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1890 Buchanan and Delaware Counties History pgs. 488-489
        

HORACE C. CROZIER, residing in Delhi, Delaware county, and one of the oldest and most highly respected citizens of that county,  was born in Berkshire county, Mass., November  16,   1812.    His father, John Crozier, was born on the Atlantic ocean while his parents were on their way to America. His mother died soon after landing in Boston, Mass., and the father of our subject was put out among strangers to be cared for and reared.

He served with distinction in the Revolutionary war, and was one of General Washington's most trusted lieutenants. He had his leg broken by a ball at the battle of Bunker Hill and his horse shot from under him.   After he recovered from his injuries he returned to the army and served till the great struggle for independence closed.

After the war he located in the suburbs of the city of Boston and owned forty acres of land now covered by that famous city. He was a gunsmith by trade and prospered for many years.
 

He subsequently traded his farm near Boston for land in Berkshire county, to which place he removed. He sold out in 1818 and immigrated to Ohio, settling on the Western Reserve, when that country was covered with a dense forest. He died in 1822 at a ripe old age, sincerely mourned by all who knew him.

He was twice married. He married his first wife soon after locating in Boston, and by her had seven children. She died and he again married, the lady whom he chose for a life companion being Sarah Groves Bemis, by whom he had three children, two of whom are now living.

The maternal grandfather of our subject immigrated from Ireland and settled in the colonies before the war of the Revolution.

Horace C. Crozier, whose name heads this sketch, was born in an old-fashioned log cabin built by his father in the mountains of Berkshire county, Mass. The picturesque old house is still standing, and the numerous descendants of the hardy old pioneer held a reunion within its walls quite recently. Our subject received his education in the typical log school-house the period, with its puncheon floor, slab seats and huge fire-place.  After his father's death his mother gave up housekeeping and he went to live with a farmer by the name of Michael Stewart, with whom he remained till he was eighteen years of age.

In 1830 he went to Cleveland, Ohio, and worked in a brick-yard.  From there he went to Oberlin, where he made brick during the summer and chopped cord-wood during the winter.

In 1835 he struck out for the West, stopping at Michigan City, Ind., for a short time, where he was employed by a new town-site company to make brick on the shore of Lake Michigan, near the mouth of the Sac river.

In the fall of 1836 he met and married Miss Sybil Pitchers, and settled down in Ogle county, Ill., with his brother-in-law.

In 1844 he sold out and moved to Delware county, Iowa, and entered land in Delhi township. There were only two log cabins in the village of Delhi at that time.  He erected a cabin and prepared to live in regular
pioneer style.

To our subject and his wife have been born six children, viz.-Adelaide, Ann, Jay (deceased), Sarah (deceased), Emma and Rosie.

In early life Mr. Crozier was a whig and voted steadily with that party. On the formation of the republican partv he joined its ranks, and has ever since maintained a steady allegiance to its principles, always doing a citizen's duty at the polls.

He and his excellent wife hold membership in the Free-Will Baptist church, of which he has been a life-long and prominent member.

 

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