The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1914-03-23
FORMER HANCOCK RESIDENT
IS VETERAN OF THREE WARS
CAPT. A. 0. KRUGER, ONE OF OLD
EST MEMBERS OF G. A. r.
LIVES HERE IN '70S.

one of the most picturesque figures
al tho national cucampment Of the 6.
\. r. in Detroit next fall-if he lives
until then, ana mt present he Is hale
ana hearty will he capt. Anton o.
Kruger It resident of Hancock IN the
early COS, and now a resident OF Mar
duette. Probably few members of tn"
Grand Army can boast of having seiN-
ed under three flags i'm three wars
| fought in widely separated countries
| Capt kruger has that record. lie has
! the further distinction of being the
oldest war veteran i'm Upper Michigan
Capt. Kruger is in his eighty-fourth
year. His has been an eventful ana
stirring life.
Descended from the Vikings. 1t IS
perhaps not surprising that the MAJ
mcttc veteran has spent practically
an his life on the water and since
early hoyhood has been active i'm vari-
Gus capacities connected with mari
time shipping. \ sailor on merchant
vessels plying the high seas an officer
Of the United States navy, navi-
gator on the Great Lakes the keeper
of a lighthouse, Federal inspector of
steamboats,, and the harbor master oi
Marquette, Capt. Kruger has had a
varied ana extended career in his nat
ural calling.
Born in Norway.
Cant. Kruger was born i'm House
berg, Norway, Jan. 4, 1880, and bean
going To sea at the axe of 10. He iirHt
saw America in 1Si7, and began his
war career i'm 1SiS by lighting with
the Danes against the Prussians
Young Kruger came to New York ~
: 1850 and procured his first citizenship
papcrs. Later he enlisted in the Sar-
. dinian army and served in the Crimeat
war. participants in the memorable
siege of Balaklava.
When the civil war began, he was
G again seized with the martial splfl
o and. coming to the United States
n Joined the navy. serving until hostili'
e ties concluded. Then he was employee
10 by the Wilmington IL Baltimore rail
G road and later the Milwaukee road
~ canning to the Lake Superior region il
q 1877 and has lived here ever since. III
a never married.
Y He was appointed keeper of TN
lighthouse at Rock Harbor Isle Roy
y ale. i'm 1874 and he held the post unit
l. he resigned in 1874
=" Lived in Copper Country.
n Meanwhile he had opened a repa.
\. shon At Hancock. He lived at Han
l. cock for three years and at ioughto
ID for twelve. navigating the while IN
rs Yacht Estellc, which he had brougH
at from Buffalo for William Edwards
as Houghton. Capt. Kruger went
I Marquette twenty-five years ago a
n United states Inspector of hulls IL
to this district. lie was appointed To III
r. Office by President Harrison ana i
n retained the post for three years,
,d until his successor had been named .
h. thc Democratic administration CAP
,s. Kruger formerly conducted n gener
no repair shop i'm Marquette, but OF Ia
no wears me has been active only as ha
O. Dor master, berth he doubtless ca
.r- retain as long as he wants IT.
The old veteran became a member
= the Grand Army in 1875 at iiancoc
10 land has long been OH the roster al u
n Albert Jackson post of Marquette. !
mo was enrolled in the Loyal Legion
III, 1894. He has attended many of the n
of tional cncampments of the g. ~
ro, among others, those at WashinStt
ol- Louisville. Buifalo. Cleveland, Milwa
raj kce and st. Paul. and he is looki
,ed forward to the approaching annl
inc meeting at Detroit with eager "a
rm pleasurablc anticipation.
inc ~