French Protestants in the late 16th
century came under ruthless persecution by French Catholics. There
were unspeakable bloodbaths. Into this tumult Anthony Du Crozat was
born in 1620 at Dauphine, France. The details of his Protestant family
need reseach. While eventually the French king made Protestant worship
legal, life was never easy. Many French Protestants called Huguenots
left the country going to various friendly lands. These migrations
proved to be strategic decisions as later Protestant sects were outlawed
and were forbidden to leave France.
The Du Crozat family settled in Carrickfergus,
Antrim, Ireland, an old historic town in Ulster about nine miles north
of Belfast. Most of the French refuges were crafts people, especially
clever at linen weaving. Anthony may have made his living as a linen
weaver. Flax was plentiful. Soon the French created an industry
for which Ireland is known to this day.
Eventually 10,000 French Huguenots
fled to Ireland. They were generally well-received and treated fairly
by the Catholic Church there. Many distinctly Huguenot communities
sprang up in Ireland. The marriages they made were usually to mates
from other Protestant groups like the Scots or English. These families
usually were not true Irish at all.
Anthony wed Laura Thompson in 1647.
They had six children. Anthony died at Carrickfergus in 1689.
Many French Anglo-citized their names. Anthony and Laura’s children
were called Crosset [sic]. Their son James, born 1653 at Carrickfergus,
wed Elizabeth Rogers in 1679. They had eight children. One
of them, James Jr., born 1680, wed Sarah Young. James took his wife
and before 1736 arrived in Chester, NH via Boston, MA.
Irish Protestants, who were really
Scotch-Irish or English, were pouring into the U.S. at this time as they
heard about the opportunities. James likely saw better economic possibilites
too.
At Chester James and Sarah had three
children. His wife Sarah was the sister of their neighbor John Aiken’s
wife. In 1750 at Chester James and his son Benjamin both witnessed
John Aiken’s will.
James’ namesake son James, born in
Chester, wed first Jane Graham with whom he had a son John Crossett. (In
America the family name has varied in spelling with many different versions,
but in this line they have been Crosset/Crossett.) After Jane Graham’s
death James married Jane Aiken.
This son John removed to New York
State into the Mohawk Valley area west of Albany County. New England
Yankees like John were streaming into the area creating many conflicts
with the local population. The people in this area were already stratified
by class with the Dutch at the top. They had been there the longest
and were relatively wealthy. They had also borne the savage early
massacres by various Indian tribes. They felt they had earned what
they had by the blood sacrifice of family members. Next were the
British who ruled led by William Johnson who for 24 years controlled the
life of the area. The Indians respected him and stayed peaceful.
The largest social group were the Yankees ever growing and crowding all
the other groups. They were not so respectful of Johnson, a British
crown appointee. The land was held by the Indians. They did
willingly sell land to the whites, but the next one who asked might well
be sold the same parcel. Land titles were in utter turmoil.
The Indians did not recongize private ownership of land and thought the
Europeans were silly. At the bottom were the German Palatine settlers
brought in by the British Crown, but lacking skill in English. Usually
they were landless, but had been promised land. Tensions ran high.
People were choosing sides Pro-American or Pro-British. The area
teemed with Loyalists. Plots were everywhere, some Yankees believed.
Whether John Crossett understood
the dangers or actually went to the Mohawk to help the Yankee cause remains
unclear. The date of his arrival cannot be established. On
tax lists for 1764 and 1775 his name does not appear. But in 1776
he was recorded in Tryon County, NY, the most dangrous place in the colonies
at that time. Tryon County which no longer exists lay at the
edge of pure wilderness. The people there were as rough and rural
as anyone in North America. Living conditions were beyond harsh.
The Indians had joined the British cause. They were encouraged to
do anything to win.
John probably came to the area with
his cousins James and Benjamin Crossett for all three names were
listed as soldiers in the Tryon County Militia 3rd Regiment. At first
these men watched and arrested suspicious Loyalists. Then they built
fortifications, plus scouting for an approaching enemy.
Their most dangerous encounter happened
in a ravine called Oriskany where they were ambushed. 150 to 200
militia men died. The Crossetts all survived. Yet this
battle which was more a slaughter became an important key to turning the
tide of the war.
The British under General
St. Leger were trying to cut New York State in half, dividing the colonies.
They kept sending troops from Fort Niagara to push down the Mohawk to Albany,
then down the Hudson to New York City. These British troops were nearly
all Loyalists who would lose much if the war was won by the Americans,
accompanied by Indians who stole and drank whiskey as they went.
The Indians often killed unarmed civilians, including women and children
which was not the custom of the day.
When the news of the Indians raids
reached the South, there was great alarm. Indian raids still happened
there in western Carolina, Kentucky. Georgia, Virginia, Tennesse and Mississippi.
If the British supplied arms to the tribes, thousands might perish.
General Washington who had begun to wonder if the war was lost to indifference,
since there was always too little money, supplies, arms and men.
He saw the turn in public opinion against the British. While the
Redcoats rampaged along the Mohawk, they lost influence in critical colonies.
