BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF HENRY MUNSON CROUSE, M. D.
| Contact Author | Hartsook Family | Ball Family | Chaney Family | SITE MAP |
| MAJOR AND SURGEON 57TH INFANTRY REGIMENT INDIANA VOLUNTEERS PHYSICIAN AND SURGEON Among the leading physicians of Henry County is Dr. Henry Munson Crouse, of Knightstown. He is a native of Knox County, Ohio, where he was born July 25, 1830. His parents were George and Lydia (Melcher) Crouse, both natives of Virginia who lived near Richmond in that State before settling in Ohio. His parents were pioneer settlers of Ohio, having come to that State at an early day and settled in Knox County, near Mt. Vernon, in time to take up and enter public lands. In later years the parents moved to Mt. Vernon and made that place their home. To them were born three sons and one daughter, the subject of this sketch being the third child and next to the youngest son. Henry Munson Crouse lived on his father's farm until he was about sixteen years of age when he left the farm and went to Gambier, Ohio and became a student in Kenyon College, one of the well known educational institutions of the "Buckeye State." Here he entered upon a course of study for the full term of four years and graduated upon the completion of his course with honor to himself and his alma mater. Immediately following his graduation from Kenyon College, Dr. Crouse began the study of medicine, having for his preceptor, Dr. John W. Russell, a prominent practicing physician of Mt. Vernon, with whom he remained four years. While pursuing his medical studies under the direction of Dr. Russell, he also attended lectures at the Cleveland Medical College, Cleveland, Ohio, and graduated from that institution in 1855. His education was now completed and he began to look for a favorable location for the practice of his profession, finally selecting Knightstown, Henry County, Indiana, as his future home, where on March 12, 1855, he began the earnest practice of medicine. From that day to the present time, excepting the period of his absence during the Civil War, Dr. Crouse has lived continuously at Knightstown and completely identified himself with that community and its interests. The beginning of the Civil War found him firmly established in his profession but the demand for the services of skilled physicians and surgeons at the front became greater, daily, as the war progressed and Dr. Crouse felt himself called to offer his services to the Government. He enlisted in the 57th Indiana Infantry and was mustered into the service of the United States, as Assistant Surgeon, April 23, 1862, and two months later, on June 17, 1862, he was commissioned and mustered as Major and Surgeon of the same regiment, which position he continued to hold until increasing ill health and general disability compelled him to resign, September 9, 1863. As long as his health permitted, he had performed every military duty devolving upon him. His military service covered the sanguinary battles of Shiloh, (Siege of) Corinth, Perryville and Stone's River, and in his retentive memory are stored many incidents of camp and field which the Doctor takes pleasure in relating. As soon as his health permitted, after his return from the war, Dr. Crouse resumed the practice of his profession at Knightstown, administering to the wants of the sick and the afflicted until, in the year 1900, when he retired from practice. Henry M. Crouse and Nancy Helen Mar, daughter of Robert and Hannah Woods, were united in marriage at Knightstown, March 4, 1857, and to this union was born, December 12, 1858, one son, Coleman F. Crouse, who, after attaining his majority, resided for some years in San Francisco, California, where he was inspector of customs in the service of the Government. He afterwards left the public service and engaged in the banking business at Dawson, Alaska. From Alaska he returned to Knightstown, in October, 1902, where he now resides and is engaged in agricultural pursuits. The parents of Mrs. Crouse were old residents of Knightstown and a sketch of the life of her father, Robert Woods, who died October 21, 1892, and incidentally, of his family, will be found elsewhere in this History. He was the founder of the First National Bank, of Knightstown, and the president of the same from its organization to the time of his death. Dr. Crouse, from his early youth, has been a hard student and from his own experience realizes the advantages of education. He has always taken an acute interest in matters relating to school, college and university. During his long residence at Knightstown, covering a half century or more, he was for some time a member of the school board and watched with solicitude the growth and prosperity of the schools of that place. Besides his services to the cause of education in his adopted home, he has occupied other positions of public responsibility, acquitting himself therein with credit to himself and distinct advantage to the city. In truth, Dr. Crouse has ever been recognized by his fellow citizens as a man of sterling worth and unusual attainments. His high position in the medical fraternity is attested by the fact that he has for many years been an honored member of the medical societies of the State and of the county and is well known for the active part he has taken in the work and deliberations of those respective organizations. Dr. Crouse is a member of the Masonic fraternity, having taken all of the degrees of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, the Royal Arch Chapter, Knights Templar and Scottish Rite up to and including the Thirty Second Degree. He is Past Master of Golden Rule Lodge, No. 16, A. F. and A. M., at Knightstown. He is also a charter member of the Jerry B. Mason Post, No. 168, Grand Army of the Republic, of which organization, nationally and locally, he is an earnest supporter, regarding the right to wear the Grand Army button as a mark of deserved distinction and honor. HAZZARD'S HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY, INDIANA 1822 - 1906 Vol. I. Chapter XVIII. Infantry... Page: 408, 408a & 409   Get a FREE guestbook here!
|
