Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 03.djvu/64

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CROFFUT
CROKER

private classical academy and in the intervals of this occupation made his theological studies under Bishop White. He was ordained deacon, Feb. 28, 1790, and priest in 1792. He was rector of Trinity church. Swedesborough, N.J., 1790-1801; deputy to the General convention in 1793; took charge of Christ church, New Brunswick, and of St. Peter's. Spotswood, N.J., in 1801, and opened and conducted a classical school. At the general convention in 1814 he was elected president of the house of deputies. In June, 1815, he was elected bishop of Connecticut, but declined the office, and in August of the same year he was chosen bishop of New Jersey and was consecrated in St. Peter's church. Philadelphia, Pa., Nov. 19, 1815. He received the degree of A.M. from the College of New Jersey in 1797, and that of D.D. from Columbia college in 1811. He died in New Brunswick. N.J., July 26, 1832.

CROFFUT, William Augustus, author, was born in Redding, Conn., Jan. 29, 1835; son of Benedict and Harriet (Newell) Croffut. He acquired his education at the public schools and engaged in journalism, first on the New Haven Palladium, and afterward on the Rochester Democrat, the St. Paul Times, the Minneapolis Tribune, the Chicago Post, the New York Graphic, Tribune and World, and the Washington Post. In the civil war he served as a private. His travels included seven tours of Europe and visits to Palestine, Egypt, Mexico, Yucatan, Cuba, Alaska and Nova Scotia. He was married to Bessie Nicholls, who was educated at a private school and is the author of numerous contributions to magazines and cyclopædias. He received the honorary degree of Ph. D. from Union college in 1889. He is the author of the libretto of the comic opera Deseret, drawn from life among the Mormons and brought out in New York in 1882, the music having been written by Dudley Buck. He also wrote History of Connect- icut in the Rebellion (1867): A Helping Hand (1868); Bourbon Ballads (1880); 1 Midsummer Lark (1882); The Vanderbilts (1886); The Prophecy (poem for the Columbian Exposition, 1893); Poems (1895); Jesus Christ a Myth (1896); The Lord's Day-or Man's? (1896).

CROGHAN, George, soldier, was born at Locust Grove, near Louisville, Ky., Nov. 15, 1791; son of Maj. William and Lucy (Clark) Croghan; and a nephew of Gen. George Rogers Clark. He was graduated at William and Mary college in 1810, and when barely twenty years of age served with distinction at the battle of Tippecanoe. He was promoted captain, March 12, 1812, and on March 30, 1813, became aide-de-camp to General Harrison with the rank of major. On Aug. 2, 1813, he successfully defended Fort Stephenson at Lower Sandusky and General Harrison's official report says: "It will not be among the least of General Proctor's mortifications that he has been baffled by a youth who has just passed his twenty-first year. The brevet rank of lieutenant-colonel was conferred upon him and the ladies of Chillicothe presented to him a sword. In 1835 congress voted him a gold medal for his gallantry. He was promoted lieutenant colonel, Feb. 21, 1814, and resigned in 1817. He afterward resided in New Orleans, La., where he held the office of postmaster in 1824. In 1825 he was made inspector-general in the U.S. army with the rank of colonel. He later served in the Mexican war. After his death a monument was erected to his memory on the site of Fort Stephenson at Fremont, Ohio. He died in New Orleans, La., Jan. 8, 1849.

CROGHAN, William, soldier, was born in Ireland in 1752; a nephew of George Croghan, who rendered distinguished service as Indian agent under Sir William Johnson. He came to America at an early age and at the breaking out of the Revolution took sides with the colonists. With a company he joined Washington's army. He was promoted major in 1778, and with the 4th Virginia regiment participated in the battle of Monmouth. He marched to Charleston, S.C., where the American army under General Lincoln was compelled to surrender May 12, 1780. 1781 he was paroled and returned to Virginia, where he was a guest of John Clark, father of George Rogers Clark. In 1784 he was married to Colonel Clark's sister, Lucy, and settled at Locust Grove, near Louisville. In 1789 and 1790 he was a delegate from Jefferson county to the Kentucky conventions. He died at Locust Grove, Ky., in September, 1822.

CROKER, Richard, politician, was born in Roscarberry, Ireland, Nov. 24, 1844; son of Eyrecoote Croker; grandson of Maj. Henry Croker, inspector-general in the British army; and grandnephew of Gen. John Croker, governor of Bermuda, and of Edward Croker, author of "Sweet Ballangar." The family came from Devonshire, England, and followed Cromwell to Ireland, where they settled in Limerick. They were originally Protestants, but became converts to the Roman Catholic faith. In 1848 his parents immigrated to the United States with their seven children, Richard being the youngest. They landed in New York where Eyrecoote Croker established himself as a veterinary surgeon and in 1861 entered the Union army, enlisting in Sickles's excelsior brigade and receiving promotion to the rank of captain of engineers. Richard had attended the public schools and in 1858 had been placed by his father in the machine shops of the Harlem railroad company, where he learned the trade of machinist and worked for