military public official Soldier
John Schuyler Crosby, son of Clarkson Floyd and Angelica Schuyler Crosby, was born on September 19, 1839 in Albany, New York, to an inheritance of wealth and aristocratic tastes.
Among his ancestors were William Floyd, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, and General Philip Schuyler.
He attended the University of the City of New York (now New York University), but left school before graduation.
In 1856 he made the venturous and at that time rarely attempted crossing of South America from Valparaiso to Montevideo. He entered the Union army early in the Civil War, and during the course of that conflict engaged in active service from Virginia to the lower Mississippi Valley.
By August 1861 he was a first lieutenant, and in June 1863 he was made captain. On account of gallant and meritorious conduct in Louisiana, he was brevetted captain in April 1863 and major in April 1864. In March 1865 he was brevetted lieutenant-colonel.
His war services as courier attracted the personal notice and thanks of Lincoln. From March 1869 to July 1870 he was lieutenant-colonel and aide-decamp to Gen. Sheridan in the campaigns against the Indians. He resigned from the army at the close of 1870.
From 1876 to 1882 he was American consul in Florence, Italy, and during this time he was decorated by the King in gratitude for his having captured a notorious band of criminals.
From 1882 to 1884 he was territorial governor of Montana. He gave his zealous attention to the progress of the territory, and even made a special appeal to Congress to put an end to schemes for the commercial exploitation of Yellowstone Park.
He was first assistant postmaster-general of the United States during the last four months of the Arthur administration, and from 1889 to 1892 he was a school commissioner of New York City.
In January 1914, his health, already bad, was further impaired by the violent struggle which ensued when he was attacked by a suddenly crazed Japanese servant. During the following summer he set out as was his custom on a yachting trip, but illness necessitated his being put ashore at Newport, Rhode Island, where he died.
He had long been much concerned with sports, especially shooting, in which he was most proficient. His residence in Montana gave him opportunity to indulge this taste freely, and, at occasional big-game hunts extending over several days, to indulge also his instinct for grand-scale hospitality. Among his guests on one of these hunts, was President Chester A. Arthur.
He was married in 1863 to Harriet Van Rensselaer, a daughter of Gen. Stephen Van Rensselaer.
