Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1905-04-21
OUR OLDEST PENSIONERS.
Men Who Fought in the Early Wars
of the County Who Are Still
Alive and Well.


dent for the New York board of alder
men in appointing committee to ar
range a 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 105 years old on the
Goth 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, little
village in the northern part of Oneida
county, N. Y, the nearest railroad sta
tion 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 rs years ago,
and for the last 40 years his daughter
Mrs. Sarah Crowley, who is herself
nearly so 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 a 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 90 presiden-
tial candidates.
He was originally whig then dem
.I,,,, 1, tod T,N,,
Abraham Lincoln and Grant. He fell
cut 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.. Cronks particular distinction, in
addition to his advanced age, lies in the
fact that he is the only surviving SOL
dier of the war of 1872. On the 14th of
August 1914, before he was 10 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 16,
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 special pension
of s72 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 ac-
,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
The old gentleman must be very
much fattered, for such an honor was
never paid to anyone before, although
1t 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. Bakeman, died at
Freedom, Cattaraugus county, n. Y,
April 5, 1869, aged 109 years months
s 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,
VT, aged 90 widow of Noah Damon,
who served from 1775 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 SO, daughter of Elijah Weeks, who
served two and one-half years from
1776 as 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
ary pensioners have died-Rebekah
Mayo, of Newbern, Va, aged 81, widow
of Stephen Mayo, who served as a pri-
vate in the Virginia troops, and Hannah
DO Of
was daughter of Noah Harrod, pri-
vate in Col. Shephard's regiment Of
Massachusetts, troops.-William E. Cur
tbs, in Chicago Record Herald.