Researching John Crosby

Crosby was born in Sheffield, Massachusetts. He attended the public schools of Pittsfield and graduated from Eastman Business College in Poughkeepsie, New York and from Boston University School of Law in Boston.

Crosby was admitted to the bar in 1882 and began practice in Pittsfield. He began his political career as a member of the school committee of Pittsfield from 1884 to 1890. During the later part of his service on the school committee, Crosby also served in the Massachusetts House of Representatives (1886–1887) and the Massachusetts Senate (1888–1889).

Crosby served as the director of a bank and later of fire and life insurance companies. He was elected in the 1890 election as a Democrat to the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Massachusetts's 12th district for the 52nd United States Congress (1891-03-04 to 1893-03-03).

Crosby lost his campaign for reelection in the 1892 election. He was elected Mayor of Pittsfield, serving from 1894 to 1895, and was a delegate to the 1896 Democratic National Convention.

Crosby was city solicitor from 1896 to 1900 and appointed a justice of the superior court on January 25, 1905, serving until December 31, 1913, when he was appointed justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. Crosby served on the court until his retirement on October 1, 1937. He died in Pittsfield on October 14, 1943, and was interred at Pittsfield Cemetery.

Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Crosby was the son of Fred G. Crosby and the former Edna Campbell. His father was in the insurance business. After graduating from New Hampshire's Phillips Exeter Academy, Crosby attended Yale but left minus a degree. In 1933, he was a reporter with The Milwaukee Sentinel, moving on to The New York Herald Tribune (1935–41).

The descendant of several prominent families in New York, Crosby attended the University of the City of New York (now New York University), but left before graduating so he could take an extended world tour. Having served in New York's militia before the Civil War, when hostilities commenced he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Union Army's 1st Artillery Regiment. He was later promoted to first lieutenant and brevet captain, and served as assistant adjutant general under General Banks and assistant inspector general under General Philip Sheridan. He remained in the Army after the war, and received brevets as major and lieutenant colonel for his part in defending the U.S. border during the French occupation of Mexico and participation in Custer's campaigns during the Indian Wars.

After leaving the Army in 1871, Crosby worked as an engineer, and designed and oversaw construction of lighthouses, breakwaters, and other marine projects. He was U.S. Consul in Florence, Italy from 1876 to 1881, and Governor of Montana Territory from 1883 to 1884. From 1886 to 1889, Crosby served as U.S. First Assistant Postmaster General, and from 1889 to 1891 he was New York City's school commissioner.

Crosby died in Newport, Rhode Island on August 8, 1914 and was buried at Albany Rural Cemetery.