Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1919-04-29
JAMES McCROSSEN PASSES AWAY AT
HOME IN PASADENA

In his childhood, James McCrOSSen
Iattended the district schools of Lam
caster parish, st. John Co., N. B., but
was evidently born for an active
rather than scholastic life, for at the
early age of thirteen years, in 1912 he
| left home and went to Calias, Maine,
where for eight years, or until he be-
came of age, he worked at numbering.
He then came west locating at Osh-
kosh, Wis, in 1850, when that city was
small village, and for two years fol-
lowed numbering on the Wolf river
Then in 1852, he removed to Waupaca
county, and for eighteen years was ac-
lively engaged in developing its rich
primitive resources. For eight years
he followed numbering and farming,
then in 1860 he engaged in flour mill
| ing and mercantile pursuits. In all
this he prospered, and in 1868 he start
| ed another venture, a mercantile bust
ness in this city in connection with
wv. P. Quint. At first the company
handled -four. feed, meats and groc-
cries in bulk, to supply the numbering
camps in the pinery. The first store
was started in a building on the cor
ner of Second and Jackson streets,
Herman Miller store on Third street,
where the B. Riebe building now
stands. Here, line of dry goods was
added, and it became one of the larg-
| est establishments in this section. In
1874 he built the McCrossen block, at
the corner of Third and Scott streets,
which at that time was the largest
store in the city. He also built two
stores on Scott street, which the
estate still owns and at one time
held large interest in the old opera
house block and its stores.
In 1870 he sold out his interests in
Waupaca county and by purchase OBJ
tanned sole possession of the Wausau
business, removing to this city. Civ
ing it his exclusive attention, his mer-
camille trade grew rapidly. In 1878
it had assumed large proportions, and
in that year he sold a one-third inter
L est each to w. F. Collins, ]. A. Nc
Crossen and L. E. Thayer, and retired
from the business. In the same year
he purchased half interest in the
Wausau Lumber Co.'s mill, and was
actively connected with its manage
ment four years. In 1882 he sold his
interests to Knox Bros, and resumed
numbering and logging on the Wis
consin' river until 1887, in which year
he associated with Alexander Stewart
j. E. Leahy and William Atwater, and
lorganized the Montreal River Lumber
Co., with J. Z. Leahy, president, and
Alexander Stewart, treasurer. Later
Messrs. Leahy and Atwater sold their
interests to Messrs. Moon and Knight
Mr.. Moon becoming president. In 1891
Mr.. McCrOsSen sold his interests in the
company to the Alexander Stewart
Lumber Co., and retired from active
business life.
Shortly after coming to Wausau, Mr.
lMcCrossen purchased the entire block
north of Franklin street, between
Third and Fourth, and built a home
on the south east corner, where the
| family resided until the children grew
to manhood and womanhood, and had
homes off their own. 1t was a place
where all, old and young, gathered
and enjoyed the hospitality of Mr.. and
Mrs. McCrossen. Deceased built all of
the buildings on that block, which are
/ still there, with the exception of the
M. E. church and it's parsonage.
! Since his retirement from active life
Mr.. and Mrs. McCrossen have spent
their winters in southern California
and about II years ago, purchased a
home in Pasadena, Calf, where they
have since resided
In politics Mr.. McCrossen was a re-
publican, and for two terms he served
as chairman of our county board. He
was member of Forest Lodge No, 1870,
F. & A. NJ, Wausau Chapter No. 81,
r. A. NJ, and st. Omer Commandery
No. 10, and was also a member of the
First Universalist church of this city.
| Mr.. McCrossen was united in mar
riage at Rural, Wis, on the 4th day of
July, 1853 to Miss Cornelia A. Jones, a
native of New York, and an early set