Men began to enlist. New money bought arms, supplies and food.
After the war ended in 1783 John
Crossett became one of the first settlers at Gloversville, NY. John
had wed Elizabeth Graham during the war prior to 1779. In the first
U.S. census taken in 1790 John was enumerated at Caughnawaga, Montgomery
Co., NY. Caughnawaga is now called Fonda, NY. Fonda is located
only eight miles away from Gloversville. The household enumeration
showed 1-5-3. The names of all these individuals remain unknown.
It appeared that some children did not survive. Supposedly there
was a son John born 10 December 1779 and another son Benjamin, born 1792
in Johnstown, Fulton Co., NY, a nearby town.
All of the above was based on records
not easily verified. Researchers should use due diligance before
accepting data. The main flaw of these records is likely their incompleteness.
From this juncture the public records do offer more vertification.
Son Benjamin remained in Johnstown,
NY where he fought in the War of 1812. He put in a claim of $65.00
to the New York Adjutant General when he lived in Rutland, Jefferson Co.,
NY.
Benjamin married three times.
His first wife, Polly Tanner, had nine children, all born in Johnstown,
NY. His second wife was apparently childless, but his third wife
Elizabeth Dimock had children. Benjamin ended his years in Jefferson
County where he died at Watertown 1 June 1861.
Benjamin and Polly’s oldest son Newman
S. Crossett, born ca. 1806, by 1840 was residing in Newport, Herkimer Co.,
NY along with his brother John Crossett. Newman has just married
Olive Hall, born ca. 1816, the couple later had ten children.
By 1850 Newman and Olive had removed
to Florence, Oneida Co., NY where they were enumerated in the census.
Crossett, Newman S. -33-laborer-NY-$100
Crossett, Ollive [sic] -35-wife-NY
Crossett, Francis Lane -8-daughter-NY
Crossett, Polly -6-daughter-NY
Crossett, Monroe -5-son-NY
Crossett, Henry -1-son-NY
In 1858 this family removed to Orwell,
Oswego Co., NY. They resided in an area called Molino on the road
to Bennett’s Bridge. The whole area was quite hilly and many who
tried to farm there quickly moved on. The population of Orwell grew
quite slowly compared to other Oswego County towns.
The 1860 Orwell census showed the
increase in the Crossett family.
Crosset [sic], Norman [sic] -49-farmer-NY
Crosset [sic], Olive -44-wife-NY
Crosset [sic], Francis L. -18-daughter-NY
Crosset [sic], Polly S -17-daughter-NY
Crosset [sic], Monroe -15-son-NY
Crosset [sic], Henry -11-son-NY
Crosset [sic], Newman -7-son-NY
Crosset [sic], George-6-son-NY
Crosset [sic], Franklin -4-son-NY
Crosset [sic], Otis -6 months-NY
Their son Benjamin, born ca. 1851/2
was omitted for unknown reasons.
Son Newman, born 1852 in Florence,
NY, at age 11 in 1863 went with some other town boys fishing on Geary Brook
in Orwell. At some point he vanished. There was a hugh search
by most in Orwell. Newman, Sr. at one point spent 40 days and nights
in the woods looking for him. The disappearance was big news for
years in this sleepy small town. The child was never seen again.
At the start of the
Civil War Monroe Crossett enlisted in 23 October 1861 . He fought
at Antietim. the Wilderness and Petersburg. He re-enlisted on 5 March
1865. This notation was found in town records compiled in 1887, but
could not be verified in more modern files in the National Archives.
His grave was marked with an American flag on the stone.
Newman enlisted on 22 August 1864
calling himself 44 years of age. He joined Co. E., 169th NY Infantry
Regiment. He immediately was put into battle around Petersburg, VA
where death was everywhere. He was mustered out on 30 May 1865 in
Washington, D.C., very lucky to have survived.
Henry Crossett enlisted on 14 March
1865 in Co. I, 193rd NY Infantry. He died on 2 April 1865 at Auburn,
NY with no further details .
In the 1870 Orwell census Newman
remained on his farm.
Crosset [sic], Newman -55-farmer-Ny-$8100
Crosset [sic], Olive -50-wife-NY
Crosset [sic], Francis -28-daughter-NY
Crosset [sic], George -16-son-NY
Crosset [sic], Frank -14-son-NY
Crosset [sic], Otis -9-son-NY
Newman continued living at Orwell.
He was listed in the 1880 census. Newman stated his father was from
Canada. Other family records contradict putting his birth at Johnstown,
NY.
Crosset [sic], Newman -64-farmer-NY
Crosset [sic], Olive -64-wife-NY
Crosset [sic], Otis - 20-son-NY
Crosset [sic], Mary 30-daughter-NY
Newman died in 1889, age 83.
His grave in Pekin Cemetery, Orwell was marked with Civil War designation.
His wife Olive (Hall) Crossett died 11 July 1890, age 74. (Maiden
name on stone.) She was buried with her husband.
There were two other Crossett households
given in the 1880 Orwell census. Both residences were the homes of
Newman and Olive’s sons.
