Col. George Croghan

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Croghan_(soldier)

George Croghan (November 15, 1791 – January 8, 1849) was born at the Locust Grove farm in what is now Louisville, Kentucky and died in New Orleans, Louisiana. He was a recipient of the Congressional Gold Medal.

Two of his famous uncles were Captain William Clark and General George Rogers Clark because his mother, Lucy Clark, was their sister. His father was William Croghan of Dublin, Ireland and served in the revolutionary war at the battles of Brandywine and Monmouth. His wife Serena Livingston was the granddaughter of Robert Livingston (1718-1775) of Clermont Manor New York.

Croghan studied at the College of William and Mary and joined the army after he graduated in 1810. He fought at the Battle of Tippecanoe in 1811. He also served at Fort Meigs [modern Perrysburg, Ohio] with distinction. For his defense during the Battle of Fort Stephenson, Ohio during the War of 1812, he was promoted to the rank of colonel. He later led a troop that was defeated in the Battle of Mackinac Island.

Following the war, he resigned from the army during a reduction in force and served as a postmaster in New Orleans. Later he became an inspector general in the army. During the Mexican-American War he fought as a colonel at Monterrey.

Croghan died in the cholera epidemic of 1849, which also took the life of former President of the United States James K. Polk. Colonel Croghan is buried at the site of Fort Stephenson, now Fremont, Ohio.

The village and town of Croghan, New York are named after him.

It is believed that later in life he had a problem with alcoholism. He was cordial and considered to be very much a gentlemen.

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Born at Locust Grove, near Louisville, Kentucky, on November 15, 1791.

Father - William Croghan, who was born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1754. William migrated to the U.S. and entered the army in 1776 as Captain of Infantry, Virginia Line. He took part in the battles of the Brandywine, Monmouth and Germantown; and he was with the army that bitter winter at Valley Forge.

In 1780 his regiment was ordered south and he was made a prisoner at the surrender of Charleston. He was present at Yorktown, when the last great battle of the war was fought, though he could not share in the fighting, as he was on parole.

He served time on the staff of Baron Steuben, and he was one of the officers present at the Verplanck Mansion on the Hudson in May of 1783, when the Society of the Cincinnati was instituted.

Shortly after the war Croghan joined the increasing drift of Virginians across the mountains into the new land of Kentucky and found a home near the Falls of Ohio.

"George Croghan... won national acclaim for his defense of Fort Stephenson, Ohio, on August 1st, 1813." Myers 1497

William Croghan later married Lucy Clark and moved into their place, Locust Grove, Upper River Road, Louisville. The house where George Croghan grew up and where his uncle George Rodgers Clark died, still stands today (2001), and has a website: http://www.locustgrove.org

Mother - Lucy Clark, daughter of Virginia planters. Her folks first lived on the farm adjoining that of Thomas Jefferson's family at Keswick, Va. Her father, John Clark, received as his marriage portion 400 acres on the Rivanna River under the shadow of the Blue Ridge Mountains. There he took his 16 yr. old bride and cousin Ann Rogers.Of their 6 sons the first two were generals, the third a captain and the fourth and fifth were lieutenants in the Revolution. The 6th was too young to even be a drummer boy.Ann was evidently a remarkable woman and encouraged her sons to go out into the west. When George Rogers Clark brought back stories of the new settlement the family moved there and built a house in Louisville, "Mulberry Hill." Lucy Clark, who later married William Croghan, was about 9 yrs. old when the family left Virginia.

Brothers & Sisters -

Charles and Nicholas (twins)

Edward Croghan

William. Married, all descendants female

Ann Heron. Married Thomas Sidney Jesup. all descendants female

Elizabeth Croghan

George. Married Serena Livingston, May 1816. No male descendants

Dr. John Croghan, the oldest, on a trip to England, heard about the Mammoth Cave which he knew nothing about and on returning home, to Louisville he bought it. In his will he left it to his nine living nieces and nephews and it would not be sold until the death of the last surviving heir. He wrote a book about the cave: "Rambles in the MammothCave, During the Year 1844."

George and Serena Croghan's children -

Charles Croghan - died in infancy.

John Croghan - died in infancy

William Croghan - died in infancy

Marie Croghan - died in infancy

Mary Angelica married the Rev.Christopher Wyatt of Baltimore, Maryland. They had 4 children. She died in 1906.

St. George Croghan married Cornelia Ridgeley and they had 4 children. He was killed in the Civil War, on the Confederate side.

Serena Livingston Croghan married Augustus F. Rodgers and together they had 8 children.

[From notes by Watt P. Marchman; director, Hayes Presidential Center, 1946-1980.]