USA > Indiana > Delaware County > A portrait and biographical record of Delaware county, Ind. : containing biographical sketches of many prominent and representative citizens, together with biographies and portraits of all of the presidents of the United States, and biographies of the governors of Indiana > Part 21
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the present magnificent church edifice in which the congregation worships.
0 ZRO N. CRANOR, a leading mem- ber of the Delaware county bar and state senator for the counties of Del- aware and Randolph, was born in Wayne county, Ind., September 4, 1855, and is a son of John and Elizabeth (Study) Cranor, both families pioneer settlers of Wayne coun- ty. John Cranor, however, was born in Ohio, July 6, 1828, but has passed his whole life, so to speak, in Wayne county, having been brought here by his parents in the fall of the year of his birth. He now has his resi- dence in Dublin, that county, and has been a minister in the United Brethren church for thirty-three years. Mrs. Elizabeth (Study) Cranor, also a native of Wayne county, Ind., was born April 7, 1830. The maternal grand- mother of Ozro N. Cranor bore the maiden name of Lomax, and her family settled in what is now Wayne county, Ind., as early as 181I.
Ozro N. Cranor is the second eldest in a family of five children. His preliminary edu- cation was obtained at the common schools of his native county, and this was supplemented by attendance at the Hartsville and Otterbein universities. In the spring of 1876 he went to Vermillion county, and for six years taught school, and while there, on the 4th day of September, 1878, was married to Miss Mattie J. Arrasmith, but insatiate Death stepped in ere little more than a year had passed, and claimed the bride as his own. Her death occurred September 28, 1879, but she left her husband a pledge of her love-Bertha-born June 23, 1879. In 1882, Mr. Cranor came to Delaware county, and November 23, 1883, chose for his second wife Miss Victoria L.,
O. N. CRANOR.
Gro. I. leromer
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daughter of Capt. John and Eliza B. Ross, and to this happy union have been born two chil- dren-John R., born August 27, 1884, and Gifford B., born May 21, 1893. Mr. Cranor having duly prepared himself, began the prac- tice of law in Muncie in 1889, and in this pro- fession he soon forged his way to the front. In politics he is a republican through and through, is a worker for his party, and is as popular in its ranks as he is before the general public. In 1888 he was elected to represent his fellow citizens of Del- aware county in the lower house of the state legislature, and so well did he take care of their interests during the term, that he was sent back to the state capital in 1892, as joint senator from the counties of Delaware and Randolph, of which office he is still the incumbent. Mr. Cranor is a member of Mun- cie lodge, No. 74, I. O. O. F., and of Muncie Encampment, No. 30, and he and wife are consistent and faithful members of the Metho- dist Episcopal church. As a professional man his success has been most gratifying, and as a member of society his gentlemanly de- portment has won him hosts of friends.
EORGE W. CROMER, one of the enterprising and successful members of the Delaware county bar, and a prominent politician of this part of the state of Indiana, was born in Columbus, Madison county, Ind., May 13, 1857, a son of Joshua and Mary (Shultz) Cromer, natives of Maryland, and Wayne county, Ind., respect- ively. These parents moved to Salem town- ship, Delaware county, in 1857, where they purchased a farm and where they now reside. George W. Cromer in early life attended the public schools in Salem township and supple- mented his elementary education by a full
course in the State university, at Bloomington, from which he graduated in 1882. Thus thoroughly equipped, he was ready to choose a profession, and, deciding upon the law, entered the office of Ellis & Walterhouse in 1883, and so great was his application and natural ability that one year later he was ad- mitted to the Delaware county bar. Since that time he has been kept busy practicing in the district, county and state courts, and has succeeded in building up a large and lucrative legal business, being one of the most success- ful lawyers of the city of Muncie, which has long been known for its men of high legal at- tainments.
Politically, Mr. Cromer is a republican, and has always been an active and energetic worker for his party. In 1892 he was chair- man of the county central committee and a member of the state republican committee for the Sixth congressional district. He was elected prosecuting attorney for the Forty- sixth judicial district in 1886, was re-elected in 1888, and discharged the duties of that po- sition in a manner highly creditable to himself and eminently satisfactory alike to his friends and to those opposed to him politically. Fraternally he is a member of the B. P. O. E., the I. O. R. M. and the I. O. O. F. He is also a member of the Evangelical Lutheran church. He is considered one of the rising men of the city, and his career is watched with much interest by his friends, who predict for him a future of great promise.
