Dickinson Co., KS AHGP-Portrait and
Biographical Record of Dickinson, Saline, McPherson and
Marion Counties-Sebastian B. Cromer
Portrait and Biographical
Record of Dickinson, Saline, McPherson and Marion
Counties
Chapman Brothers, Chicago, 1893
SEBASTIAN B. CROMER, who owns and
operates an excellent farm of one hundred
and sixty acres on section 18, Ridge
Township, Dickinson County, is one of
the worthy citizens that the Keystone State has
furnished to Kansas. He was born in Franklin
County, Pa., October 1, 1847, and is a son of Jacob
and Hattie (Bear) Cromer, the former a native
of Washington County, Md., and the latter of
Franklin County, Pa. Their family numbered
fifteen children, twelve sons and three daughters.
Eight sons and the daughters are yet living, and
most of them are residents of Illinois.
Our subject, who was the third in order of birth,
spent the days of his boyhood under the parental
roof and at a very early age began to aid in the
labors of the farm. When a lad of ten he bound
wheat in the harvest fields and as soon as old
enough he followed the plow. His education was
acquired in a log schoolhouse with slab seats.
The family left Pennsylvania when he was a small
boy and emigrated to Montgomery County, Ill.
They afterward removed to Du Page County,
Ill., where our subject made his home until after
his marriage. He was joined in wedlock with Miss
Annie Steck, a daughter of Jacob Steck and a native
of Pennsylvania, born November 23, 1849.
After his marriage, Mr. Cromer went to Chicago,
where he engaged in business as a milk dealer.
He was living on West Van Buren Street at the
time of the memorable fire in that city, which
caused him considerable loss, and he therefore removed
to Naperville, Ill., where he continued to
reside until 1885. In that year he became a resident
of Kansas, locating in Ridge Township,
Dickinson County. He purchased one hundred
and sixty acres of improved property and is now
engaged in general farming with good success.
The place is well improved with good buildings
and its neat appearance indicates the supervision
of a careful manager, who understands his business
and is prompt and thorough in its execution.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Cromer have been born the
following children: Myron, who is now twenty-one
years of age; Lester, aged nineteen; Viola, seventeen
years of age; Susan, aged fifteen; Louis Jacob, aged
thirteen; Lizzie, aged nine; and Lulu, six years
of age. Alvin Boaz and Alma Belle, twins, both
died in infancy. The parents are true Christian
people, consistent and faithful members of the
River Brethren Church. They have carefully
reared their children and of their intelligent and
interesting family may well be proud.
Mr. Cromer's early advantages were limited, he
having no special privileges when a youth. He
was early inured to hard labor, however, and
thereby developed self-reliance and industry,
which have proven of incalculable benefit to him
in his later years, winning him success which
without these could not have been gained.
(c) 2009 Sheryl McClure for
Dickinson County KS AHGP