Joshua Crosby

Joshua Crosby was born in 1783 at Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. He was the second child of Lemuel and Emma Mattingly Crosby. he was one of eight children--seven boys and one girl. Joshua's father had moved to Nova Scotia with his family as a young boy of four. Nothing is known concerning Joshua's youth. He married Hannah Corning Cann in 1807.

At the time of Joshua's marriage to Hannah Cann, the Crosby family had been in Nova Scotia for roughly fifty years. Joshua's grandfather, Lemuel Crosby had moved to that region in answer to the request for settlers to supplant the Acadians, who were being driven out by the British after the French and Indian War. It would seem that Lemuel left Yarmouth, Massachusetts in 1761 seeking economic improvement.

For what appear to be similar reasons, Joshua Crosby moved his family to Portland, Chautauqua County, New York in 1822. At the time of this move, Joshua and Hannah were the parents of six children--three boys and three girls. The sons--John, Obed and Jesse--were ten, seven and two years-of-age. Hannah, the oldest child, was fourteen, and her two younger sisters, Elizabeth and Frances, were twelve and five respectively.

Joshua and Hannah sailed with their family from Yarmouth to Boston sometime in the late summer or early fall of 1822. In Boston they procured a horse and wagon, and completed the journey overland, a distance of more than 500 miles. The Crosby family arrived in Portland before December of that year. Ten-year-old John might have been of some assistance to his father, and fourteen-year-old Hannah would have been capable of watching the younger children, but this long journey of more than six hundred miles must have proved arduous for Joshua and Hannah.

With several young children in the family, it is difficult to understand why Joshua and Hannah decided to emigrate, although economics were a probable factor. Both before and after the Revolutionary War, Nova Scotia had difficulties establishing a viable economy. The maritime industry was always inferior to the New England ports, and agriculture was marginal and required the importation of some foodstuffs. The population increase brought by the arrival of the loyalists after the Revolution did little to improve this situation. Samuel Wallace Crosby has suggested that they departed as a result of losses in the fire at Maitland, Nova Scotia in 1820. However, there is no evidence to support this conjecture, even though it was reported that thirty-four families had lost their possessions in the fire. Regardless of the reason, Joshua moved to the frontier of western New York, where he and his wife raised their family.

At this time, Portland township was a heavily wooded area, and was still sparsely populated. It was necessary to clear the land of trees in order to farm, but it was good soil, being primarily composed of a fine clay loam. The land throughout the township was generally level, except along the shore of Lake Erie where there was "a bluff with an elevation of from 30 to 50 feet." This bluff extended along the lake front, and proved to be a detriment to local shipping, as portions of the shoreline were "precipitous and rocky."

Joshua and Hannah settled their family on land close to Lake Erie, originally occupying a plot of land just north of the village of Brockton. Joshua later moved two miles further north onto the shores of the lake.

The records indicate that the Crosby farm in Portland was not large. It is quite likely that Joshua maintained some kind of fruit crop. Grapes, apples and pears were common crops of the time, and Portland was especially well known for its fruit production during the first half of the nineteenth century. It is difficult to determine if farming was profitable for Joshua, but it is evident that he did not depend upon farming for his only means of support. He seems to have followed several other vocations. This was a common practice during this period, and in particular the natives of Nova Scotia frequently engaged in multiple occupations. One history of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia described the men of that region as traders and fishermen, "who filled up their spare time . . . with a little farming." Joshua Crosby was no exception.

Along the Atlantic Coast of Nova Scotia, between the Gut of Canso and Yarmouth, the southern peninsula was heavily wooded with rocky soil. Only lumbering and fishing proved to be profitable in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The soil was inferior for farming. The agricultural area of Nova Scotia was on the north coast along the Bay of Fundy. It is probable that Joshua and his family saw similarities between Portland and Yarmouth, but the richer soil of New York provided them with a more stable livelihood.

Throughout his life, Joshua was a physically active man. A photograph, taken after he settled in Utah, shows him to have been a square-faced individual, with a broad nose, and a somewhat grim countenance. Evidently, he was also very self determined, almost stubborn. A contemporary living in Brockton wrote that Joshua, "was somewhat eccentric in his habits, a genius in his own way, and was original in his designs. Previous to coming to [Portland] he was a sailor, but while here worked at various trades as fancy dictated."