J AMES N. CROPPER was born in Ran- dolph, county Ind., February 7, 1838, son of Bela W. and Elizabeth Cropper. Bela W. Cropper was a native of Woodford, county Ky., where he grew to man- hood on a farm, and later followed boating on
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the Ohio river, in which business he continued with a reasonable degree of success for some years. He married, in his native state, Eliza- beth Ashby, who was born in Henry county, Ky., and after a brief residence in Ohio and a return to Kentucky, moved to Indiana about 1833, settling in Randolph county, eight miles southwest of Winchester, where he engaged in agricultural pursuits. Bela W. and Eliza- beth Cropper represented a parentage of four- teen children, five of whom are living at this time, the youngest of the family being James N. He was for many years an active mem- ber of the Regular Baptist church, being a deacon, and also serving as clerk of the asso- ciation. He was for many years a justice in the township of West River, and achieved considerable reputation in his community as a local politician, first as a whig and later as a republican. He was one of the pioneers of Randolph county, being among those who en- tered the county at a time when but little effort had been made to disturb the original possessors of the soil-the savage red man and the wild beast of the forest. He possessed many noble traits of mind and heart, which have been reproduced in his descendants, and died at his home in West River township, Randolph county, at a ripe old age deeply la- mented by all who knew him His widow sur- vived him a short time, and now rests by his side in the cemetery at Huntsville near his old home.
James N. Cropper was reared to agricul- tural pursuits on the homestead in Randolph county, and early became familiar with all the details of farm life. His primary education was acquired in the country schools, the train- ing thus received being afterwards supplement- ed by a course in what was known as the Farmers' academy, Jay county, in which insti- tute he made such commendable progress that within a short time he was sufficiently ad-
vanced in his studies to procure a license enabling him to teach in the public schools. He served as local correspondent for the coun- ty papers and contributed to them and other publications numerous articles on topics of public interest. He was engaged as teacher in the winter seasons until the breaking out of the war, at which time he deemed it his duty to assist in preserving the Union. According- ly, on the 19th of July, 1862, he enlisted as private, and was mustered into the service at Indianapolis, as a sergeant, August 19, same year, in which capacity he continued until his promotion to the lieutenancy a few months later. He discharged the duties of the latter position in a creditable manner until 1864, in July of which year, owing to the consolidat- ing of his regiment into a battalion, and death at home, and with the consent of his com- manding officer, he resigned his commission, returned home and engaged in farm work and teaching. On the 16th day of November, 1865, Mr. Cropper and Sallie A. Mills, daugh- ter of Rufus K. and Elizabeth J. (McPherson) Mills, were united in the bonds of wedlock, remaining for one year thereafter on a farm in Randolph county. In 1866 Mr. Cropper embarked in the general mercantile trade at the town of Huntsville, where he remained for about four and one-half years, at the end of which time he disposed of his stock, the busi- ness not proving remunerative, and located in Muncie, where, for some months, he was var- iously employed, working for a livelihood at whatever he could find to do. This was a trying period in his life, but he encountered and successfully overcame obstacles which would have discouraged many a man of less determination and will power. Among the different occupations in which he was engaged after coming to this city were wood sawing, gathering corn for neighboring farmers, market gardening, and various other kinds of labor,
& Morogier
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and teaching school in the country in winter. He was appointed and accepted the position of deputy township appraiser and assessor, and served five terms. He also served as deputy sheriff cf . Delaware county under Andrew J. Slinger, the duties of which position he dis- charged in an eminently satisfactory manner for a period of two years. He then clerked with different mercantile firms of the city until 1883, when he effected a co-partnership in the grocery trade with Jonathan P. Adamson, which relationship was severed two years later, Mr. Cropper purchasing the entire stock and continuing the business very successfully until June, 1892. He disposed of his stock in that year and retired from mercantile pursuits, since which date he has given his attention almost exclusively to his real estate interests in Muncie, being one of the principal movers in the Riverside addition, where his holdings are large and very valuable.
