Joseph W. Crees ^{1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9}

  General Notes:

Joseph W. Crees, who is numbered among the old and honored pioneers of Cedar county, has the distinction of being the only surviving one of the old settlers residing on the road from Tices bridge to Pedee, a distance of about thirteen miles. As he grew up in this locality he has been an interested witness of much of its growth and development and was closely identified for a number of years with its business and agricultural interests.

One of Ohio's native sons, he was born in Wayne county, May 15, 1839, his parents being John H. and Sarah (McLaughlin) Crees, natives of Pennsylvania. The father was born on the 13th of January, 1806, and the mother on the 21st of May, 1804, and both passed away in Cedar county, the former in April, 1879, and the latter in June, 1870. In their family were six children, of whom the subject of this review is the youngest in order of birth. The others were: Nancy, who makes her home with her brother, Joseph W.; Henry, deceased, who is mentioned elsewhere in this volume; Thomas M., Neely and Joel, who have all passed away.

In early childhood Joseph W. Crees left the state of his nativity and, with his parents, went to Pennsylvania, where a year was spent. The family then came to Iowa in 1845, two or three months being spent at Fort Madison, whence they removed to what was known as the "new purchase" and was the last purchase of land made from the Indians. After a year at that place the family went to Salem, Henry county, and in the winter of 1848-49 came to Cedar county, the family home being established at Pedee, Iowa township. Joseph W. Crees was a lad of ten years when he came with his parents to this county and within its borders he has since continued to live, covering a period of more than six decades. He was reared to farm life but later took up veterinary surgery and for twenty-five years after his marriage was engaged in that pursuit. Subsequently, however, he turned his attention to farming and became the owner of one hundred and sixty acres of land located on section 27, Iowa township. There for a number of years he carried on farming and stock raising, and his efforts in that direction were so well directed and his interests so carefully managed that as the years passed his labor was rewarded with a substantial degree of prosperity which made it possible for him to lay aside active work and leave the actual management of his affairs to others. He rents the farm to his sons and now, in the evening of life, is enjoying in well earned rest the fruits of former toil.

It was in 1872 that Mr. Crees was united in marriage to Miss Jane Linn, who was born in Muskingum county, Ohio, April 20, 1849, and in 1855 came to Cedar county with her parents, Moses and Hannah (Darner) Linn, both of whom passed away in this county. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Crees were born nine children, as follows: James L., of Oklahoma; Clyde H., also residing in that state; Verrena, the wife of Fred Schafnit, of Atalissa; Edgar M., of Iowa township; Estelle, who wedded Charles Adams, of Rochester township; Frank, at home; Alice J. and Luella, also at home; and Florence, who passed away at the age of three years.

Outside of the demands made upon his attention by his business interests Mr. Crees has yet found time and inclination for other interests in life and is an exemplary member of the Masonic fraternity, holding membership in Ionic Lodge, A. F. & A. M., at Atalissa. He was also a member of the Presbyterian church at Pedee until it went out of existence, and the teachings of that denomination have ever been the guiding influences in his life. In politics he gives stanch allegiance to the democratic party and has served his township as trustee and in other official capacities. Although he has passed the Psalmist's allotted span of three score years and ten, he yet retains a deep interest in all vital questions relative to local and national affairs and ranks among the honorable and valued citizens of Cedar county. As one of the oldest surviving settlers of the locality in which he resides, he is recognized as authority upon many subjects concerning the history of this section, his memory forming a connecting link between the primitive past and the progressive present.

(Source: A TOPICAL HISTORY of CEDAR COUNTY, IOWA, 1910, Clarence Ray Aurner, S. J. Clarke Publishing Co. , Volume II pages 722-723)
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  Burial Notes:

Find A Grave Memorial #50764580

  Noted events in his life were:

1. 1850 US Census, 28 August 1850, Iowa Township, Cedar, Iowa, United States. ¹⁰ 1850 US Census
Page 85, Family 47, Roll 182
Iowa Township, Cedar, Iowa
Joseph Crees..11..OH

(Living with parents.)

2. 1870 US Census, 24 August 1870, Iowa Township, Cedar, Iowa, United States. ¹¹ 1870 US Census
Page 24, Family 184, Roll 380
Iowa Township, Cedar, Iowa
Joseph..30..OH..Farmer

(Living with widowed father.)

3. 1880 US Census, 10 June 1880, Iowa Township, Cedar, Iowa, United States. ² 1880 US Census
Page 171B, Dwelling 136, Family 143, Roll 0331
Iowa Township, Cedar, Iowa
Joseph W. Crees..Self..41..OH..Farmer

(Living with wife and 4 children.)

4. 1885 Iowa State Census, 1885, Iowa Township, Cedar, Iowa, United States. ³ 1885 Iowa State Census
Page 385-386, Line 30, Family 106
Iowa Township, Cedar, Iowa
Township 79, Range 3, Section 35; SE Quarter of the SW Quarter
Joseph W. Crees..45..OH..Ferrier

(Living with wife and 6 children.)

NOTE - A ferrier was a ferry man who operated a ferry across a river. Unless the enumerator meant farrier which was a person who made horseshoes.

5. 1895 Iowa State Census, January 1895, Moscow Township, Muscatine, Iowa, United States. ⁴ 1895 Iowa State Census
Page 232, Line 7, Family 100
Moscow Township, Muscatine, Iowa
Joseph W. Crees..55..OH..Farmer

(Living with wife and 9 children.)

