Robert J. Cross
{{Short description|First settler of Roscoe, Illinois and local/state politician}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Robert John Cross
| image = Robert J Cross.jpg
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1803|10|01}}.
| birth_place = Newburgh, New York
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1873|02|15|1803|10|01}}
| death_place = Roscoe, Illinois
| occupation = Farmer, Politician
| known_for = First settler of Roscoe, Illinois
| party = Whig, Republican
| children = 5
| spouse = Hannah Benedict
}}
Robert John Cross (October 1, 1803 - February 15, 1873) was an American pioneer. He was the first permanent settler of the town of Roscoe, Illinois, the County Treasurer of Winnebago County, Illinois, and a member of the Illinois General Assembly.
Personal life
Cross was born in Newburgh, New York, the third child of Rev. John Cross and Margaret Hanna Cross. In 1825 he moved to Tecumseh, Michigan where he built and resided in a log cabin. In 1830 Cross moved to Coldwater, Michigan. In 1832 he was a private in the Michigan militia where he was mustered to defend Chicago during the Black Hawk War, but the brigade, commanded by General Joseph W. Brown, was mustered out before reaching Chicago.{{Cite book |last=Johnson |first=Crisfield |url=https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/003933176 |title=History of Branch County, Michigan |date=1879 |publisher=Everts |location=Philadelphia}} In 1835 Cross moved to Illinois and purchased the first claim made in the town or Roscoe for the purpose of permanent settlement and cultivation, making him the first town settler.{{Cite web |last=Gavan |first=Hillary |title=Roscoe park to be named after pioneer |url=https://www.beloitdailynews.com/uncategorized/roscoe-park-to-be-named-after-pioneer/article_2ea062d3-b736-5da4-9eb0-fef10cd62a0b.html |access-date=2022-12-22 |website=Beloit Daily News |language=en}} His primary occupation was farmer, but he also filled several positions in local government.
Political career
1831: Appointed a member of overseers of highways by highway commissioners in Coldwater, Michigan
1832: Commissioner of highway in Coldwater, Michigan
1832: Justice of the Peace for Coldwater, Michigan, for which he was paid $5
1836: Judge of election for Winnebago County election, for the first election ever held in Winnebago country, for which he was paid $1{{Cite book |last=H. F. Kett & Co |url=http://archive.org/details/historyofwinneba00hfkerich |title=The History of Winnebago County, Illinois : its past and present, containing ... a biographical directory of its citizens, war record of its volunteers in the late rebellion, general and local statistics ... history of the Northwest, history of Illinois ... etc |date=1877 |publisher=Chicago : H. F. Kett & Co. |others=University of California Libraries}}
1836: Justice of the Peace in Winnebago County{{Cite book |last=Carr |first=Edson Irving |url=https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/100733885 |title=The history of Rockton, Winnebago County, Illinois: 1820 to 1898 |date=1898 |publisher=Herald Office Print |location=Rockton, Ill.}}
1836: Judge of election for precinct for presidential election
1836–1839: County treasurer for Winnebago County, for which he was paid $2/day or $30, plus 2% commission or $9.28{{Cite book |last=Church |first=Charles A. |url=https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/008652806 |title=History of Rockford and Winnebago county, Illinois, from the first settlement in 1834 to the civil war |last2=New England Society of Rockford |first2=Ill |date=1900 |publisher=W.P. Lamb, printer |location=Rockford, Ill.}}
1841: Vice President of the newly formed Winnebago County Agricultural Society
1845: Member of the state legislature
1846: Elected by the Whigs as Representative to the General Assembly
1847: Delegate from Winnebago Country for the Illinois constitutional convention to revise the constitution of the state, where he was also appointed a member of the committee on the bill of rights
1860: Town of Roscoe Supervisor
1869: Delegate for a second time for the Illinois constitutional convention that formed the present Illinois state constitution
1872–1873: Elected by the Republicans as Representative to the General Assembly; Cross died while holding this appointment
Chairman of the Board of Supervisors in Winnebago County, Illinois, for several years, occupying that position at the time of his death
Township School Fund Trustee for Roscoe, Illinois, for over thirty consecutive years
Legacy
File:RobertJCrossHomesteadRoscoeIllinois.jpg
The Robert J Cross Memorial Park was dedicated in Roscoe, Illinois in 2018. The park was named for Cross in honor of his contributions to settlement of the Roscoe area and his role in the local, county and state government.
In 2018, the Roscoe Township purchased the property that contains the Robert J Cross home, and designated the development as Founder's Park.{{Cite web |title=Roscoe Township |url=https://www.toi.org/township/winnebago-county-roscoe-township/founders-park/ |access-date=2023-04-05 |website=www.toi.org}} Restoration of the home, which was built between 1831 and 1845, began in 2019 by the Roscoe Township Historical Society.{{Cite web |last=Society |first=Roscoe Township Historical |title=Cross Homestead Restoration Begins |url=https://roscoehistory.org/f/cross-homestead-gets-new-roof |access-date=2023-04-05 |website=Roscoe Township Historical Society |language=en-US}} The Society is raising private funds to complete the restoration of the homestead exterior.{{Cite web |last=Society |first=Roscoe Township Historical |title=Roscoe Township Historical Society |url=https://roscoehistory.org/ |access-date=2023-04-05 |website=Roscoe Township Historical Society |language=en-US}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cross, Robert}}
Category:People from Roscoe, Illinois
Category:19th-century members of the Illinois General Assembly
Category:People from Tecumseh, Michigan
Category:People from Newburgh, New York
Category:People from Coldwater, Michigan
Category:American justices of the peace
Category:Winnebago County, Illinois