Mr. Cropper is a commendable example of what may be accomplished by perseverance and prudent management, and he has shown himself to be a man of discreet judgment, scrupulous integrity and gentlemanly de- meanor. That he has been successful in his various business enterprises is sufficiently at- tested by his present conspicuous standing in Muncie, where only a few years ago he arrived without any capital worthy of mention, save a well formed determination to make the best of very discouraging surroundings and to over- come obstacles which to the majority of men would have appeared practically insurmount- able. He is not identified with any church, but affiliates with the Society of Friends, as also does his wife. He served as superintend- ent of the Mission Sunday school of this society for several years, commencing with its organization. Since attaining his legal ma- jority, he has exercised his elective franchise in behalf of the republican party, the princi-
ples of which he believes to be for the best interest of the country. Mr. and Mrs. Cropper have one child, a daughter, Ina C., wife of F. B. Nickey, one of the leading business men of Muncie.
EORGE W. CROZIER, general man- ager of The Crozier Washing Machine company, is one of the progressive citizens who serve to build up and improve any community in which fortune has placed them. Mr. Crozier was born in Piqua, Ohio, July 21, 1847, a son of William. J. and Ann (Ross) Crozier, the former a native of Scotland, and an early settler of Piqua, and the latter a native of the same county. They now reside near Toledo, Ohio.
George W. Crozier was educated in the public schools of Defiance, Ohio, after which he learned the machinist's trade, displaying a natural aptitude for mechanical work. In 1873 he opened a foundry and machine shop at Napoleon, Henry. county, Ohio, which he conducted until 1879, when he removed to Columbia City, Ind., and changed his business, becoming the proprietor of the Central house. In 1883 he came to Muncie, and soon after this invented a patent buggy top, and engaged in manufacturing the same for four years, also manufacturing the Crozier gas regulator, of which he was also the inventor.
In 1890 Mr. Crozier was so fortunate as to patent something which filled a long felt want, this being the now celebrated Crozier washing machine, and he at once began the manafac- ture of them, in January, 1892, organizing the Crozier Washing Machine company, and be- coming general manager of the same. This company does the largest business in their line of any firm in the city. He is a stockholder in several co-operative gas companies, and is a member of the Citizens' Enterprise company,
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and is socially connected with the I. O. O. F. and the I. O. R. M. Politically he is a demo- crat, and stanchly upholds the principles of his party.
In 1872 Mr. Crozier was married to Miss Mary A. Rogers, daughter of Joseph Rogers, of Henry county, Ohio, but he was called upon to mourn her death in 1881. She left a family of five children, as follows: Cary, May, Elta, Leroy and Walter. In 1886, Mr. Cro- zier married Mrs. Jennie Ray, of Muncie, a lady of many fine qualities, and a member of the Baptist church.
ALTER L. DAVIS, the well known journalist and business man of Muncie, is a native of Warren county, Pa., born October 21, 1850, in the town of Youngsville. His father, Wil- lard J. Davis, also a native of the same county and state, was born May 17, 1828, the son of Abraham and Ruth (Mead) Davis, whose an- cestors came to the United States from Wales a great many years ago. Willard J. Davis still lives upon the farm where he was born, a part of which is embraced within the corporate limits of Youngsville, and is perhaps the largest bee raisers in the state of Pennsylvania-his apiary consisting of over five hundred stands, the product of which finds sale in Philadelphia and other large eastern cities. He married, in 1849, Miss Laura Littlefield, daughter of Stephen and Elizabeth (Mead) Littlefield, of Warren county, Pa., a union blessed with the birth of four children: Walter L., Homer F., James H., who died at the age of eleven years, and Mary Alice. Willard J. is a prominent member of the Methodist Episcopal church in the town where he resides, and for a period of forty years has been leader of the choir in the
congregation of Youngsville. He has served as justice of the peace for a number of terms, has been a member of the school board for more than twenty years, and is a man of much more than ordinary mental endowments.
