Biographical Sketch of William E. Crissey, Johnson County, Missouri, Warrensburg Township >From "History of Johnson County, Missouri," by Ewing Cockrell, Historical Publishing Company, Topeka, Cleveland, 1918. ********************************************************************** William E. Crissey, a member of the board of directors of the American Trust Company of Warrensburg, Missouri, has been actively identified with the business and commercial interests of Warrensburg for the past fifty-two years. Mr. Crissey was born February 27, 1840, in New York. He is the son of Theodore and Lydia Ann (Abbot) Crissey, natives of Connecticut. Theodore Crissey was born in 1812, a direct descendant of the Crissey, who settled in the colony of Connecticut in 1635. The Crissey family is of English lineage. Two brothers, William and Mighill Crissey, emigrated from England and came to America in the early days of colonization, locating in Massachusetts and Connecticut colonies. From these two brothers the Crisseys in America have descended. Lydia Ann (Abbot) Crissey was born in February, 1819, in Fairfield county, Connecticut. To Theodore and Lydia Ann Crissey were born the following children: Edward S., a sketch and water color artist, who died in 1860 at the age of twenty-two years; William E., the subject of this review; Theodore W., Midland, Michigan; and Samuel N. and Mary, twins, deceas- ed. Theodore Crissey moved from Connecticut to Michigan in 1845 and settled near Battle Creek, where his death occurred December 12, 1867, at the age of fifty-five years. William E. Crissey received his educa- tion in the schools of Michigan. At the age of twenty-one he enlisted in the Civil War, serving in Company H, Second Missouri cavalry. Mr. Crissey enlisted at Battle Creek, Michigan, when the second call for volunteers came and served throughout the war. His regiment operated in Missouri and Arkansas, taking a prominent part in the battles of Little Fobi River, in northern Missouri, Little Rock, Arkansas, and Jenkins' Ferry, Arkansas, besides engaging in numerous skirmishes. William E. Crissey was associated with John D. Haskell in the quarter- master's department, having been placed in charge of one department. During all his service in the war, Mr. Crissey was wounded but once. July 18, 1862, he was shot in the thigh, but as it was merely a flesh wound, Mr. Crissey has not been handicapped seriously by it in his later life. In 1864, William E. Crissey was mustered out and honorably discharged at St. Louis, Missouri. For some time after receiving his discharge, Mr. Crissey resided in Little Rock, Arkansas. When the war closed, he came to Johnson county, Missouri and October 5, 1865, locat- ed in Warrensburg, where he entered the mercantile business. He was thus engaged until 1870, when he entered the abstract and title busi- ness. When Mr. Crissey came to Warrensburg in 1865, the present Market street was a corn field and stump covered land. A hedge ran north and south through the site of the Lobban buildings to Grover street and thence along the south side of that street. The present well-kept Normal grounds were then covered with timber. May 1, 1866, William E. Crissey was united in marriage with Mary E. Doty, the daughter of Daniel C. and Mary E. Doty, of Battle Creek, Michigan. Mary E. (Doty) Crissey was a lineal descendant of one of the Pilgrims, who landed on Plymouth Rock, December 16, 1620. William E. and Mary E. Crissey were the parents of six children: William M., who died in infancy; Maud D., who died at the age of twenty-eight years; Lella May, who died in in- fancy; Nellie D., the wife of Charles W. McCaskill, who is a Methodist Episcopal minister now of University Place, near Lincoln, Nebraska; Mary Eliza, who died in the fall of 1910; and Ethel D., who resides at home with her father. May 1, 1916 Mr. and Mrs. Crissey celebrated their golden wedding anniversary and in October of the same year the death of Mrs. Crissey occurred. She and Mr. Crissey had been companions and copartners for more than fifty years. William E. Crissey was a member of the city council of Warrensburg, Missouri in 1882 and 1883. He was a member of the school board for twelve years, from 1887 until 1899, and for many years was the president of the board. The Johnson County Trust Company was organized in 1908 and at the time of organiza- tion Mr. Crissey was elected member of the board of directors. In December, 1913 the company was reorganized as the American Trust Com- pany and Mr. Crissey was elected as director, a position he now occup- ies. Though he has long passed the three score years and ten, William E. Crissey is active and alert, still giving the same thoughtful, con- scientius care and attention to business duties, working in his office every day, as he was want twenty-five years ago. Politically, Mr. Crissey is and has always been affiliated with the Republican party, which, upon numerous occasions has honored him with nominations. Mr. Crissey is a thinker and reader. He sums up life in the following lines: "The faint light of the morning of life scarce dawns upon us ere its mid-day sun bids us assume its cares and while we turn to obey the command, the lengthening shadows tell us the day is ending and with the sinking sun, we step into another existence with little or nothing done for this." ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. 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