Ex Governor Crounse died at 12 o’clock last Thursday night at his home in Omaha after a brief illness. The funeral was held at the home of his son-in-law, Congressman Hitchcock, Saturday afternoon and the body taken to Ft. Calhoun on the evening train for interment by the side of his wife whose death occurred in 1882 while they were residents of Ft. Calhoun. Lorenzo Crounse was born in Sharon, NY. January 27th, 1834, and was therefore past 75 years of age. He came to Rulo, this state, in 1864 and was among the first settlers in the state. That same fall he was elected to the territorial legislature and thus began a long period of service to the state and nation. He helped draft the constitution of the state, served as justice of the supreme court, as governor, member of congress, internal revenue collector for Nebraska, assistant secretary of the U.S. treasury and was all but chosen U.S. senator in 1901, the real ambition of this life, but was defeated by the railroad bosses who then ruled the state with an iron hand. He was far above the average politician of his day and towered above most of the public men of the state in courage, ability and culture, the flowers of true character. His home was in Ft. Calhoun for many years and his many friends there and all over the county will mourn his death sincerely. F. M. Castetter, F. H. Claridge and Herman Aye of this place, and Henry Rohwer, Henry Rix and Louis Clasen of Calhoun were the Washington county pallbearers who took the flower covered casket from the train and placed it in its last resting place.

#2-20 May, 1909 - Blair Democrat - Lorenzo Crounse

EX-GOVERNOR CROUNSE DIED

After an illness of about two months, ex-Governor Lorenzo Crounse passed peacefully away at his home in Hamilton apartments in Omaha, where he had been making his home for several years, at 12 o’clock Wednesday night. He was taken down with double pneumonia in March and later developed arterial trouble, which on account of his age, prevented his rallying and was directly responsible for his death.

The funeral services were held at the residence of his son-in-law, Hon. Gilbert M. Hitchcock, on Saturday and the remains shipped to the deceased’s old home in Calhoun for interment. Many of the older inhabitants from this city and other parts of the county, who had known Mr. Crounse ever since he came to Ft. Calhoun, met the funeral train and escorted the remains to their last resting place in the Calhoun cemetery.

A FITTING TRIBUTE

The Rev. John Williams, rector of St. Barnabas, conducted the service in Omaha, which was the Episcopal ritual for the dead. There was no music. At the close of the regular service, Father Williams spoke briefly and with earnest feeling of Judge Crounse. “It is not my custom on these occasions,” he said slowly, “to say anything outside of the regular church service. I will not depart from my customs at this time, only I cannot refrain from saying a few words when such a man as this goes out from us. He had his faults as we all have, but in my association with him I never saw them. In these days politics is often full of that which is not commendable. But he held the standard high and was always fighting on the right. He was a citizen who lived a stainless life, noble, generous and kind. To his children and his home he was devoted and tender. To them and to us he has left the legacy of a pure and noble life. May the family and all of us here be blessed by that example and may the Father of all be kind to the family and to us all now and throughout eternity."

#3-19 May, 1909 - The Tribune - Lorenzo Crounse - Veteran

FORMER GOVERNOR CROUNSE

The body of Former Governor Crounse was brought up from Omaha on a special car, accompanied by Gen. Gage, former adjutant of the state, and the family of the governor, being his son William and his three daughters, with his son-in-law, Congressman Hitchcock. A very brief service was held at the Presbyterian church by Pastor Hillman, assisted by the church choir, Miss Hillman at the organ. The pallbearers were George DeTemple, Frank Castetter and F. H. Claridge, Blair; Louis Clasan, Henry Rix and Henry Rohwer, Ft. Calhoun. Fred H. Frahm, Wm. Crounse’s old schoolmate and chum attended to the details here for the family.

Among old pioneers and friends present were Henry Frahm, Peter Klindt and wife, Mrs. Brooks, Chas. Steffen, Perry Blackwood, Nicholas Rathjen, Aut. Beales and James Vaughan of Ft. Calhoun; F. W. Kenny, County Judge O’Hanlon, Herman Aye and Jake Hungate of Blair; also Elder Sievers of Grand Island.

Just as the sun went down the pallbearers dropped the flower-decked coffin into its final home beside his wife.

We probably have been more familiar with the governor during the past thirty eight years than anyone else now in this city. In 1871 he was a member of our Bible class and, although we did not always agree on some things, yet we have kept up our friendship all these years. In 1904 and 1906 he came at our request and spoke here on Memorial Day, and at his request we always wrote him when any of the old pioneers or veterans were to be buried, and he always came when he could.

The four years he was in congress we had the care of his orchard and those beautiful evergreens on the south side of the Kruger home we planted for him when he brought them from Washington City.

He was sometimes mayor or city attorney or school director when here, and two of the rooms in the old school building he planned and was building inspector during their construction.

In addition to his captaincy in the army, he held two United states offices and six state or district offices and probably had the most signal career of any active politician in the United States. Probably four years ago he told us that in all his life he never got an office that he asked for, and that every office he did get came unsolicited. Said he: “I did not like the law and had not given any thought to politics when I came in from the hayfield down near the Kansas line in my shirt sleeves, pretty tired, but as the boys were holding some kind of a meeting I went over, overalls and all, and somebody yelled speech, and when the meeting was over I had the nomination for the legislature and then came the circuit judgeship, which carried also a seat on the supreme bench, and was assigned to this district and held my first Washington county session in the old pioneer court house on the north side of the present Ft. Calhoun campus and was induced to move here with my family in 1869, where my son William (now manager of the World Herald) was born."

For several years he lived in a rented cottage, and then on the same site built the only two story Mansard roof house in the city.

As others have written about him and will also write, we leave the subject for the present, except to say that persons wishing to know more about him can consult either “Forty Years in Nebraska” by Tipton or a little sketch in Sheldon’s semi-centennial history of Nebraska, which also contains a picture of his office and dwelling at Rulo in 1864. W. H. Woods

#4-19 May, 1909 - The Tribune - Lorenzo Crounse - Veteran EX-GOVERNOR LORENZO CROUNSE Former Governor Lorenzo Crounse died at his home in Omaha at midnight Thursday after an extended illness, the immediate cause of death being arterial troubles. Mr. Crounse was born at Sharon, N.Y. January 27, 1834. He was the youngest of seven children, and when a boy worked in his father’s tannery. He commenced teaching school at the age of 17, and four years later began the study of law, being admitted to the bar in 1857. When the Civil War broke he raised Battery K, First Regiment, New York Light Artillery, being chosen captain of the company. He served four years and was engaged in several battles, being severely wounded in an engagement at Beverly’s Ford. In 1864 Mr. Crounse moved to Nebraska, and in the fall of that year was chosen a member of the territorial legislature. In 1866 he was elected a justice of the supreme court, being nominated by unanimous vote in republican state convention held in Plattsmouth and served a term of six years. In 1872 he was elected to congress and re-elected in 1874, but in 1876 was defeated for the senate. In 1879, President Hayes appointed him internal revenue collector for Nebraska. Twelve years later President Harrison appointed him assistant secretary of the treasury. In 1892 the republican party nominated Mr. Crounse for governor and in the election that fall he won by a majority of about 10,000 votes and served one term, refusing a re-nomination in 1894. In 1900 he represented Washington and Dodge counties in state senate. The residence of ex-Governor Crounse in Washington county covered a period of a quarter of a century. Mr. Crounse is survived by four children, Mrs. G. M. Hitchcock, Mr. William G. Crounse, Mrs. George McIntyre and Miss Marie rouse. ~~~Obituaries courtesy of the Nebraska Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair, Nebraska Public Library~~~

Find a Grave Memorial #7267510