Sheriff Benjamin Crowell
Sheriff Crowell served in 1863 to fulfill the term of Sheriff Hiatt
Sheriff Crowell was born on January 1, 1827 and Died on February 8, 1898
Biography
Sheriff Benjamin Crowell was an honorable man who is closely identified to the growth and prosperity of Marion during the 1800’s. I have provided a couple of biographies on Sheriff Crowell along with his obituary. Sheriff Crowell held the office of Sheriff after the unexpected death of Sheriff Bartley Hiatt. It is unknown how Sheriff Hiatt died in office and Sheriff Crowell was only Sheriff until Sheriff L.H. Elliott was elected.
Benjamin Crowell
In the midst of the whir and turmoil of life, let us pause a moment to pay tribute to the memory of one who has been closely identified with the growth and prosperity of Marion, and will be remembered as one of her most prominent and honorable business men-Benjamin Crowell, who was born in Newark New Jersey, January 1, 1827, and was a son of Joseph and Margaret(White) Crowell.
Joseph Crowell was born in New York City and was left an orphan at an early age. He was given a home by his uncle and learned the trade of a shoemaker while he was still young, following it for many years, and later turned his attentioin to farming. He took part in the War of 1812 and in 1830 moved to Darke County, Ohio, locating some eight miles from Greenville, where he lived and prospered until his eighty-third year when was called to his reward. He was a Republican, and took an intelligent interest in political affairs. He was married to Margaret White, a native of Cheshire, England, who came to New York during her young womanhood and lived to the age of sixty-four years.
Benjamin Crowell was three years old when his parents moved to Darke county, and he remained on the farm assisting his parents until he was about twenty years of age, when he entered the ranks of pedagogy, teaching eleven terms in the schools of Darke county. In 1852 he came to Marion where he embarked in the grocery and bakery business until the breaking out of the Civil war, when he enlisted and served until the close, when he received an honorable discharge and returned to the duties of private life. He purchased a small tract of ground about eight acres, at Thirty-eighth street, and carried on gardening, in which he was eminently successful.
Mr. Crowell was a strong Republican, and was township assessor eight years and coroner of Grant county for twelve or fifteen years. He was deputy sheriff two terms and was appointed to fill the unexpired term of Mr. Hialts as sheriff.
Mr. Crowell was united in marriage October 1, 1857, with Miss Matilda Stevens, by whom he had eight children, two of whom died in childhood. The six who survive the father are among the most respected citizens of Grant county, namely: Edgar, conductor on one of the Marion street car lines; Elias Morton, representing the Singer Sweing Machine Company here; Mary, wife of Alfred B. Comer, a farmer; William, who resides with his mother and is employed at his trade in the window glass factory; Frank, a glass blower in the same factory; and Anna, who resides at home. They are all industrious, and are a family of whom any parent might be proud.
Mr. Crowell was a charter member of the General Shunk Post, No. 23, G.A.R., took a deep interest in every question pertaining to the general prosperity, and the news of his death came as a shock to all and was received with profound sorrow.
Mrs. Crowell, nee Matilda Stevens, was born March 24, 1836, in Fairfield, Ohio, and remained with her parents until her marriage. Her father, Elias Robert Stevens, was also a native of Fairfield, where he grew to a man's estate and followed his vocation of blacksmith until 1844, when he came to Grant County, Indiana, and settled on a farm in Pleasant township, four miles northwest of Marion. The trip to Fort Wayne to enter this forty-acre tract was made on horseback-a common mode of travel in those days. He put up a shop and worked at his trade, and at the same time cleared the timber from his land, getting it in readiness for cultivation. He was a soldier in the war of 1812. In religion he was a Methodist and a good, true man whose life extended over a period of sixty-five years. His grandfather was a native of Wales, and it is thought his father, John Crowell, was born in one of the New England states, and moved at an early day to Fairfield county, Ohio, where he ran a distillery until his death at the age of seventy years.
The mother of Mrs. Crowell, Matilda Rose, was born in Pennsylvania and survived her husband but one year, dying in her seventy-first year. She was a member of the Methodist church and always took an active part in church work. Her parents were William and Martha (Brown) Rose, natives of Pennsylvania, the father receiving his death wound in the middle of life during the war of 1812. His widow, who was of Irish descent, came West, where she lived to the advanced age of eighty-six years. Mrs. Crowell has a pleasant home in South Marion, where she enjoys the friendship and esteem of a wide circle of acquaintances.
enjamin Crowell was born in Morris County, New Jersey, and is a son of Joseph and Margaret (White) Crowell, natives of New Jersey and England, respectively. The first four years of his life were spent in his native state, after which his parents moved to Darke County, Ohio, where he remained until reaching his twenty-seventh year. He was educated in the schools of Darke County, and at the age of twenty-one began life for himself as a teacher, in which capacity he continued several years, teaching in all eleven terms. In 1854 he came to Grant County, Indiana, and after was appointed Deputy Sheriff under B. C. Hiatt, in which capacity he continued until Mr. Hiatt's death, when he succeeded to the office, filling out the expiring term, serving in all from 1860 to 1864. He had previously been engaged in the butcher business at Marion, but abandoned it to accept the position referred to. In January 1865, he volunteered in the One Hundred and Fifty-third Indiana Regiment and served with the same until the close of the war, after which he returned to Grant County, where he has since resided. He was elected Coroner in 1860 and filled that office two years. In 1867 he moved to a farm two and a half miles south of Marion, and in 1870 was again elected Coroner, filling the office by successive reelections until 1880. He was married, October 1857, to Miss Matilda Stevens, of Grant County, a daughter of Elias R. Stevens (deceased). Eight children have been born to this marriage, six of which are living, to wit Edgar, Morton, Mary, William, Frank and Anna. Mr. Crowell and wife are active members of the Friends Church. He is a Republican in politics and a member of the Grand Army of the Republic.
Source # 11 -12
Marion Chronicle 2-9-1898
DEATH OF BENJAMIN CROWELL
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For Sixteen Years Coroner of Grant County Seventy-four Years Old.
Benjamin Crowell, one of the old settlers of this county, passed away Tuesday evening at his home in South Marion, on Thirty-eighth street, surrounded by his children and grandchildren. For many months he had been a sufferer, and for the last three weeks has not been expected toto live from one day to the next. Mr. Crowell was born in Morris county, N.J., seventy-four years ago, a son of Joseph and Margaret(White)Crowell, natives of New Jersey and England respectively. When four years of age his parents moved to Darke county, Ohio, where he remained until 1854, when he came to Grant county. Appointed deputy sheriff under B.C. Hiatt, he succeeded to the position on Mr. Hiatt’s death. In January, 1865, he volunteered in the 153d Indiana regiment and served until his regiment was mustered out. From 1860 to 1880 he was coroner of the county with the exception of about four years. He was married October, 1857, to Miss Matilda Stephens, daughter of Elias R. Stevens Eight children have been born to them, six of whom survive their father, Edgar, Morton, Mary, William, Frank, and Anna. For years he has been an active member of the Friends’ church.
The funeral will take place Thursday at 2 p.m. from the residence.
