Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Crist, Robert H 
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Author: Past and Present of Will County, IL; 1907

Robert H. Crist is a retired contractor, living in Wilmington, and also a 
veteran of the Civil war. He was for many years closely associated with 
building operations in this part of the state and has been a resident of 
Illinois from the age of sixteen years. He was born in Bethel, Sullivan 
county, New York, December 19, 1829, his parents being Peter M. and Lillian 
(Hunter) Crist, both of whom were natives of Orange county, New York. The 
father, who was born April 20, 1807, passed away October 17, 1875, and his 
wife, who was born May 5, 1808, died on the 20th of April, 1843. They were 
married January 8, 1829, at Bethel, New York, and became the parents of seven 
children, of whom four are now living, namely: Robert H., Mary E., and Parna 
J., twins, and Deborah A. Mary, who was born March 2, 1834, is now the widow 
of William Weeks and resides in Kansas. Parna J., who was born March 2, 1834, 
is living with her sister in the Sunflower state. Deborah, born October 4, 
1836, is the widow of Oliver Hemenway and resides in Des Moines, Iowa. After 
losing his first wife, Peter M. Crist was married on the 12th of March, 1843, 
in Bethel, New York, to Nancy Jane Fraser, and their children were: Amelia B., 
born March 4, 1850; and Lee M., born February 13, 1853. The father was a 
farmer's son, but when twenty years of age learned the carpenter's trade and 
for some time was identified with building operations in the east. In 1845 he 
brought his family westward to Illinois, settling at Plainfield, Will county, 
where he worked at carpentering for several years. He then turned his 
attention to farming and stock-raising and was one of the pioneer settlers 
here, closely associated with the industrial and commercial interests of the 
community. In early life he held membership with the Methodist Protestant 
church and later became identified with the Seceders church, while in 1845 he 
joined the Congregational church at Plainfield. His early political allegiance 
was given to the democracy, and in 1845 he joined the ranks of the whig party, 
with which he affiliated until its dissolution, when he became an advocate of 
the new republican party. Robert H. Crist spent the first sixteen years of his 
life in the Empire state and with his father came to Illinois in 1845, since 
which time he has resided in Will county, save for a brief period passed in 
Iowa. He lived with his father until he had attained his majority and during 
that period assisted in the work of the farm. On reaching adult age, however, 
he learned the carpenters trade, which he followed in this county until 1852, 
when he removed to West Liberty, Iowa, where he was employed at building 
operations until the fall of 1854. He then returned to Plainfield, where he 
remained until 1859, when he removed to Natchez, Mississippi. The following 
year he went to Woodville, Mississippi, and was master mechanic for the West 
Feliciana Railroad, one of the oldest roads in the country, but in the fall of 
that year he was called upon by the vigilance committee and notified that he 
must leave because of his loyalty to the Union. Mr. Crist then made his way 
northward to Bedford, Indiana, and in July, 1861, he gave further 
demonstration of his allegiance to the Union cause by enlisting as a member of 
Company F, Twenty-first Regiment of Indiana Volunteers for three years' 
service, or during the war. He was mustered in as a private at Indianapolis on 
the 24th of July, and from that city the regiment proceeded southward, joining 
the gulf department. They went to Baltimore and thence to Ship Island with 
General Benjamin F. Butler. In 1863 the regiment was changed to the First 
Indiana Heavy Artillery and Mr. Crist was mustered in as second lieutenant of 
Company L, on the 18th of November of that year. On the 10th of October, 1864, 
he was promoted to the rank of first lieutenant, and on the 25th of May, 1865, 
became captain. He remained at the front until some months after the close of 
hostilities, being mustered out of service January 10, 1866. He participated 
in the engagements at Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Spanish Fort, Fort Gaines and 
Mobile Bay when serving with the heavy artillery. He would undoubtedly have 
participated in many more battles had he not been assigned to duties as 
regimental commissary sergeant, thus serving from September, 1861, until 
November, 1863. He was then quartermaster of his regiment until June, 1865. 
When the war was ended and the country no longer needed his services, Mr. 
Crist returned to Wilmington and was engaged in business as a contractor and 
builder until 1896, when he retired from active life. He is an expert in the 
line of mosaic woodwork and has in his home some fine specimens of his skill 
in this particular. For about forty years he was closely associated with 
building operations in Wilmington and the surrounding district and received a 
liberal patronage, so that many of the substantial structures of the town and 
country stand as monuments to his skill, labor and enterprise. On the 4th of 
April, 1867, Mr. Crist was united in marriage to Miss Frances E. Bates, who 
was born May 16, 1827, at Dexter, Maine, a daughter of Jabez R. and Olive 
(Sturgess) Bates. Her father was born April 25, 1798, and her mother August 
26, 1802. They were married March 10, 1822, and for a third of a century 
traveled life's journey together, being then separated through the death of 
Mr. Bates, October 26, 1855. His widow survived until June 14, 1862. Mr. Bates 
was a blacksmith by trade and in 1853 removed to Plainfield, Will county, 
where he spent his subsequent years. He was a man well thought of and was 
respected by all who knew him. He held membership in the Universalist church 
and gave his political allegiance to the republican party. Of the Bates family 
only one is now living—Harrison L. Bates, a resident of Winchester, Iowa. 
Their daughter Frances was married at Channahon, Will county, April 14, 1867, 
and for thirty-one years traveled life's journey by her husband's side. The 
death of Mrs. Crist occurred November 24, 1898. She was a lady of many 
excellent traits of heart and mind and her good qualities gained her warm 
friendship and kindly regard. Mr. Crist gives his political allegiance to the 
republican party and is a stanch advocate of its principles, yet has never 
sought nor desired public office. His life has been characterized by industry 
and perseverance, and in business affairs he has displayed those sterling 
traits which always result in success and which win at the same time the good 
will and confidence of the general public. 

Additional Comments:
PAST AND PRESENT OF WILL COUNTY, ILLINOIS By W. W. Stevens President of the 
Will County Pioneers Association; Chicago: The S. J. Clarke Publishing 
Company, 1907

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