JOHN D. CROSBY, one of the pioneers of Calhoun County who at present makes his home on section 14, Belleview Precinct, was born in Calhoun County October 27, 1842. His parents, Hezekiah S. and Elizabeth (Snyder) Crosby, were natives of Illinois and moved to Calhoun County sometime in the 30s' in all probability and continued to make this their home up to the time of their death. They were the parents of nine children, four of whom are living at the present writing, viz: John D., James M., Thomas B. and Sarah, who married John McWalters. Mr. Crosby passed his youth in his native county amid scenes of pioneer life, and has witnessed the transformation of a wilderness of trees and brush into highly-cultivated farms. He has always been interested in agricultural pursuits and during the threshing season has engaged in threshing grain for his neighbors, making in this way a handsome income. He attended the subscription schools of Calhoun County, but received none of the educational advantages that are offered young men of this generation. Mr. Crosby was married in January, 1869, to Margaret E. Sternes, a native of Calhoun County, and daughter of Michael and Elzina Sternes, both of whom are dead. Her father numbered among the early settlers of the county in which her birth occurred. Our subject and his wife are the parents of seven children four of whom are living, viz: Luther, Clarence, Luella and Luda. Those deceased are: Isabel, Hezekiah and Ollie. Both Mr. and Mrs. Crosby are members of the Christian Church and are great favorites in society.
The subject of our sketch owns a valuable farm, embracing two hundred and forty acres of land all of which is highly cultivated. He is a self-made man in the truest sense of the word, having cleared the ground and cultivated the soil himself. Living in the county when it was wild and unbroken he naturally was forced to undergo the hardships common to pioneer life. He is a public spirited man, favoring anything that has for its object the improvement and advancement of Belleview Precinct, and has several times been elected to offices of trust. He has served as Justice of the Peace and is just at this time serving as School Director.
Mr. Crosby enlisted twice in the Civil War, being six months in Missouri and there engaged in several skirmishes, and at a later date serving nine months and again taking part in numerous skirmishes. He was honorably discharged in September, 1865, and draws a pension of $4 per month. He is a member of the Democratic party, and is one of the leading men in his county in political as well as in commercial and social circles, and is generally recognized as an unusually successful and enterprising agriculturist.
Extracted 23 Mar 2017 by Norma Hass from Portrait and Biographical Album of Pike and Calhoun Counties, Illinois, published in 1891, page 697
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