One of the occupations that Joshua engaged in was shipping. In 1811 he was one of the original stockholders of the Inland Navigation Company, which was organized and designated to facilitate shipping on the inland lakes of Nova Scotia. Pursuing a similar enterprise after his move to New York, in 1824 Joshua and one of his neighbors attempted to begin a shipping operation at Portland. According to Dr. Horace C. Taylor, ". . . Joshua Crosby and Simon Burton built a boat at the barn of Mr. Crosby near Brockton, which was taken to Chautauqua Lake on trucks. In this they made a trip to New Orleans." It is not known how successful this venture might have been. Taylor implies that the two men made only one trip, and this fact would seem to indicate that it was not especially profitable. In 1837, Jesse's older brother, Obed, built a sloop to bring lime from Canada. "It was a small affair and made but one successful trip before the vessel was wrecked." It is very possible that Joshua participated in his son's venture.

How difficult life was for the Joshua Crosby family cannot be determined, but there clearly were trials. The youngest daughter, Frances, in a brief autobiographical sketch, wrote about her childhood in Portland. "Our home was on the beautiful shore of Lake Erie, where I spent my childhood and early life. Though bred to toil and privation incident to the settling of a new country, had many pleasant recreations." Jesse was equally terse in his history. He contented himself with a single sentence to summarize his youth. He recorded, "In the midst of these wilds, and accustomed to the toils and hardships of a new country, I spent the days of my boyhood."

In 1836, Benjamin Brown, from nearby Pomphret, visited Portland as a missionary for the LDS Church. Brown was successful in converting Joshua's wife, Hannah, and all six Crosby children over a period of six months. Only Joshua refused membership. In the spring of 1839, Hannah determined to leave Joshua and gather with the Latter-day Saints. Arriving at Nauvoo, Illinois in June of 1839, Hannah died there the same month.

All of Joshua's children reamined with the LDS Church in Illinois and eventually crossed the plains to Utah. Joshua remained in Portland and remarried after Hannah's death.

In the spring of 1853, Joshua's son, Jesse was returning from a three year LDS mission in Great Britain and Nova Scotia. At this time, returning missionaries would recruit companies of LDS converts to travel back to Utah. Apparently while recruiting his company, Jesse contacted his father in Portland and invited Joshua to travel to Utah with him.

Joshua's second wife, Melinda Lewis, was a widow and had a daughter, Lansa Ann. Melinda was considerably younger than Joshua and the couple had three children, Harriet, Ammy and Ella Josephine. They continued to live in the Portland area until 1862. There is some evidence that the age difference between Joshua and Melinda created problems within the marriage. They did ultimately separate in the 1860s. Whatever the cause, Joshua left his second wife and family in the spring of 1853 to travel to Utah. He was sixty-three years-old. He did not return to Portland until the following year.

Jesse departed New York City on 20 April with part of his company working across New York to Buffalo and then Portland. Jesse wrote that he "Stopped at dear old Portland where I spent my early days; expected my father to accompany me but he had gone." For whatever reason, Joshua left ahead of Jesse’s arrival in Portland. Joshua reached Keokuk on his own, where he was able to join Jesse for the trip west.

In addition to the Saints who met Jesse in New York City, a group of Canadian members from Nova Scotia and New Brunswick assembled in St. John. This group traveled through New York and the Great Lakes, planning to meet Jesse’s company either at Keokuk, Iowa or in route from New York City. One member of this Canadian group was seventeen year-old Marriner Wood Merrill.

With the entire company now gathered together they were able to organize and complete preparations. Jesse served as President of the company. It was his responsibility to serve as spiritual leader of the group and direct them to Utah. William Atkinson was elected Captain, and young Marriner Wood Merrill was elected as Captain of the Guard.

The company of seventy-nine Saints left Keokuk on 18 May 1853 with twelve wagons, fifty-six oxen, three horses and twenty-six cows. While crossing Iowa, William Atkinson and his wife lost their two year-old daughter to illness. This was the only death in the company. Marriner Merrill described some of the other difficulties that affected the company.

We had a somewhat difficult journey across Iowa, 330 miles owing principally to the country being new and the lack of bridges, rains, etc. However, on June 17 we arrived at Council Bluffs . . . On the first day of July we left the Missouri River . . . On one occasion I came near being drowned in the Platte River, but through the blessings of the Lord and the kind aid and assistance of one Brother John Resse, a Welsh Brother with one eye . . . [he] being an excellent swimmer, saved me from a watery grave by assisting me from the middle of the river where I had lodged on a sand bar. . . .

