Captain Edward Gifford Crosby

1842 - 1912  (70 years)  Submit Photo / Document

• Name	Edward Gifford Crosby
  Title	Captain
  Born	18 Feb 1842	Rochester, Monroe, New York
  Gender	Male
  Military Service	Civil War, Union Army
  	First Michigan Cavalry
  Occupation	Cn 1881, Crosby purchased a tug boat and became involved in marine construction. He expanded the business eventually forming the Crosby Transportation Company of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He offered cross-lake package freight service on southern Lake Michigan. The company held contracts with several railroads, including the Grand Trunk Railway, to operate direct steamship service from Milwaukee, Wisconsin to Muskegon, Michigan and Grand Haven, Michigan.
  		Crosby Transportation Cpmpany. Milwaukee Wisconsin City Directory 1907.
  		SS E G Crosby. This is the third Crosby Transportation Company ship to sail the Great Lakes with the name E G Crosby.
  Died	15 Apr 1912	At Sea
  	Captain Crosby died in the sinking of the Titanic. From the affidavit submitted by Catherine Crosby to the United States Senate Inquiry; "I had not retired long when I was suddenly awakened by the thumping of the boat. The engines stopped suddenly. This was about 11.30. Capt. Crosby got up, dressed, and went out, and came back again and said to me, "You will lie there and drown," and went out again. He said to my daughter, "The boat is badly damaged; but I think the watertight compartments will hold her up." I then got up and dressed, and my daughter dressed, and followed my husband on deck, and she got up on deck, and the officer told her to go back and get on her life preserver and come back on deck as soon as possible. She reported that to me, and we both went out on deck where the officer told us to come. I think it was the first or second boat that we got into. I do not recollect other boats being lowered at that time. I did not see them. This was on the left-hand side where the officer told us to come, and it was the deck above the one on which our staterooms were located; our staterooms were located on the B deck, and we went to the A deck where the officer and lifeboat were. We got into the lifeboat that was hanging over the rail alongside the deck; we got in and men and women, with their families, got in the boat with us; there was no discrimination between men and women. About 36 persons got in the boat with us. There were only two officers in the boat, and the rest were all first class passengers. My husband did not come back again after he left me, and I don't know what became of him, except that his body was found and brought to Milwaukee and buried."
  		Milwaukee Survivors Blame Titanic Officers Green Bay Semi-Weekly Gazette (Green Bay, Wisconsin), 27 Apr 1912, Saturday, Page 5
  Buried	Graceland Cemetery, Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States
  	Edward lost his life in the sinking of the Titanic. His body was recovered by the cable repair ship, CS Mackay-Bennett. His body was returned to Milwaukee. He was cremated and placed in the Fairview Mausoleum. His wife's body and his daughter's cremains were also placed there to rest. In 1995 all the dead from Fairview Mausoleum were disinterred because the building was abandoned and collapsing. The family was re-interred in the ground at Graceland Cemetery, Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1997. The marker which features an engraving of the Titanic was donated by the Titanic Historical Society
  		Graceland Cemetery Milwaukee. There is a special area located in Section 11 in which the remains of those who had to be moved from the dilapidated Fairview Mausoleum were interred. The Crosbys are located near the northern edge not far from the tree planted in their honor.
  		City May Get Mausoleum. The Wisconsin State Journal, Thursday, November 3, 1994. Section B, page one.
  		Fairview Mausoleum. A post card that shows the grandeur of the Fairview Mausoleum in it's prime as compared to a photo of the state it was in 1996.
  		Fairview Section Gate. Fairview Section Gate. At the northern edge not far from the Crosby's burial location is a gate fashioned from stones salvaged from the Fairview Mausoleum.
  		Fairview Section Gate 2. Fairview Section Gate 2.
  		Fairview Section Gate 3. Fairview Section Gate 3.
  		Edward, Catherine (Halstead) and Harriette Crosby Headstone Edward, Catherine (Halstead) and Harriette Crosby Headstone Plot: Section 11
  		Edward, Catherine (Halstead) and Harriette Crosby Dedication Marker. Dedication marker that lies at the foot of a tree planted in their honor by the RMS Titanic Historical Society. Plot: Section 11
  		Edward, Catherine (Halstead) and Harriette Crosby's tree. This tree was planted to honor the Crosbys by the RMS Titanic Historical Society. Plot: Section 11
  Person ID	I57923	Nagel
  Last Modified	5 Apr 2021

  
  

  Father	Warren Crosby,   b. 18 Dec 1808, Brewster, Barnstable, Massachusetts ,   d. 6 Jun 1891, Clio, Genesee, Michigan  (Age 82 years)
  Relationship	Birth
  Mother	Louisa Lincoln,   b. 8 Dec 1812, Brewster, Barnstable, Massachusetts ,   d. 29 Mar 1852, Monroe County, New York  (Age 39 years)
  Relationship	Birth
  Family ID	F17106	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Catherine Elizabeth Halstead,   b. 26 Oct 1848, New York ,   d. 29 Jul 1920, Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin  (Age 71 years)
  Children	1. Martha A Crosby,   b. 10 Mar 1870, Hillsdale County, Michigan ,   d. 22 Jun 1880, Lakeside, Muskegon, Michigan  (Age 10 years)   2. Harriette Rebecca Crosby,   b. 8 Oct 1873, Muskegon, Muskegon, Michigan ,   d. 11 Feb 1941, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California  (Age 67 years)  [Birth]   3. Frederick Gifford Crosby,   b. 2 Jun 1881, Muskegon County, Michigan ,   d. 19 Mar 1966, Wakefield, Washington, Rhode Island  (Age 84 years)  [Birth]
  Last Modified	6 Apr 2021
  Family ID	F17107	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Event Map		Born - 18 Feb 1842 - Rochester, Monroe, New York Died - 15 Apr 1912 - At sea Buried - - Graceland Cemetery, Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States  = Link to Google Earth
  Pin Legend	: Address       : Location       : City/Town       : County/Shire       : State/Province       : Country       : Not Set

  
  

• Photos		RMS Titanic Victims. It is estimated 1,517 people were killed in the sinking of the Titanic, 832 passengers and 685 crew members.
  		Edward G Crosby. Notable Men of Wisconsin, Williams Publishing Company, Milwaukeem Wisconsin 1902. Page 228.