6. 1900 US Census, 4 June 1900, Iowa Township, Cedar, Iowa, United States. ⁵ 1900 US Census
Sheet 2A, District 31, Family 26
Iowa Township, Cedar, Iowa
Married 28 years
Farm owned with mortgage
Joe Crees..Head..May 1839..61..OH..Farmer

(Living with wife and 5 children.)

7. 1910 US Census, 26 April 1910, Iowa Township, Cedar, Iowa, United States. ⁶ 1910 US Census
Sheet 4B, District 34, Household 87
Iowa Township, Cedar, Iowa
Married 38 years
Joseph W. Crees..Head..70..OH

(Living with wife, 3 children, and sister.)

Joseph married Lucette Jane Linn, daughter of Moses Linn and Hannah Darner, on 28 March 1872 in Muscatine, Iowa, United States.^{1 2 3 4 5 6} (Lucette Jane Linn was born on 20 April 1849 in Muskingum, Ohio, United States,^{2 3 4 5 6 12 13 14 15 16 17} died on 12 September 1929 in Atalissa, Muscatine, Iowa, United States ^{16 17} and was buried on 14 September 1929 in West Bethel Cemetery, Cedar, Iowa, United States ^{16 17}.)

  Noted events in their marriage were:

1. 1880 US Census, June 1880, Iowa Township, Cedar, Iowa, United States. ² 1880 US Census
Page 171B, Roll 0331
Iowa Township, Cedar County, Iowa
Joseph W. Crees..Self..41..OH..Farmer
Jane Crees..Wife..31..OH..Keeping House
James L. Crees..Son..7..IA
Henry C. Crees..Son..5..IA
Verrenna Crees..Dau..2..IA
Moses E. Crees..Son..2M..IA

2. 1885 Iowa State Census, January 1885, Iowa Township, Cedar, Iowa, United States. ³ 1885 Iowa State Census
Page 385-386, Line 30, Family 106
Iowa Township, Cedar County, Iowa
Township 79, Range 3, Section 35; SE Quarter of the SW Quarter
Joseph W. Crees..45..OH..Ferrier (ferry man)
Jane Crees..35..OH
James Crees..12..IA
Clyde Crees..10..IA
Verrenna Crees..7..IA
Moses Crees..4..IA
Estella Crees..2..IA
Frank Crees..0..IA

3. 1895 Iowa State Census, January 1895, Moscow Township, Muscatine, Iowa, United States. ⁴ 1895 Iowa State Census
Page 232, Line 7, Family 100
Moscow Township, Muscatine County, Iowa
Joseph W. Crees..55..OH..Farmer
Jane Crees..45..OH
James Crees..21..Cedar County, IA
Clyde Crees..20..Cedar County, IA
Varena Crees..17..Cedar County, IA
Edgar Crees..14..Cedar County, IA
Estella Crees..12..Muscatine County, IA
Frank Crees..10..Muscatine County, IA
Alice Crees..8..Muscatine County, IA
Luella Crees..4..Muscatine County, IA
Florence Crees..0..Muscatine County, IA..Born in 1894

4. 1900 US Census, 4 June 1900, Iowa Township, Cedar, Iowa, United States. ¹⁸ 1900 US Census
Sheet 2A, District 31, Family 26
Iowa Township, Cedar County, Iowa
Farm owned with mortgage
Married 28 years
Joe Crees..Head..May 1839..61..OH..Farmer
Jane Crees..Wife..Apr 1849..51..OH..9/8
Edger Crees..Son..Apr 1880..20..IA..Farm Laborer
Estella Crees..Dau..Jul 1882..17..IA
Frank Crees..Son..Jun 1884..15..IA..Farm Laborer
Alice J. Crees..Daughter..Sep 1886..13..IA
Luella Crees..Daughter..Mar 1890..10..IA

5. 1910 US Census, April 1910, Iowa Township, Cedar, Iowa, United States. ⁶ 1910 US Census
Sheet 4B, District 34, Household 87
Iowa Township, Cedar County, Iowa
Joseph W. Crees..Head..70..OH
Jane L. Crees..Wife..61..OH
Frank C. Crees..Son..24..IA
Alice J. Crees..Daughter..22..IA
Louella Crees..Daughter..19..IA
Nancy Crees..Sister..80..PA

  Marriage Notes:

Name: Joseph W. Creese
Event Type: Marriage
Event Date: 28 Mar 1872
Event Place: Muscatine County, Iowa, United States
Gender: Male
Spouse's Name: Jane Linn
Spouse's Gender: Female

Citing this Record
"Iowa, County Marriages, 1838-1934," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XJZG-2L3 : 4 November 2017), Joseph W. Creese and Jane Linn, 28 Mar 1872, Muscatine County, Iowa, United States; citing reference Bk 2 P 347, county courthouses, Iowa; FHL microfilm 1,003,360.

The marriage was recorded in nearby Muscatine, Iowa even though the Linn family and probably the Crees family both lived in Cedar County. For whatever reasons, this portion of Cedar County seemed to record much of its legal filings in Muscatine County because of the villagers distrust of the predominant Quaker community of West Branch, Iowa and the Cedar County seat of Tipton. Whether the actual wedding ceremony happened in Cedar County or just a few miles away in Muscatine County doesn't matter. The legal filing was done in Muscatine County.
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Throughout their married years all of the census records show them living in Iowa Township of Cedar County, Iowa except for the 1895 Iowa State Census which shows them living in Moscow Township of Muscatine County, Iowa.

Their first 5 children were all born in Cedar County, Iowa but their last 4 were born in Muscatine County between the years of 1885 and 1894.

In reality, Moscow Township of Muscatine County is right on the border with Cedar County so their move was probably less than 2 miles total.
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