone's circuit involved many long rides, in which he was obliged to ford bridgeless streams and face many a wild storm on a trackless prairie. His practice extended beyond Effingham County, into Shelby, Fayette, Clay and Jasper Counties. Being blessed with a peculiarly hardy constitution and with great powers of endurance, he was enabled to do an immense amount of work and proved a most welcome visitor in the distant homes of the afflicted, in the well-remembered so-called sickly seasons of pioneer times. In June, 1864, Dr. Le Crone entered the volunteer military service of the United States as one Of the one hundred day men, and acted as Assistant Surgeon of the One Hundred and Thirty-fifth Illinois Infantry. He served the term of his enlistment and on his return from the army resumed practice in Effingham. He pursued his business with marked success until the fall of 1886, when he abandoned that work for a time, having been elected County Clerk of Effingham County. He was re-elected in the fall of 1890, and is now in the middle of his second term. In early life Dr. Le Crone was a Whig and voted for William Henry Harrison for President in 1840. Twenty years later, in 1860, he began voting with the Democrats, supporting Stephen A. Douglas for the Presidency, and has since been identified with that great party. His first official position in Illinois was that of Justice of the Peace, which he filled in New England. He has also served three terms as Mayor of the City of Effingham. Ten children were born unto Dr. and Mrs. Le Crone, of whom nine are yet living. William C., the eldest, married Miss Lina Kagay, and is a commercial traveler residing in Effingham. Albert W. is a lawyer by profession, and also resides in Effingham. His present wife was Miss Lizzie Wood. Martha became the wife of John Cullom, a resident of Crawford County, Ill. Mary is the wife of Nelson Staats, of St. Louis. Eliza died in 1877. She was twice married. Her first husband, William J. Boyce, was killed in the attack on Ft. Donelson. In her widowhood she became the wife of William M. Thompson, of this city. At her death she left two children, a daughter born of each marriage. Harriet M. is the wife of C. W. Smith, a resident of Indianapolis, Ind., who is employed as a conductor on the Vandalia Railroad. George M. married Frances Nitcher, and is now the able editor and publisher of the Effingham Democrat. Lewis married Sophia Gyon, and is living at Effingham. Nellie, the youngest of the family, is the wife of S. D. Prouty, a conductor on the Diamond Special Train and a resident of Effingham. On the 8th of January, 1892, Dr. Le Crone was called upon to mourn the loss of his most estimable wife, who had been his companion through fifty-four years of wedded life. She was a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and her death was mourned by a large circle of friends and acquaintances. The Doctor is a member of the oldest medical society in the State, the Wabash Esculapian Society. He was once President of the Ellingham County Medical Society, now defunct, and also held membership with the State Medical Society. Socially he is a member of Chapter No. 87, R. A. M., and also of Effingham Lodge No. 149, A. F. & A. M., of Effingham. He is also an Odd Fellow, but the lodge to which he once belonged is now extinct. The Doctor has been a resident of this county for nearly half a century and has ever been connected with its prominent interests, aiding largely in its development and upbuilding. His career as a physician has been most successful, and well deserving is he of his high reputation. As a citizen, he is valued throughout the community, and his untarnished official record has won him high commendation. Additional Comments: Extracted from: Portrait and Biographical Record of Effingham, Jasper and Richland Counties Chicago: Lake City Publishing Co. 1893 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/il/effingham/bios/lecrone1655gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/ilfiles/ File size: 8.9 Kb