Walter L. Davis was reared on the home place at Youngsville, and received his early educational training in the schools of that town, which he attended until his nineteenth year. He finished his studies in the high school of Muncie, Indiana, to which city he came in 1869, and on quitting school accepted the position of salesman with his uncle, P. F. Davis, a dealer in agricultural implements. He was thus employed fromn 1870 to 1877, re- tiring from the business in the latter year and purchasing an interest, with Col. J. D. Will- iams, in the Muncie Courier-Democrat, with 'which paper he was connected for two years. He then became city editor of the Muncie Daily News, and one year later, in partner- ship with Charles Alf Williams, purchased an interest in the Muncie Democrat, which paper he managed very successfully during the cam- paign of 1880. Disposing of his interest in the Democrat to L. A. Kirkwood, Mr. Davis resumed his former position on the News, and continued in that capacity until 1885, in December of which year he again purchased the Democrat, consolidating it with the Mun- cie Herald, forming a partnership in the news- paper business with Thomas McKillip, editor of the latter, a relationship which continued until August, 1889, when he sold out and be- came manager of the paper which he had formerly owned. He filled the latter position two and one-half years, when he retired from journalism, and in May, 1892, accepted the position of assistant secretary of the Muncie Savings & Loan company, one of the most successful associations of the kind in the state of Indiana. Mr. Davis wasone of the original directors of this enterprise, and to his activity
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and judicious management is the association indebted for much of its present prosperity.
Mr. Davis was married October 8, 1879, to Isadore F. Morehouse, daughter of Henry and Mary (Hiatt) Morehouse, of Michigan. To this union one child has been born: Ethel, whose birth occurred March 17, 1882. Mr. Davis belongs to the Masonic fraternity, Knights of Maccabees and the National Frater- nal union. In politics he is a democrat, and at this time holds the position of deputy state supervisor of oil inspection in the state depart- ment of geology. Mr. Davis is a man of good business tact, and his knowledge of men, and his experience as a journalist and newspaper man, have enabled him to discharge with credit the duties of the various positions to which, at different times, he has been called. He enjoys the confidence and esteem of his fellow citizens of Muncie, and is one of the city's most intelligent and progressive business men.
3 OHN WORTHINGTON DRAGOO was born in Perry township, Delaware county, Ind., May 7, 1858, the son of William and Amelia (Gibson) Dragoo, old settlers of the county, and highly respected residents of their township. William Dragoo, the father of John W., was a native of West Virginia, as it is now known, but at the early age of seven years, was brought to Delaware county by his father, who entered eighty acres of land in Perry township, the patent being signed by Andrew Jackson, and this land never changed hands until the death of the patentee, when it was divided among his heirs. William Dragoo was a member of a family of seven children that reached maturity, and had the advantage of an excellent education that he acquired at the schools of Muncie and New- castle, having as classmates such young men
as Judge Shipley and C. Spilker, of Muncie, and others that became famous in later life. The early business life of William Dragoo was that of a general merchant at New Burlington, Delaware county, but later on he withdrew from mercantile trade and engaged in the pur- suit of agriculture, which he followed most successfully until his retirement from active labor to pass the remnant of his days at the residence of his son, John W., in Muncie. John W. also was reared a farmer, and was educated at the public schools. At fifteen years of age he relinquished his studies, and at twenty-one left the farm, and for five years was employed in school teaching and in at- tending schools of a higher grade. The next five years found him again on the farm, and from the expiration of that time until the present the school room has again been the field of his labor. He has in all taught over fifty months, included in which period are a term of one year as superintendent of the Yorktown schools and his present superin- tendency of the schools of Congerville. He has reached a high position in the estimation of his fellow citizens, and by them was elected county assessor in the winter of 1892.
The marriage of Mr. Dragoo took place May 7, 1884, to Miss Frances R. Jump, the accomplished daughter of Dr. S. V. Jump, of New Burlington, and four children have been the fruit of this happy union, viz: Charles, Earl, Nina F., Mary L. and Charlene. In politics, Mr. Dragoo is a republican, and fra- ternally he is a Patriotic Son of America. He has led a studious and industrious life, has been faithful and energetic in the discharge of his professional and public duties, and has proven himself to be in every respect fully worthy of the responsible trusts reposed in him. The family hold a position in society of which they may well feel proud.
