History of Lincoln, Oneida and Vilas Counties

"History of Lincoln, Oneida, and Vilas Counties Wisconsin"

Compiled by George O.Jones, Norman S. McVean and Others. Printed in 1924 by H.C.Cooper. Jr. & Co., Minneapoli-Winona MN. ill. 787 pages. The first two hundred pages are history of the three counties, the remainder of the book is biographies.

Biography

Croker, Edward A. one of Vilas County's best known pioneers, was born on Prince Edward Island, off the coast of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, Canada, Dec. 24, 1844, son of Hugh and Margaret (DUFFY) CROKER. The parents were natives of Ireland and came from that country to Prince Edward Island in the late 30's, the father being a pioneer lumberman there. Later they removed to Chicago, Ill., and from there came to Wisconsin and settled at Oconto. During the Civil War the father enlisted from Oconto, his regiment becoming a part of the army corps under Gen. John A. LOGAN. He game up his life in the war, dying from disease during the siege of Vicksburg. Edward A. CROKER attended the public schools near his home and remained with his parents until 1862, when, on Feb. 22, he too enlisted for the preservation of the Union; he was then but 17 years old. He fought with the Fourth Illinois Cavalry, and was discharged at Little Rock, Ark., Feb. 21, 1865. After the close of his military career he went to Grandville, Putnam County, Ill., where he worked on farms for two years, and he was then at Oshkosh, Wis., for one year. In 1869 he went to Stevens Point and engaged in lumbering, working in the sawmills and in the woods, and as the timber supply became exhausted he followed the industry in its northward course, finally coming to what is now Vilas County. In 1891 he took a homestead in Section 8, of what was then the town of Eagle River, Oneida County, the locality being now in the town of Lincoln, Vilas County. During the early period of his residence here he went through all the hardships and privations which the pioneer is always called upon to bear; provisions had to be parked on his back from Eagle River until roads were builts through the woods, and all the conditions under which he lived were primitive indeed. He overcame all the obstacles, however, and succeeded in building up a good farm, adding to his holdings and developing a portion of the land. He carried on general and dairy farming actively until 1911, and he still acts as manager of the property. Mr. CROKER was married at La Crosse, Wis., Jan. 21, 1896, to Mathilda MARCO. Four children, as follows, have been born to Mr. and Mrs. CROKER: Edward, William, Thomas, and Robert.

Transcribed by Susan Swanson, from pages 447-448, History of Lincoln, Oneida and Vilas Counties Wisconsin; Compiled by George O. Jones, Norman S. McVean and Others 1924, H. C. Cooper, Jr. & Co

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