Ernfrid Jacob Crosby (1871-1958)

 

From the Waterville Morning Sentinel, December 14, 1906.

   Albion, Maine resident Ernfrid Jacob Crosby is one of the more obscure legislators to be profiled this month, with details on his life being at a minimum. Ernfrid Crosby was born in Unity, Maine on November 26, 1871, the son of Eli Vickery and Emma Randlett (Libby) Crosby. He was a student at schools in Unity, Maine, and married Minnie Florence Foss (1869-1957) in 1898. He is recorded as operating a grocery store in Guildford, Maine in the 1890s and later removed to Waterville where he was employed with the H.R. Dunham and Co., a clothing company. He remained there for ten years and in 1907 settled in Albion.

   Shortly after his removal Crosby purchased a farm and operated a grocery store with a partner, Charles Drake. Crosby later continued operations as Crosby and Crosby with John Crosby and also operated alone. Around 1917 he established himself in the lumber industry, which he followed for an indeterminate period. In addition to his business pursuits Crosby became a local political figure, serving as a town selectman for four years, and at the time of his election to the legislature was board chairman. In 1906 was elected to the Maine House of Representatives. He was secretary of the committee on agriculture during the 1907-09 session and sat on the committee on Mercantile Affairs and Insurance.

  In 1922 Crosby was a candidate for register of deeds of Kennebec County, and at the time of his candidacy was a member of the Kennebec County Republican committee. He would win that election, and in 1926 was a candidate for a second term. He served in that capacity for twelve years, and in 1935 announced that he'd be seeking the post of Kennebec County commissioner. Though he would lose that contest, he was a candidate for that same post in the June 1936 primary.

From the Kennebec Journal, June 16, 1926.

  Little is known of the remainder of Crosby's life. An active club man in Kennebec County, Crosby was a member of the Dunlap  Chapter, Royal Arch Masons, and the Central Lodge of Masons, both located in China, Maine. He and his wife celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 1948. He was preceded in death by his wife Minnie in 1957 and died one year later at age 86. Both he and his wife were interred at Albion Cemetery #4.

Ernfrid and Minnie Crosby, from the Waterville Morning Sentinel April 20, 1948.