Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1905-05-25
OUR OLDEST PENSIONERS.

WIN &FOI|c0l UcN0tNiNcN0s
Men Who Fought in the Early Wars
of the County Who Are Still
Alive and Well.
I do not believe there is any prece-
dent for the New York board of alder
men in appointing committee to ar
range q ceremonial funeral for man
who is still alive and in reasonably
good health. There was, however.
some reason in the case, because the
subject will be los years old on the
29th of April. 1905, and it is time that
he and his friends were preparing for
what English writer's call "eventuali-
ties" His name is Hiram Silas Cronk.
He is spending the winter with his
grandchildren on Avenue A. New York
city, but his home Is at Ava, a little
village in the northern part of Oneida
county, N. Y, the nearest railroad sta
ton being ten miles away at Bonneville
on the Utica & Black River railroad.
Mr.. Cronk, when he is at home,
lives on small farm which he cleared
by himself more than Is years ago.
and for the last 40 years his daughter,
Mrs. Sarah Crowley, who is herself
nearly 80 years of age, has kept house
for him. He still has possession of all
his faculties, and until this winter has
gone about unattended. looking after the
hired hands who cultivate his farm,
driving to town twice week, attending
all the town meetings. and the recent
election in November is the first he has
missed since he cast his maiden presi-
Dental vote for John Quincy Adams.
Since then he has voted for 20 presiden-
tial candidates.
He was originally whig, then DEM
ocrat until the war, when he voted for
Abraham Lincoln and Grant. He fell
out with the republican party and voted
for Greeley in 1872. He continued to
support the democratic ticket until 1896,
when he came out for Mckinley and
sound money. He voted for Mckinley
again in 1900. and would have voted for
Roosevelt on the 9Th of November If
he had been at home. But his chill
dren were afraid he might not survive
another of the cold winters of northern
New York and brought him down to
New York city early in October.
Mr. Cronk's particular distinction, in
addition to his advanced age, lies in the
fact that he is the only surviving SOL
der of the war of 1872. On the 14th of
August, 1914, before he was Is years
of age, he enlisted in the company of
Capt. Edmund Fuller and fought be-
side James Cronk, his father, and
Casper and John Cronk, his brothers, in
defense of Sackett's Harbor against the
British. That was the only time he was
ever under fire, and, peace having been
declared shortly after, he was hOnOrably
discharged from the army November Is,
1914. He therefore served only three
months and eight days, but he has
been drawing pension for more than
40 years. His present rate is $24 per
month from the federal government,
and, some years ago the New York state
legislature voted him q special pension
of $72 per month, so that, with his farm
ing, he gets along very comfortably.
Naturally, Mr.. Cronk is an object of
great interest wherever he goes, and
during his present visit to New York
one of the aldermen has made his &C
quaintance. That accounts for the
resolution recently introduced in the
meeting of the board of aldermen, which,
taking time by the forelock, in the most
practical manner. has authorized its
preparations for Mr.. Cronk's funeral
The old gentleman must be very
much fattered, for such an honor was
never paid to anyone before, although
it is rather melancholy. But he cannot
expect to live forever, and might as we'll
make up his mind to it.
The last survivor of the war Of the
revolution, Daniel F. Brakeman. died at
Freedom, Cattaraugus county, N. Y,
April S, 1869, aged 109 years months
days. He drew a pension for more
than a half century. There are still the
three revolutionary pensioners. One is
Esther F. Damon, of Plymouth Union,
w., aged 80, widow of Noah Damon,
who served from Its to 1880 in various
military organizations. The records of
the pension Office show that she was
married to him more than 60 years ago.
Another revolutionary pensioner is
Sarah c. Hurlbutt, of Little Marsh, Pa.
aged sc, daughter of Elijah Weeks, who
served two and one-half years from
1776 as a private in Capt. Josiah Smiths
company of Massachusetts volunteers.
Her pension was granted by special act
of congress, as was also that of Rhoda
Augusta Thompson. who served six
years from May, 1777, in Capt. John
Lambs regiment of New York. Miss
Thompson has never been married.
During the last year two revolution
airy pensioners have died-Rebekah
Mayo of Newbern, Va, aged 81, widow
Of Stephen Mayo, who served as pri-
vate in the Virginia troops. and Hannah
Newell Barrett, of Boston. aged 103, who
was a daughter of Noah Harrod, pri-
T. ~ Ct