By The Jonesborough Genealogical Society
Joseph Grant Crosswhite, b. Oct. 2, 1862, Johnson Co., TN; d. July 19, 1903, Washington County, TN and buried in the Union Cemetery near Jonesboro, county seat and oldest town in the state. He was the son of John Melvin Crosswhite, Jr. (called Melvin), a “Dunkard” preacher, b. 1837, d. 1894, and grandson of John Melvin Crosswhite, Sr. (called John), b. Feb. 18, 1797, d. 1847.
The first wife of John Melvin Jr. was Nancy Lowe Crosswhite. Five children were born to them; Joseph Grant, Robert, Lemuel, Etta and Dona, all deceased. His second wife was Rebecca Jane Roberts, to whom were born the following children:
John Melvin Crosswite III (his turn to be called John, while it is the turn of his son John Melvin Crosswhite IV to be called Melvin), who was ordained a minister in the “Brethren” church in his later years at Hagerstown, MD, where he died in 1959 and was buried.
Jesse H. Crosswhite, retired railroad worker living at 16 Beckley Ave., Hagerstown, no children.
Nannie, deceased, six children – Theodore, William, Charles, Mary, Muriel and Dorothy.
Vina or Lavina, deceased, four children; Annie, Della Melvin and Alma.
William Oscar Crosswhite, also retired railroader, residing at 645 Stockton St., San Francisco, CA died Oct. 17, 1961, three children; Billie, Edna and Donald.
Frank Crosswhite, still working for railroad and living at 878 ½ York St., Hanover, PA, four children; Frank Jr., Virginia, Spencer, and Hildred.
In 1886 Joseph Grant Crosswhite married Iantha Catherine Loyd, b. Apr. 15, 1868, in Johnson Co., TN. And she is still very much alive. She has always gone by the name “Kate.” She is the oldest daughter of Landon Carter Loyd and Mary Blevins Loyd (Note only one “L” in this name Loyd).
Grant and Kate Crosswhite had the following children:
Mary Ethel, b. Apr. 30, 1887, d. Sept. 30, 1906, aged 19 years. She chose a career of teaching public school but died after one year of work.
“Henry Milton Crosswhite, b. Jan. 23, 1889; died March 20, 1961, aged 72 years. (His heart failed just after he completed writing his article). Henry, oldest son, was 14 years old when his father died. He did odd jobs to earn money to help his widowed mother, but continued in the local school until he finished it. Once he worked a year at the Soldier’s Home in Mountain City. When he was 22 years of age, in 1911, he went from Tennessee to Idaho, since relatives lived in that state. He worked on a ranch near Weiser and in a hospital I town in three years had saved enough money (even though he always sent some money home) to enter a business college. He took his commercial course at Link’s Business College, Boise, Idaho. As a result of a civil service examination, he was appointed stenographer with the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Washington, D.C., reporting for duty June 1, 1915. He later worked in grain inspection services and related activities until he retired Nov. 1, 1956 as a Marketing Specialist. All his work was in Washington except for about a year in a field office in Louisville, KY, a total of more than 41 years service.”
