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.

Rulif VanCleve Lawrence (1871-1938)

From the Long Branch Daily Record, March 17, 1938.

  We continue our stay in New Jersey and visit Monmouth County to profile Rulif VanCleve Lawrence, a curiously named lawyer who served that county as prosecuting attorney and court of common pleas judge. After several years on the bench, Lawrence advanced to the New Jersey state circuit court, where he served until his death. Born on April 29, 1871, in Freehold, New Jersey, Rulif VanCleve Lawrence was the son of Jacob and Elizabeth (Woolley) Lawrence.

  Lawrence's early education was obtained in schools local to Freehold, including the high school and Freehold Institute. Wanting to pursue a career in law, Lawrence enrolled at the New York Law School and also studied in the office of Frank B. McDermott. He was commissioned as counselor-at-law in 1896 and began his career in public service in 1893 with his appointment to the Freehold board of elections. Lawrence married in 1899 to Adeline Swift Yard (1868-1942), to who he was wed for nearly forty years. The couple had three children, Elizabeth (1900-1974), James Sterling Yard (1903-1971), and Sylvia (1906-1963).

  Establishing himself in practice in Freehold, Lawrence also operated a law office in Asbury Park beginning in 1900. In 1912 he was appointed to the Monmouth County Tax Board by Governor Woodrow Wilson and continued service on the county board of elections. Before his appointment county prosecutor Lawrence "served as counsel to several municipal bodies" and was town counsel and attorney for Freehold and Neptune, respectively. Additionally, Lawrence served an indeterminate period as secretary of the Monmouth County Democratic Committee and was a member of the Freehold Board of Education and the Freehold Public Library board of trustees. Rulif Lawrence was affiliated with the Masonic fraternity for many years, being past master of the Mount Olive Lodge No. 16, and a past regent of the Royal Arcanum Lodge No. 1501 of Freehold.

  In January 1914 Governor James Fielder appointed Lawrence to succeed John Applegate as Monmouth County prosecutor, with the appointment going into effect February 1st. Lawrence's time in the prosecutor's office proved to be short, however, and in April 1915 Fielder appointed him as judge of the Monmouth County Court of Common Pleas, succeeding  John Slocum, who had been named to the state public utilities commission. Sworn in for a five-year term, Lawrence was reappointed to the bench in 1920 by Governor Edward I. Edwards.

From the Asbury Park Press, January 17, 1914.

   In January 1925 Rulif Lawrence was renamed common pleas judge by Governor George Silzer and was confirmed by the state senate. One year after his reappointment, Lawrence's name was bolstered to succeed circuit court judge Nelson Y. Dungan, who had resigned. In 1926, the New Jersey legislature voted to increase the number of circuit judges in the state from ten to twelve, and in April Lawrence and fellow judge Newton Porter were successfully nominated and confirmed to fill the new seats. 

  Lawrence was reappointed to the circuit court in 1933, for what would have been a seven-year term, but died in office. His death occurred shortly after he excused himself from a trial on September 17, 1938, having fallen ill. Returning to his chambers, Lawrence "dropped dead" shortly thereafter, and was discovered by physician H.H. Freedman, who had been summoned by court aides. In the days following his death, Lawrence was memorialized throughout Monmouth County newspapers, including a lengthy tribute in the Monmouth Democrat (via the Long Branch Daily Record), which eulogized him as "witty, considerate, and gracious." The Democrat further remarked that:

"In the death of Circuit Court Judge Rulif V. Lawrence, New Jersey has lost one of its most respected and outstanding citizens, and highly competent jurists. He was known throughout the length and breadth of the state, as an able, experienced, dignified and broadminded judge. He upheld the American ideals of equal rights and penalties for all, regardless of social or financial status, and never let politics play any part in his official acts as judge...The secret of Judge Lawrence's judicial contribution to the Judiciary of New Jersey and to its general welfare lies in the wisdom of Victor Hugo--"Law is a thing human; Justice is a thing devine." From a self made man he arose by serious application to the attainment of his objective--a skillfull and just judge."

