Robertson County TN Archives Biographies.....Crocker, John A. 1851 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/tn/tnfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@gmail.com October 30, 2005, 4:11 am Author: Will T. Hale JOHN A. CROCKER. A leading citizen of Orlinda, Tennessee, is John A. Crocker, who as postmaster, merchant, bank president and landowner, has for many years been especially prominent in the community. Robertson county is his birthplace, as well as that of his mother, a daughter of Azariah Doss, one of Tennessee's early settlers, a successful farmer and slave-owner and a veteran who had fought under Jackson at New Orleans. To Tennessee as a young man also came Henderson J. Crocker, a son of John Crocker, who was originally of Pennsylvania but later of North Carolina. Henderson J. Crocker (1821-1894) married Lucinda Doss (1826-1893) and they settled on a farm, for agriculture was the vocation to which Henderson J. Crocker turned from his earlier occupation of plastering and brick-laying. After some years he once more changed his walk in life, entering the mercantile business in Orlinda, of which village he was the founder, and he continued in the business until his death. He left his family in excellent circumstances and is remembered as a stanch Democrat, a loyal member of the Missionary Baptist church and as an active participant of fraternal affairs in the Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons. Of the seven children born to him and his wife, Lucinda Doss Crocker, six survive him and are well known to the residents of Robertson county. Eldest of his generation of the family is John A. Crocker, the special subject of this sketch. At the paternal home, located in this county, his birth occurred on September 28, 1851. The schools of Orlinda gave John A. Crocker his earliest knowledge of the world of books. He was later granted the educational privilege of Bois des Arc Academy, an excellent school for its day, located in Robertson. During the intervening period he also attended the Louisville (Ky.) Commercial Business College. Until he reached the age of seventeen, J. A. Crocker called the rural farmstead his home, but when his father took up the mercantile business the son also transferred his interests to the latter line of activity. For a time he worked as an employe of his father, but in 1873 he bought half interest with his father in the store, which he, with his brothers and son, has since conducted, constantly improving both the quality and the quantity of his stock. From time to time he has increased the size of his establishment, having thrice built additions to the structure in which his business is housed. His store is counted one of the largest in the country in amount and variety of goods carried. Mr. Crocker also owns landed property and has taken an active part in the conduct of the Orlinda bank, of which he has been president since its organization. Notable service he has also for many years given to Orlinda as postmaster. Since he first accepted this office twenty-five years have passed, and during all that time he has without fail given a personal report each month or quarter. He is, altogether, a man of exceptional efficiency. The political affiliation of Mr. Crocker is independently Democratic. His religious sympathies are those of the Baptist church, with which the other members of his family are also connected and are counted among its most valuable members. The home life of Mr. Crocker began early, as did his vocational life. It was in 1870 that he was united in life's closest bond with Miss Mary J. Stringer, a daughter of William Stringer, an early settler in this county. Mr. and Mrs. Crocker have become the parents of three children, all of whom were reared to maturity and have taken their own useful places in life. Vergil E., the eldest, is in partnership with his father as a merchant in Orlinda, having purchased the interest of his grandfather several years ago. W. G. Crocker, the second son, is engaged in agricultural pursuits. Ezma, the daughter, is Mrs. S. W. Corbin, her husband being associated with the Crocker mercantile establishment. The Crocker family fill an important place, not only in the commercial and civic, but also the social life of this place. Additional Comments: From: A history of Tennessee and Tennesseans : the leaders and representative men in commerce, industry and modern activities by Will T. Hale Chicago: Lewis Pub. Co., 1913 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/tn/robertson/bios/crocker270nbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/tnfiles/ File size: 4.8 Kb