Newaygo County MI Archives Biographies.....Crabtree, James July 11, 1813 - 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Jan Cortez http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00020.html#0004939 March 23, 2009, 12:03 am

Author: Chapman Brothers

JAMES CRABTREE, farmer, section 14, Big Prairie Township, was born July 11, 
1813, in Maine, and is a son 

of Richard A. and Mary (Giggey) Crabtree.  The former was born Nov. 30,, 1789, 
in the State of New York, 

and was a son of John Crabtree, a native of London, England, who emigrated to 
America in its earliest 

days.  Himself and brother were residents of the City of New York when it was 
an insignificant "Dutch 

seaport town."  The mother was born Nov. 2, 1788, in Virginia, and was the 
daughter of parents who were 

natives of the Lowlands of Scotland.

Mr. Crabtree remained with his parents in his native State until their removal 
to New Brunswick in 1818, 

where he resided during the remainder of the years of his minority.  Mr. 
Crabtree records one memorable 

day when about 20 years old.  A school was started in the vicinity of his 
home, and he attended its 

lessons one day, the only experience of the kind in his whole life.  He passed 
all his early life 

assisting his father, and at the age of 21 found himself for the first time at 
liberty to operate in his 

own behalf.  He obtained an engagement as foreman of a lumber-camp, in which 
occupation he had been 

engaged four years previously.  After two years he quit lumbering and became a 
sailor.  He was "before the 

mast" six years, when he was made Captain of a vessel, and two years later was 
a ship owner.  He was at 

sea with his vessel, the "Montgomery," four years, and during the time sailed 
round the world.  He was in 

the Gulf of Mexico when the Mexican war broke out, and he "tied up" to the 
wharf in the city of New 

Orleans, went ashore and in 48 hours raised a company of 112 volunteers for 
the United States service.  

Feeling incompetent to take command, he went out with the company as Sergeant 
and remained in the army 

until the close of the war, serving one year under Gen. Taylor and the 
remainder of the time attached to 

the command of Gen. Scott.  He was at the head of his company during the last 
year.  He was in the closing 

fight at the city of Mexico, and brought home the national colors.  After the 
end of the war he spent some 

time in travel and visited the principal cities of the United States.  This 
accomplished, he felt a desire 

to visit his friends from whom he had not heard for 13 years.  He returned to 
New Brunswick, and after a 

year there came to Chicago, Ill., where he resided two years.  His next 
removal was to Amboy, Ill., where 

he conducted a saw-mill six years.  In 1857 he came to Muskegon and resided 
four years, whence he came to 

Croton, and six months later to Big Prairie, where he now owns 140 acres of 
land, with 40 acres cleared, 

well improved and placed under advance cultivation, with good buildings and 
other creditable farm 

fixtures.

Mr. Crabtree was a soldier in the civil war.  He enlisted in Co. A, Tenth 
Mich. Cav., in 1864, and was 

discharged at the close of the war in Memphis, Tenn.  His command was in all 
the active campaign service 

of the last year of the war, and amid other active duty, he was in the detail 
of soldiers sent into North 

Carolina to cut off the communications of Lee with the railroad.  He was in 
Stoneman's raid, and the last 

battles in which he participated were those of Salisbury and Lexington, or 
High Points.  He sustained a 

sun-stroke at Sweet Water, Tenn., from which he has become blind, being able 
only to distinguish light 

with one eye.

Mr. Crabtree was married Aug. 9, 1849, in St. John, N.B., to Mry Jane 
Darragh.  She was born March 11, 

1829, in County Tyrone, Ireland, and is a daughter of George and Isabella 
(Hawthorne) Darragh.  Her 

parents were born in Ireland near the city of Dublin.  Her father was born in 
1799 and is still living.  

Her mother was born in 1801 adn died in 1873, in New Brunswick. Nine children 
have been born to Mr. and 

Mrs. Crabtree, seven of whom are living:  Their names are, George R., Mary I., 
Eliza J., James E. (dec), 

Charles L., Wm. Ellsworth, Abraham F., Joseph F. (dec) and Franklin I.

Politically Mr. C. is a radical Republican.

Additional Comments:
1884 Portrait & Bio Album of Newaygo Co.

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/newaygo/bios/crabtree335nbs.txt

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