 Lawrence was survived by his wife Adeline and their three children and was interred at the Maplewood Cemetery in Freehold. Sadly, Adeline Yard Lawrence survived her husband by only four years, committing suicide by asphyxiation in the kitchen of her home in July 1942. Distinguished in her own right, Adeline Lawrence attained prominence in political service in Monmouth County, being a Democratic candidate for the state senate in 1924 and was a member of the Democratic State Committee. She was also a member of the New Jersey Board of Institutions and Agencies and was interred at the same cemetery as her husband.

Rulif VanCleve and Adeline Yard Lawrence.

Wilver Thurman Naragon (1871-1939)

From the Dayton Daily News, March 27, 1939.

  Featured on this site's Facebook page several days ago, Wilver Thurman Naragon's name was found via the archives of the Coshocton Tribune. The first "Wilver" this author has discovered, Naragon was in his day a leading manufacturer in Greene County, and was also politically active, serving four years as mayor of Osborn. He followed that post with his time as U.S. Postmaster at Osborn until his death in 1939. One of twelve children born to Irven and Chastina Elizabeth (Barnhouse) Naragon, Wilver Thurman Naragon was born in Harrison County, Ohio on May 5, 1871.

   Little is known of Naragon's early life or education, and on May 18, 1897, he married in Jefferson, Ohio to Eva Alverta Copeland (1873-1946). The couple's four-decade marriage produced eight children, Blanche Edith (1898-1977), Earl Keller (1899-1924), Paul Copeland (1902-1948), Dale Demarr (1903-1976), Orlou B. (1905-1993), Gladys Pearl (1906-1979), Wilver Irvin (1907-1958), Lloyd (1910-1956). In the early 1900s Naragon engaged in railroad work, being "manifest clerk at Steubenville" with the Pennsylvania railway. By 1910 he had advanced to chief clerk of that railway line in Newark, Ohio, and sometime later established himself in the hardware business in West Lafayette, Ohio.

  Following the purchase of his store in 1916 by the Gray Hardware Co., Naragon joined the West Lafayette Manufacturing Co. as a director and general secretary. This company later reformed into the Moore Enameling and Mfg Company, and during his West Lafayette residency Naragon served as a Sunday school superintendent for the Methodist Protestant church. In 1926 he entered politics with his candidacy for Democratic state representative from Coshocton County, filing his papers that June.

From the Coshocton Tribune, June 2, 1926.

  In the days following his announcement Naragon's candidacy was touted in the Coshocton Tribune, which described him as:

"A man of high conservative judgment, high Christian character and more than ordinary abilty that and will make the highest type of public official. His selection for this office will undoubtedly reflect credit upon our county and community and being a forceful and pleasing speaker, can render a real and distinctive service to his constituents. His friends bespeak for him the success due a loyal Democrat and true American citizen."

  Naragon would lose the August Democratic primary to  Coshocton school superintendent Emmett Guthrie (1892-1970), who went on to win the general election that November.  Following his defeat, Naragon removed with his family to Osborn in Greene County, Ohio. Here he would be a presiding elder in the local church and was elected as mayor of the village. He served two consecutive terms (1930-34), and in March 1934 was appointed as postmaster of Osborn. He served in that capacity until his death from a stroke on March 26, 1939, at age 67. Naragon was survived by his wife and children and was interred at the Fairfield Cemetery in West Lafayette. A decade following Naragon's death, the town of  Osborn ceased to exist, as it was merged with the neighboring village of Fairfield to form the town of Fairborn in 1950. This town, with a population of over 32,000 as per the 2010 census, is located near the famed Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. 

From the Dayton Daily News, April 17, 1932.

From the Coshocton Tribune, March 27, 1939.

Lonsdale Porter McFarland Sr. (1871-1930)

From the 1907 composite photo of the Tennessee house of representatives.