On another occasion we were stopped by a large band of some 500 hostile Sioux Indians who placed themselves across the road and stopped our teams. They made a demand on us for coffee, flour, sugar, tobacco, etc. We complied cheerfully with their wishes because we had to, and it was our only safety. After receiving our presents they reluctantly let us pass on our way. We also had one small stampede with our teams as they were hitched to the wagons, but without serious damage.

Ten years after his first visit to Utah, Joshua Crosby again attempted to visit his children. His second marriage to Melinda Lewis had failed, and in May of 1862, Joshua and Melinda sold their property in Portland, New York to John Dudley and William Reounard for two hundred and fifty dollars. This sale was made to eliminate any claims the Utah family might have had on the property. Melinda then apparently moved to Illinois.

With his affairs settled in New York, Joshua prepared to travel west. He journeyed by stage to Omaha, Nebraska.

Getting off the stage coach in Omaha, the old gentleman asked if there were any Mormons there . . . [the agent] told him that they were camping down by the river and pointed the way. The old gentleman went down and found the ox team train of Daniel D. McArthur camped by the river. he asked if the people were Mormons, they said "Yes." "Do you know anyone out in Utah named Crosby?" "Yes," replied one of them, "there is a Crosby boy down there shoeing his break blocks." It was my father George H. Crosby, and the old gentleman said to the sixteen year old boy, "Is your name Crosby?" "Yes," said my father. "Who is your father?" asked the old gentleman. "Jesse W. Crosby" answered George. "Then I am your Grandfather and I have come to see if you wouldn't take me out to Utah, so I can see my children."

Known as the "Dixie Train" because most of the teamsters were from southern Utah, the McArthur company left Florence, Nebraska on 6 August 1863. It consisted of seventy-five wagons and at least 400 emigrants. Approaching his seventy-fourth birthday, Joshua must have found this trip west challenging.

Captain McArthur had charge of the company . . . Everybody in camp was called to an early breakfast after which the day's journey began. We traveled until noon when a stop was made for dinner, rest one hour, then resume the journey until sundown. Sometimes the noon meal would be prepared and a sand storm would come up and blow everything away. Food obtained from the commissary consisted of beans, rice, bacon or ham, and brown sugar. Baking powder-soda bread was prepared. The distance traveled per day would vary according to the condition of the roads. The oxen were slow, but sure and steady. All persons enjoying good health and strong bodies covered the entire distance on foot, most of them waling barefooted and wading shallow streams. The early evenings, after supper, were spent in singing, dancing and enjoying different sports.

While it cannot be determined with certainty, Joshua likely spent the winter of 1863-64 in the north visiting with his son, John, and daughter, Hannah Mumford. He spent the the summer of 1864 in Pine Valley with his daughter Frances Brown. Joshua then spent the winter of 1864-65 in St. George with Jesse. In the spring of 1865 Joshua again returned to the east, but in less than a year he was prepared to return to Utah.

Come the year 1866 and again my father, George H. Crosby, was at the Missouri River with ox teams for emigrants, this time by appointment. The old grandfather, Joshua Crosby, aged eighty-two came and met him and came on to Utah to join the Church. His son, Jesse W. Crosby, who had preached Mormonism and had converted more than a thousand people, the pleading of his wife before she left New York, the teachings of his children in Utah had all failed to convert the old grandfather to the Gospel, but when he got East and people started talking against the Mormon people, against their socialization, against the Gospel that they preached and its doctrines, against the Book of Mormon and modern revelation, the old gentleman defended them until he converted himself.

This time Joshua had come to stay, finally joining the Church. With Jesse settled in St. George, and his sister Frances nearby in Pine Valley, Joshua moved to southern Utah. The old gentleman spent the winters in St. George and the summers in the cooler climate of Pine Valley. In May of 1872, Lorenzo Brown recorded Joshua's arrival for the summer. "Sunday Jesse came to breakfast & brought his Father to stay with us This summer. The old gentleman is 89 years past, hearty to eat but feeble in his legs & cannot get around much". Joshua died at St. George on 22 June 1877. He was ninety-four.

---