Enoch G. Crosthwait

Narrative:

     Enoch G. Crosthwait was born on 26 Dec 1819 in Illinois.^6,7,8
     He was probably one of the two males age 5 to10 listed in the household of his father, Hervey Crosthwait, in the 1840 Federal Census of Fulton Co., Illinois, though he was actually 11 by then.¹⁸
     Enoch married first Margaret Craig on 4 Feb 1840 in Fulton Co., Illinois.^9,10,11
     He was a farmer by 1850.^19,20
     Enoch and Margaret appeared on the 1850 Federal Census of Joshua, Fulton Co., Illinois, enumerated 13 Oct 1850, reporting real estate valued at $3,000. Their children Mary, Nancy, Thomas and William were listed as living with them, as were Sement Raney, age 80, relationship unknown, and Sarah Smith, age 15, relationship unknown.²
     On 10 Nov 1852 Enoch was granted a patent for 160 acres of land, about six miles southwest of in Indianola, Warren Co., Iowa, under the ScripWarrant Act of 1847. That act allowed the granting warrants for 160 acres of Bounty Land for a limited time. Warrants that could be exchanged for land, or sold to others. His tract was issued under a warrant originally issued to George Amarine, a private in the 1st Regiment, Kentucky Mounted Volunteers, and was described as the SE¼, section 17, township 75N, range 24W.²¹
     On 1 Dec 1855 Enoch was granted a patent for 69.12 acres of land in Warren Co., Iowa, about two miles west of the prior grant, under the ScripWarrant Act of 1850. That act granted Bounty Land to men who served during the War of 1812, the war with Mexico, or Indian wars, or their widows or minor children. Warrants were issued that could be exchanged for land, or sold to others. His tract was issued under a warrant originally issued to Thomas J. Stuart, a private in the Virginia Militia in the War of 1812, and was described as the W½NW¼, section 19, township 75N, range 24W.²²
     His wife died on 11 Sep 1859.²³
     Enoch appeared on the 1860 Federal Census of Washington Twp., Warren Co., Iowa, enumerated 4 Jun 1860, reporting real estate valued at $5,000 and personal estate of $1,000. His children Mary, Nancy, Thomas and William were listed as living with him, as were Sallie Craig, age 23, a seamstress and likely a relative of his late wife, and Phillip Johnson, age 22, a laborer.²⁴
     Enoch married second Sarah Emma Cobb, daughter of Capt. Willard Cobb and Amy Allen, on 4 Mar 1862 in Mahaska Co., Iowa.^12,13,14
     Enoch registered for the draft for the Civil War, appearing on the register dated in Jun 1863, while living in Washington Twp., Warren Co., Iowa, reporting he was employed as a miller.²⁵
     Enoch and Sarah appeared on the 1870 Federal Census of Des Moines, Polk Co., Iowa, enumerated 4 Aug 1870, reporting real estate valued at $10,000 and personal estate of $3,000. His children by his prior marriage, Nancy, Mary and William, were listed as living with them.²⁶
     He was a stock dealer in 1870, but had returned to farming by 1880.^27,28,29
     Enoch was named an heir in the will of his father dated 22 Mar 1871 in Canton, Fulton Co., Illinois, in which he was to receive, after the death of his father's second wife, an equal share with his seven living siblings and the daughter of his late sister of the entire estate.⁴
     Enoch and Sarah appeared on the 1880 Federal Census of Valley Twp., Polk Co., Iowa, enumerated 5 Jul 1880, Also listed in the household are Jason Beeman, age 32, as farm laborer, and Elizabeth Dixon, age 23, a housekeeper.³⁰
     Enoch and Sarah appeared on the 1885 State Census of Valley Twp., Polk Co., Iowa, shown as living on the west half of the southeast quarter of township 79, range 24, section 18. That would indicate that their farm was 80 acres. Hubert G. Jones, age 23, is also listed as living with them.³¹
     Enoch died on 14 Dec 1888 at age 68.^8,15,16 He was buried in IOOF Cemetery, Indianola, Warren Co., Iowa, with his first wife.¹⁷
     Enoch died intestate (without leaving a will) and letters of administration for his estate were issued on 20 Dec 1888 in Polk Co., Iowa. in response to a petition by his son Thomas, to William H Zickefoose. The petition listed real estate in Keith Co., Nebraska, other real estate in Polk Co. and Rock Island, Illinois, and personal property of $100.³²
     An inventory of his estate was filed on 3 Jan 1889 listing one brown horse, a red cow, and a buggy as "exempt property," and a lot in Chicago.³³
     The settlement of the estate was filed on 22 Jan 1890. Declaring that claims had been settled, but no details of funds collected or paid out have been found. The report was approved by the court and the estate closed 27 Jan.³⁴