Gov. Charles M. Croswell
He was born in Newburg, Orange County, New York on Oct. 31, 1825. His father was of Scotch-Irish descent. When Charles was 7 years old he lost both his parents.
He came to Adrian, Lenawee County, Michigan in 1837 with an uncle. In 1846 he was appointed deputy county clerk. He studied law. He was the Whig candidate for Lenawee County clerk in 1848. In 1850 however, as a Whig, he was elected to the post of register of deeds.
In 1854 Charles was a member and secretary of the state convention now famous as the convention "Underthe Oaks" at Jackson, Jackson County, Michigan for the formation of the Republican party.
In 1862 he was named city attorney for Adrian. Later that year he was elected Mayor and in the fall of 1862 he was elected State Senator. He was reelected twice as senator.
In 1872 he became a State Representative and also Speaker of the House.
He was nominated by the Republican party as a candidate for governor and was elected by a margin of over 23,000 votes. He was reelected governor in 1878.
Charles married Lucy M. Eddy of Adrian in 1852, they had five children, of which only three, Charles Morton, Hattie, and Lucy Elizabeth reached adulthood.
Lucy M Eddy Croswell died March 9, 1868 and Charles married Miss Lizzie L Musgrave of Charlotte on March 25, 1880.
Charles died in December of 1886 in Adrian, Lenawee County, Michigan. He is buried in the family vault at Oakwood Cemetery in Adrian.
Note: On the Odds and Ends page there is an article from The Tatler that mentions Governor Croswell's daughter Hattie as editress???
Here are some obits (and a marriage) for Charles M. Croswell
and for his daughters too...
They are all buried at Oakwood Cemetery, Adrian.
Inscriptions are:
Charles Morton Croswell 1861-1891 (that is the son)
Emma Elise Croswell 1852-1854 (d. Aug. 7, 1854) (this is a daughter)
George Hicks Croswell 1857-1861 (d. Dec. 26, 1861 ) that day was hard to read??? (This is a son)
Lucy Eddy Croswell 1831-1868 (d. Mar. 19, 1868) (the Gov's first wife)
Charles Miller Croswell 1825-1886 (the Gov)
Harriet Croswell 1854-1929 (this is a daughter)
Lucy Croswell Perkins 1866-1938 (this is a daughter)
James Coffin Perkins 1853-1939 Missionary to India for 29 years (this is son-in-law
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From a Hudson, MI paper, Mar. 26, 1880
"Gov. Croswell was married at Lansing yesterday to Miss Lizzie Musgrave of Charlotte."
From a Hudson paper, Apr. 2, 1880
"Chicago Mar. 25: Gov. Croswell of Mich. today was married at Lansing to Lizzie Musgrave, youngest dau. of Jos. Musgrave of Charlotte by Rev. Dr. Eddy of Niles, at residence of H. A. Lee, a bro-in-law of the bride. Bride received a costly gold watch & chain, the gift of the governor's children. Then they took a train for Grand Rapids. Mrs. Croswell is tall & graceful, about 27 years of age. The Gov. has 3 children by a former marriage."
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From a Hudson paper, Dec. 17, 1886
"Charles M. Croswell, Adrian, December 13: d. at his residence in this city, this morning. b. at Newburg,Orange Co, N.Y., Oct. 31st. 1825, the only son of John & Sallie (Hicks) Croswell. His father of Scotch-Irish descent & his ancestors on mothers side were of Knickerbocker descent. When but 7 years old his father accidently drowned in the Hudson River & within 3 mos. preceding that event his mother and only sister had died, thus leaving him the sole surviving member of the family, without fortune or means. On the death of his father he went to live with an Uncle, who, in 1837, emigrated with him to Adrian, Mich. At age 16 he began to learn the carpenters trade & worked at it 4 yrs. In 1846 he began studying law & was appt. Dep-Clerk of Lenawee Co., the duties of which office he performed 4 yrs, when he was elected Register of Deeds & re-elected in 1852. 1854 he took part in the 1st movements for forming the Republican Party & was member and Secy. of the convention held at Jackson that yr., which put in the file the 1st Rep. state ticket in Mich. (Then gives all offices etc. that he held.) He has been twice married and is survived by his 2d wife and a son and 2 daughters, by the first wife who died in 1868.
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From a Hudson paper, March 6, 1891
"Charles W. Croswell.
Son of Ex-Governor Croswell of Adrian, found dead in his room at the Richmond Hotel in Chicago, Wed. A paper marked 'morphine' lying on the floor, indicated he had taken his own life. He was a very bright young man and acted as his father's private secretary while the latter was Gov. He was about 30 years old and since leaving Adrian a few years ago he had lived a wandering existence, working for some time in a R.R. office at St. Louis,and later traveling over the west. He came to Chicago about 2 weeks ago and took a room at the Richmond Hotel, paying for it each night. He seemed to be in hard luck financially. His self-destroying act was undoubtedly causedby despondency. He will be buried at Adrian."
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From Adrian Daily Telegram, Jan. 30, 1929
"Daughter of Former Governor Died Tues.
Miss Harriet Croswell is to be Buried here.
Miss Harriet Croswell, daughter of the late Charles M. Croswell, one time governor, died Tuesday in Princeton, N.J., according to word received here today. Miss Croswell who was aged 73 years, had made her home since leaving Adrian a few years after her father's death in 1886, with her sister, Mrs.J. C. Perkins.
Her only immediate surviving relatives are her sister and a nephew, J.C. Perkins, Jr., both of Princeton. She was born in Adrian and with the exception of the few years spent with her father in Lansing when he was governor of the state she lived in Adrian until after his death. She received her education here and graduated from the Adrian high school in theclass of 1873.
The body is to be brought to this city Thursday morning over the New York Central railroad and will be taken to Oakwood cemetery where short services will be held at the grave, the Rev. R. E. Charles, officiating."
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From Adrian Daily Telegram, February 4, 1937
Mrs. J. C. Perkins Died; was Daughter of Late Gov. Charles Croswell.
"Word has been received here of the death of Mrs. Lucy Croswell Perkins, wife of the Rev. James C. Perkins and the daughter of the late Governor Charles M. Croswell, which occurred in Cleveland Tuesday. Mrs. Perkins when a young woman lived in the Croswell home on North Broad Street which the family has since given the Lucy Wolcott Barnum Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution and is now known as the Croswell house. She is survived by her husband who is in California and one son, James C. Perkins of Regent, North Dakota.
The body is to be brought to Adrian for burial Friday morning accompanied by the son. It is expected that short services will be held atthe chapel in Oakwood cemetery at 3 o'clock in the afternoon preceding the burial in the family lot in Oakwood.
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