Howard Crosby
History of Montana,by Joaquin Miller, 1894
May be copied for non-profit purposes.
USGENWEB Montana Archives

Howard Crosby, County Clerk and ex officio Recorder of Cascade 
County Montana is a native of New York, born in New York City 
July 1, 1853.

He belongs to the eighth generation of Crosbys in America and 
is a direct descendant of Simon and Ann Crosby who sailed from 
London England ,April 18, 1635, on the ship Susan Ellyn and 
landed at Cambridge Massachusetts. 

They became large land holders and prominent among the early 
settlers of Cambridge. They had three sons: Thomas, born in 1635; 
Simon, 1637 and Joseph 1639. Simon Crosby Sr died in 1640. From 
his oldest son Thomas is our subject descended. Thomas Crosby 
graduated at Harvard College in 1653; became a Congregational 
minister and preached for many years at Eastham Massachusetts, 
died in Boston, June 13, 1702. He and his wife nee Sarah Bracket, 
had a son John who was born December 4,1670 and died May 25, 1714. 
John Crosby's son David was born April 13, 1709 and was married 
June 19, 1735 to Rebecca Hopkins. He removed from Eastham 
Massachusetts to South-East New York in 1750 and died there 
February 25, 1788. His son David was born September 6, 1737 and 
died November 16, 1816. His wife whose maiden name was Bethia 
Hopkins died July 2, 1776 at the age of forty-one years. Their 
son, Peter Crosby, our subject's grandfather was born in South-
East New York September 4, 1763 and January 25, 1783 married Ruth 
Waring. He was Sheriff of Putnam County New York during the years 
1813,1814 ad 1815. His death occurred November 9, 1831 and his 
wife died July 31, 1830. They had eleven children. Their youngest 
child, Peter Crosby was born in South Eat Putnam County New York
November 26, 1807and on the 4th of March 1850 he married Elizabeth 
Petty, native of Southhampton Long Island. When he was sixteen 
years of age he went to New York City where from the time until 
he was twenty-one her served an apprenticeship to the jewelry 
business. Afterward he turned his attention to real-estate 
business. He died in Brooklyn New York, November 1878. His wife 
died August 10, 1861 in that state at the age of thirty-one. 
She left two children: Howard, the subject of this sketch and 
George, born March 20, 1855.

Howard Crosby was educated at Union Hall Academy, Long Island 
New York. In 1870 he was employed as clerk in a dry-goods store 
and continued thus occupied eleven years. At the expiration of 
that time he went to Bogota, South America as Vice Consul and 
occupied that position for about one year. Then he and the 
consul W.W. Randallbecame partners in a street railway franchise 
in Bogota. Mr. Crosby returned to New York in order to place 
he franchise which he did successfully and made three trips to 
Europe placing the stock in their companyin London, Berlin, Paris 
and St. Petersburg. In the spring of 1886 he came to Helena Montana 
and thence to Great Falls. He took claim to a tract of land at 
Big or Lower Falls and remained at that place a year and a 
half at which time he sold out. At Great Falls he accepted the 
appointment of Deputy County Clerk and Recorder,served in that 
position a year and was then in 1889 elected on the Republican 
ticket to the office of County Clerk and Recorder, which office 
he still holds having been re-elected.

Mr. Crosby was married at Great Falls October 28, 1891, to Miss 
Elizabeth E. Trusty, a native of Fort Dodge,Iowa and the daughter 
of Joseph S.M. Trusty of that city. They have one child, 
Howard Jr, born July 22, 1894.

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