The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-05-14
HIRAM CRONK DEAD AT 100,
SOLE suRyIVoR OFWARtOF 1879
PASSES AWtY.

Hiram Cronk. sole survivor OF the war OF
,st2 who celebrated the iobth anniFereery
Of his birth on April 20 last. diso ySsteIuey
unorninr at his homo az Dunnorooa' n ~
In accordance with t1o arran genssnts niau0
bv the Board Of Aldermen hershfst winter
he I'M have a public funeral IN THE city
and will be buried in Cypress runs Gense-
g., Rroolrlyn. where are Inferred Inc
bodies OF about City % his telow soio'ers
~ che war OF 1912. Hts body~will also lie
IN state In the City Hail. $500
For n long time Mr. CFonkthad hoverea
between life and death hs was oilnu
and deaf and was only able oocasfonally
80 ,,,,,,l,,e n few words which no one coula
rnderstapd except his daughter and bis
son.in-law, with whom no passed the iast
few years Of his life.
Eor a long time be kept no track OF the
seasons or Of the days OF the WeekHaho ns
found n impossible 70 remember evenu
from day 70 day. He spent most OF MS
time sleeping and often let'dRys go py WITH
ont utteriuR a word Despite his tntrmitiee
he began about a year ago TO cut seNeISi
new teeth, and new hair began TO grow on
a spot Of his scalp that had been bald time
out of memory.
Hiram Cronk was the last OF family OF
nine children. being a son Of James OronA'
Hewl, born at Frankfort, Herhmer county
ON April 20. 1900. The family Originally
came from Holland and its members WeIe
the claimants for the CronA, or NTohAlVe
estate. which was supposed 20 exist 'ne'e
and 10 be worth manv millions
Near the close of the War OF 1872. when
E5,ro1, was IA wears old, he enlisted In
the United States Army Nath bis fatner
ond his brothers. John and Jeptha, serving
81 Sackett's Harbor about 100 days. hiram
was so Young and 30 slight Of build that
he was the butt OF jokes by the other
soldIers but in a slirmish with the British
he behaved - well that he was highly
nralsed by his commanding officer. lie
was honorably discharged on Nov. TO-
1914
At the time Of the excavation for the Erie
canal Mr.. Cronk was employed on the work
and he used to tell Of seeing Gov. De Witt
Clinton fall into the ditch as the result OF
trick plaved by mischievous boys lie also
remembered Gen. LafRyette's trip through
the State on q barge az the time the canal
was completed.
In 1925 Hiram married Mary thornton
Of the town Of Western and they lived
together sixty years Sevenichildren were
born TO them. FIVE Of whom are living. One
son was killed in the civil war and another
died few years ago.
For Lcany years Hiram was an iunerant
shoemaker. He used TO he a great tobacco
chewer and he also drank gallon OF wine
every two weeks Before bis health failed
he was Of O jovial disposition and nothing
pleased INN better than TO tell stoTies OF
Ills carly life, He cast his first vote Tor
Andrew jackson and through al the yeara
afterward he remained Democrat, cast
ing his last vote for Grover CleyStand'
He was a devout Methodist and batore he
got blind he spent q portion OF each day
readinR the Bible. When he was 100 years
old there was family reunion and none
seemed to enjoy IL moro than he,
The daughter with whom hI. Cronk
lived In his latter years Is Mrs. Sarah A.
Rowley. who signed a contract Eighteen
years ago TO take care OF him Tor the rest
Of his fife, the consideration TO be the ITO
acre farm which he owned at Dunnbrook.
Mr.. Cronk was very Ill at tho time and 10
was thought that he could not recover
He got well, however, and there was a
family fight and a lot Of litigation over
the property. with the result that mort
gage for 81 200 was put on Il. For the past
two years Mr. Cronk had drawn pension
Of ST2 a month from the state.
MIR. cTonk vaS OF long-ny,ed family,
ps years old; his brother, Caspar, o.; another
brother, 70; his brother the Rev. Jarvis
Cronk Of Housewife, y. Y, o. and still
another brother, Eber { onk VI Omro, Wis,
%.
Hiram was an honorary member Of the
Fort StanwtI Chapter Of the Sons OF the
American Revolution also OF the State and
National chapters. On his i05th birthday
last month he was visited by Representatives
OF the Society OF the War Of 1912 from vari-
Gus place and 90 him was presented oerti-
foate Of honorary membership IN the New
jersey branch. He also received Letters OF
oongratulation from many prominent men,
including Admiral Dewey Lieu. Gen.
Chaffee Gov. Higgins, Gov. Stokes Of New
Jersey, and ex-Gov. Buckley OF Connecti-
cut.
men passed last December in anticipation
Of Mr. Cronk's death:
Whereos. This sole survivor OF that memora-
BILE war may ct almost any moment be Waited
w P7Is ss ho S s tlby s ham ne acbe, etS
OF the Empire state should lead in honoring
BY soldler's burial the last Of the many
nlustrious heroes Of that war thereby In
culoating In the hearts and minds OF the
young patriotic feelings and sentiments,
and reminding the older ones that they who
serve their country faithfully during peril
and nFuHiUn should never DO forgotten by
tha geuersticuS that come after, therefore be II
Resolved, That In the event OF the death Of
this noble hero The president Of this board
be authorized 20 direct that the remains lie
IN state IN the City Hall. borough OF Man
haitian, New York city, and that the President
also appoint a suitable committee and guard
% honor for the same,
The committee appointed by President
Fornes 60 carry out The direction Of the
resolution consists OF Aldermen With
Kenney, Owens, DougheTty, Coggey, Sickles
and Kline. The committee VIII meet 20.
morrow TO make arrangements for the
lying in state OF the body in the City Hall
and jor the funeral.
Tho body will be brought from Dunn
Brook. Tuesday night and will beAn the City
Hall on Wednesday. The building will
he draped inside and outside, On the
following day the interment will take plaoa
at Cypress Hills.
There Is TO be big military parade on
the day Of the funeral. Tho body will be
escorte ed 20 the cennete cry by regiments oil
the state milit Ia and Regular army. II
has been arranged also that the Ancient
and Honorable Artillery Of Boston, the
New York posts Of the q. A. r, and member
Of the patriotic societies viii have places
In the column.
Urea. y. Y. May is,-Funeral service,
for Hiram Cronk will be held from hi
daughters home IN Dunnbrook ct 1 o'olool
Tuesday afternoon, the Rev. W. Q. Kings
bury q Ava officiating. After the ser
vices at the house the body will be takeT
20 Boonville and will be placed In GA r