   A distinguished name in Wilson County, Tennessee during the first half of the 20th century, Lonsdale Porter "Lon" MacFarland Sr was a substantial landholder and stock raiser in his region and was active in Democratic political circles. He served two terms in the state house of representatives, one term in the state senate, and in the year of his death was a candidate for his old senate seat. The son of Dr. James (1818-1903) and Eulalie Cowan McFarland, Lonsdale Porter MacFarland Sr. was born in Tennessee on February 27, 1871. A veteran of the California gold rush, James P. MacFarland practiced medicine in California for a brief period and was a close friend and partner of druggist John Gately Downey (1827-1894), who was later elected to three terms as California governor. During his California residency, MacFarland was elected to two terms in the state assembly, serving from 1852-54. This office is incorrectly listed as the state senate in volume 8 of the 1913 "History of Tennessee and Tennesseans".

  "Lon" MacFarland's early education was obtained in schools local to Wilson County and also studied at the University of Tennessee and the University of Virginia. Having studied law at the latter school, MacFarland continued schooling at Cumberland University in Tennessee and in 1894 graduated with his degree. He later practiced law in Texas and in the 1890s made a sojourn to the Alaska Klondike, where he tried his hand at gold mining.

  After returning to Tennessee MacFarland established himself near Martha, where he purchased and improved a large farm. He was acknowledged as "one of the largest landowners in that section of the state", and gained further repute for his live stock interests. He married in February 1901 to Alabama native Elizabeth Crowe (1881-1965). The couple would have five children, Lynn Childress (died 1914), James Crowe (1904-1966), Lonsdale Porter Jr. (1911-1994), Frank Hays (1913-1927), and Alfred Towson (1917-2006). Of these children, Lonsdale MacFarland Jr. followed his father into law and attained the rank of Colonel following his service in WWII. He later was elected as president of the Tennessee Bar Association and was a civic leader in Maury County.

  With his name widely known amongst the Wilson County citizenry, MacFarland entered politics in 1900 when he announced his candidacy for the state house of representatives. Though unsuccessful in his run, MacFarland made several speaking engagements in his district, and in 1906 announced his second run for the legislature. He was elected that November and at the start of the 1907-09 session was named to the committees on Banks, Elections, Municipal Affairs, and Public Grounds and Buildings. He would also chair the committee on Penitentiaries.

  In November 1912 MacFarland won a second term in the legislature and during the 1913-15 term sat on four new committees, those being Constitutional Conventions and Amendments; Insurance; Jails and Workhouses; and chaired the committee on Waterways and Drainage. This term saw MacFarland's name be mentioned as a candidate for U.S. Senator from Tennessee, as the state legislature was then responsible for electing a senator. This special election occurring due to the death of Robert L. Taylor, MacFarland was one of several men proposed for that body. He was narrowly defeated by educator William R. Webb, who served until March 1913.

  A few months following his senate loss MacFarland made headlines of a different sort when he exchanged heated words with another odd-name legislator, Green Miller, who had recently resigned as a representative. Following an exchange in the lobby of the capital, MacFarland denounced Adams as "having betrayed his confidence, and betrayed the democratic party", with the Nashville Tennesseean reporting that MacFarland's voice could be heard throughout the lobby.

From the Nashville Tennesseean, May 18, 1913.

  Lon MacFarland returned to government service in November 1918 with his election to the Tennessee state senate from the 13th district. He served one term (1919-21) and was a member of the committees on Claims; Manufacture and Mining; New Counties and County Lines; Pensions; Privileges and Elections; Public Roads and Internal Improvements; Railroads; Redistricting; and Sanitation.

  After leaving office Lon MacFarland was a candidate for Democratic state committeeman in the 1928 primary and in 1930 entered into the race to reclaim his old senate seat. While still a candidate, MacFarland died unexpectedly at his home while reading on July 15, 1930, aged 59. He was survived by his wife and three sons and was interred at the Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Nashville. 

From the Nashville Tennesseean, July 17, 1930.