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J OSIAH W. DRAKE, an ex-soldier and well known citizen of Muncie, Ind., was born in Brown county, Ohio, June 3, 1841, a son of Robert and Melissa (Gardner) Drake. They were natives of Ohio, and after marriage followed farming. In 1851 they came to Hamilton county, Ind., where they now reside. Josiah W. Drake received a common school education, and engaged in business on his own account in 1865, begin- ning the harness making in Boxley, Hamilton county, Ind. He was appointed post master of the village by Andrew Johnson, serving in that capacity for one year. He then engaged in saw and flour milling, following these occu- pations for two years, and then spent one year in Orange county, at French Lick, for the benefit of his health. Becoming some- what better, he returned to Hamilton county and engaged for one year in selling Wheeler & Wilson sewing machines; then located at Berlin, Clinton county, Ind., where he fol- lowed the mercantile business for one year, but sold this and removed to Circleville, same county, where he engaged in painting for the four succeeding years. At the end of that time he took a contract for supplying the ties for the L. E. &. W. R. R. for one year, and then removed to Muncie, continuing in the employ of the same road in the bridge depart- ment. Mr. Drake's war record is an honor- able one, and his pension of six dollars a month was valiantly earned. In July, 1861, he en- listed in company B, Thirty-ninth Indiana volunteers, and at the expiration of his term of service re-enlisted at Ringgold, Ga., in Feb- ruary, 1863, serving in company B, Eighth Indiana cavalry. He participated in many hard skirmishes and took part in the battle of Chickamauga, being finally discharged at Wilmington, N. C. In 1885 Mr. Drake en- gaged in the restaurant business, and has since continued in the same line, becoming pro-
prietor of the LaClede, October 13, 1892. Mr. Drake was married in Hamilton county, Ind., October 6, 1866, to Miss Aman- da Phillips, who was born in Morgan county, Ind., daughter of Thomas Phillips, a native of North Carolina. Three children have been born of this marriage- Myrtle and two infants, all deceased. Politically Mr. Drake is a dem- ocrat, and is one of the sterling citizens of the flourishing city of Muncie.
a ILLIAM EDGAR DRISCOLL, B. S., M. D., is one of the prominent professional men of Muncie, a native son of Indiana, born in Centre township, Delaware county, near where the Indiana Iron works now stand, on the 6th day of October, 1858. His parents were John and Maria (Gibson) Driscoll. The doctor received a liberal education, graduating from Purdue university, Lafayette, Ind., in June, 1882, fol- lowing which he entered upon the study of medicine under the guidance of Dr. S. V. Jump, of New Burlington. He further took a full course at the Medical college of Ohio, at Cincinnati, where he graduated March, 1886, after which he began the practice at Cowan, Delaware county, where he resided for two years. In June, 1888, Dr. Driscoll located permanently in Muncie, where he has since enjoyed a large share of the remunerative practice, and where his superior medical knowledge has won for him a conspicuous place among the successful medical men of central Indiana. In April, 1886, he was elected coroner of Delaware county, and filled the office by successsive re-elections for the six succeeding years.
Doctor Driscoll is well known among his professional associates, being a member of the Delaware County Medical society, of which he
yours truly Nc Driscoll. B. S. M. A.
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was formerly president; belongs to the Dela- ware District Medical society, and the State Medical society of Indiana. In 1892, his ad- vice and good judgment were secured for the city by an election to the common council from the Third ward, and he is now serving in that body as a member of the police, street, and educational committees, and is also chair- man of the library board, in which organization he has taken a very active interest. Dr. Driscoll was appointed by Gov. Matthews to attend the first Pan-American medical con- gress, held at Washington, D. C . September 5 to 8, 1893, in which he represented his state in the lectures on hygiene, and quarantine and infectious diseases. Politically Dr. Dris- coll is a republican, and, fraternally, belongs to Muncie lodge, No. 74, 1. O. O. F., and to Delaware lodge, No. 46, A. F. & A. M. He was one of the incorporators of the Muncie Silver Ash institute, and is physician in charge of the same at this time. He is a member of the Citizens' Enterprise company, and of various other projects having for their object the public good, and he is progressive and en- terprising in all those terms imply. Profes- sionally the doctor stands high in Muncie. His mental faculties, thoroughly disciplined by collegiate and professional training, enable him to keep pace with the advancement of medical science; his success is due as much to his original experiments and investigations, as to his extensive reading. On the 29th day of September, 1886. Dr. Driscoll and Maggie J., daughter of Samuel Chapman, of Oxford, Ind., were united in marriage, and one child has come to gladden their home, namely: John C. Driscoll. Mrs. Driscoll is a lady of cult- ure, refinement, and rare intelligence, having graduated in the same class with her husband at Purdue university. Dr. and Mrs. Driscoll are highly respected members of the High street Methodist church of Muncie, and they
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