Crosset [sic], Monroe -34-laborer-NY
Crosset [sic], Fannie -18-wife-NY
Monroe’s wife was Fanny Miner, born
13 May 1863. She had two children. One was stillborn and the
other was George Crossett, born in 1882 at Orwell.
In the 1900 Orwell census Monroe,
age 50, lived with his sister Mary, age 54, and his son George, age 18.
The 1910 Orwell census included Monroe, age 64, and Mary, age 63 plus another
sister Francis, age 66, a childless widow. Her married name was unreadable,
but might be Kech or Hurd.
Monroe died 6 April 1913, age 60.
He was buried with his parents at Pekin Cemetery. His son George
lived to 1929.
Monroe’s brother Benjamin also lived
at Orwell in 1880. He had married Harriett. Crossett, Benj
-23-farmer-NY
Crossett, Harriett -30-wife-NY
Crossett, Leila C -5-daughter-NY
Crossett, May A -3-daughter-Ny
By the 1900 Orwell census Benjamin
was again enumerated.
Crossett, Benj -54-farmer-NY
Crossett, Harriett-59-wife-NY
Crossett, Leila -36-daughter-NY
Crossett, Mary [sic] -33-daughter-NY
Crossett, Dwight - 29-son-NY
Benjamin and Harriet had been married
for 37 years. Harriet stated she had given birth to three children
and they all still survived. Dwight helped his father on the farm
for employment.
In the 1920 Orwell census the family
continued living together.
Crossett, Benjamin -68-farm hand-NY
Crossett, Harriett -75-wife-NY
Crossett, Leila -45-daughter-NY
Crossett, Mayme [sic] -43-daughter-NY
Crossett, Dwight -34-son-NY
Benjamin and Harriet died before
the 1930 Orwell census. Their children lived on Power House Drive
together on the farm: Dwight, 48, with his two sisters, Leila, 55
and Mayme, 53. Mayme taught school. Their property was valued
at $7,000 suggesting that they were living comfortably even during the
Depression.
In 1887 Otis Crossett was described
as one of Newman’s five surviving children. The others alive then
were Benjamin, Monroe, Mary and Francis. Otis, born 17 November 1861,
wed Josephine King, daughter of Samuel and Luzina King of Orwell.
They had one child Frank, born 1886 who was 13 in the 1900 Orwell census.
By the 1910 Orwell census Frank lived
in Williamstown, NY at age 23. In the 1920 Camden, Oneida Co., NY
census Frank’s family was enumerated thusly:
Crossett, Frank -33-laborer-NY
Crossett, Francis -30-wife-NY
Crossett, Asa -6-son-NY
Crossett, Marion - 5-daughter-NY
Crossett, Abbie -4-daughter-NY
Before the 1930 Josephine/Josie died.
Otis apparently turned his farm over to Frank. In the Orwell 1930
census the families lived side by side on Power House Drive.
Crossett, Frank -43-farmer-NY
Crossett, Francis -33-wife-NY
Crossett, Asa -17-son-NY
Crossett, Marion -16-daughter-NY
Crossett, Abbie -12-daughter-NY
Crossett, William -3-son-NY
next door-
Crossett, Otis -65-none-NY
Asa Crossett, born 11 March 1913,
died in September 1969. His brother William E. Crossett, born 9 October
1926, died in November 1988.
Special attention needs to be
paid to the Crossett Genealogy website online <http://genealogy.gcrossett.com/crohome.htm>
operated by Gene Crossett, Jr. While in 2004 it included little on the
Orwell Crossetts, it is an effort that needs to be encouraged. Contact
Gene at 8056 Arrowcourt Ct., Terre Haute, IN 47802.
SOURCES:
American Civil War Soldiers.
Available [online] http://ancestry.com
[10 October 2004].
Baird, Iris Wilcox. Crossetts
and Crosiers: Some of the Descendants of Anthony Ducrozat c. 1624.
Lancaster, NH: 1996.
Bolton, Ethel Stanwood. Immigrants
to New England, 1700-1775. Salem, MA: Essex Institute, 1931.
Chase, Benjamin. History of
Old Chester from 1719 to 1869. Auburn, NH: 1869/
Churchill, John C. Landmarks
of Oswego County, New York. Syracuse: Mason, 1895.
Civil War Service Records. Available
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Crossett Genealogy.
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New Hampshire Probate Records, 1685-1762.
Available [online] http://ancestry.com
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Available [online] http://ancestry.com
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Pekin Cemetery, Orwell, Oswego Co.,
NY. Available [online] http://ww.rootsweb.com/~nyoswego/towns/orwell/pekincem.html
[9 October 2004].
Social Security Death Index.
Available [online] http://ssdi.genealogy.rootsweb.com
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[8 October 2004].
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U.S. Census Caughnawaga, Montgomery
Co., NY 1790.
U.S. Census Camden, Oneida Co.,
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U.S. Census Florence, Oneida Co.,
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U.S. Census Orwell, Oswego Co.,
NY 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920 & 1930.
U.S. Census Williamstown, Oswego
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WorldConnect Project. Available
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