Web Site for Capt. John Thomas Crowe (1841 MO-1923 MO)
Original Member of the Missouri Commandery of MOLLUS
Grave Site for Capt Crowe.
Obituary for John Thomas Crowe
from the Republican Tribune, Union, Missouri
April 20, 1923
Captain John T. Crowe died at his house nine miles west of Union
Monday night, April 16, 1923, aged 81 years, three months and nineteen
days having been born in the home in which he passed away, December 28,
1841.
Captain Crowe belonged to one of the most highly respected families
of the county and one that perhaps has been as long connected with the
progressive spirit of the county as any of the many prominent families
that have left their imprint upon our county’s progress.
Captain or Judge Crowe, as he was sometimes called, belonged to one
of the oldest families in the state as well as in the county. His
great-grandfather, Godfrey Crowe, was born and raised in Germany and
came to Missouri in 1796 and settled in St. Charles county.
Michael Crowe, the grandfather of Captain Crowe was born and reared
in St. Charles county. He married a Miss Green, the daughter of Col.
Jas. Green, who was born in Virginia and came to Kentucky, where he took
part in the Indian troubles and was a close companion of Daniel Boone.
When the latter came to Missouri, Colonel Greene came with him and
settled in St. Charles county, towards the close of the 18th
century. Michael Crowe and his wife came to Franklin county in 1808 and
settled near Labaddie. March 1, 1818, he was killed while loading a log
on a wagon. The father of Captain John T. Crowe, Martin Luther Greene
Crowe, was born August 18, 1818. A few months after the death of his
father, he was married to Jane Catherine Jump, daughter of Samuel Jump,
July 25, 1838. The father died November 14, 1890 and the mother,
February 7, 1891. Martin L. G. Crowe was elected county assessor, in
1854. At the expiration of his term as assessor he was elected county
judge and in 1859 he became county clerk and served faithfully in that
capacity until January 1, 1871.
To Mr. And Mrs. M. L. G. Crowe, six children were born: two died in
infancy, one son, Samuel, died in 1886 at the age of almost 30 years,
Mrs. William Leiser, the only daughter, died in Montana a few years ago
and one son. George Crowe is at present living in Nogales, Arizona.
When the father took charge of the county clerk’s office in 1859,
his son, John T., although only 18 years old, immediately became his
father’s assistant and main reliance and remained to the office until
President Lincoln’s first call for 75,000 men to serve three months.
John Crowe was one of the first to respond to his country’s call. At
the end of three month’s service, he returned to Union and enlisted in
Co. E, 26th regiment of Missouri volunteers infantry. This
company was organized in the southern part of the county in December
1861. It was recruited by Robert C. Crowell, who desired and expected to
be captain. At the election of officers, however, John T. Crowe, who was
just twenty years old, was almost unanimously elected captain. But owing
partly to his youth, but more largely to the loyalty to his older
friend, positively declined any office in his company whatever. He
accepted, however, the position as adjutant for the regiment. He took
this because he realized what all others knew, that owing to his office
experience and education he was better fitted for the place than anyone
in the regiment. He was appointed 2nd lieutenant of the
company June 26, 1862 and six months later was transferred to company I
and promoted to first lieutenant, August 22, 1862. He became captain of
the company June 23, 1863 and remained at the head of his company until
the expiration of his enlistment, which was December 25, 1864. He lacked
three days of being 24 years of age and was one of the youngest captains
in the service.
Soon after its organization the regiment joined the expedition under
General Pope against New Madrid and as an officer Captain Crowe took
part in the following military activities: Battles of Tipton,
Farmington, Corinth, Iuka, Port Gibson, Missionary Ridge and in Sherman’s
famous march to the sea and through the Carolinas.
The late Judge Ryers, who made a study of the army reports told that
the official records of Captain Crowe were among the very best of any in
the state. When he reached Union after the expiration of his enlistment
he was commissioned adjutant to the second military district of
Missouri. When the war was over he came back to Union and resumed his
duties in the office of the county clerk and continued to relieve his
aged father of as much of the work as he could. He retired from his
duties as deputy when his father’s term expired, December 31, 1870.
In 1868 he was admitted to the bar of Franklin county but did not
enter the regular practice of law. In 1872 he was elected sheriff over
John R. Roberson. He was reelected in 1874 and in 1876 he was elected
probate judge over H. R. Sweet and served until January 1, 1881 when he
was appointed deputy internal revenue collector at a much larger
remuneration than he had received as probate judge. He served as deputy
revenue collector until the election of Cleveland when he retired to the
old homestead and where he has made his home practically ever since. He
was elected as representative in the legislature in 1890 and served the
county faithfully in the 36th general assembly. He was by
nature a great lover of agricultural pursuits and sold all his real
estate in Union and lived the remainder of his life on his farm which
was well fitted with modern conveniences.
On January 16, 1860, John T. Crowe married Minerva M. Breckenridge, a
daughter of Asa Breckenridge, a most highly respected citizen and
relative of the famous Breckenridge family of Kentucky. To this union
four children were born, Asa B., a prominent merchant of Sullivan;
Martin Luther, who was killed in a railroad accident October 17, 1890;
Maude, the wife of R. L. Allen, a banker of Farmington; and Nellie, the
wife of Lilburn W. Brown, with whom the father made his home on the old
homestead. Mrs. Crowe died in July, 1874. On March 9, 1877, Mr. Crowe
was again married, this time to Miss Sarah E. Hendricks, a member of an
old and honored family. To this union three children were born; Addie,
the wife of Fred Lyford, a civil engineer living in Iowa; and John and
Howard Crowe, prominent business men of Southwest Missouri. The second
wife died September 18, 1895. In addition to the six children above
enumerated captain Crowe is survived by one brother, George Crowe, of
Nogales, Arizona, who arrived at the bedside just four hours before his
brother died. He also leaves sixteen grandchildren and four
great-grandchildren.
Captain Crowe had been a prominent Mason since early manhood. He was
a member of some three or four old soldiers’ organizations and always
attended their meetings as long as he was able to do so with comfort.
Captain John T. Crowe was a patriot in the fullest sense of the word and
proved it by his facing the enemies of this country in the most trying
circumstances. He was always courteous and amiable in society and was
always a gentleman. But above and beyond all he left a family that are
each and all an honor to themselves, their country and the communities
in which they live. No man could leave a greater or nobler heritage to
posterity.
The funeral was Thursday, April 19. Brief religious services were
held at the home at 10 o’clock conducted by his son-in-law, Russell L.
Allen of Farmington. The services at the Odd Fellows Cemetery at Union
where conducted by the Masonic lodge of which Capt. Crowe had long been
an honored member. The funeral was attended by his brother, George
Crowe, all his children with their husbands and wives, many of the
grandchildren and other relatives. The honorary pallbearers were Judge
J. W. Booth, Joseph a Mintrup, Andrew J. Jefferies, Henry Greene, Henry
Young, Herman Fechtler, H. W.
Vitt and Clark Brown and were chosen from his long associations.
-- Clark Brown.
1891