— Submitted photo. Above is George W. Crosley.

I don’t think I’ll ever get this “green grass” lawn thing; this summer, our first in Webster City, has been a bit more of “crunchy brown.”

At least I have time to enjoy the walks through Our Neighborhood, meeting new folks. Some are visitors, like me… others more long-time residents.

By now, I’m sure you’re aware of my fondness for those who served in our military.

Drawn by the flags that mark one of their resting places, brings to my own mind a line from a great movie, “Forrest Gump,” that you never know what you’re going to get. One of these has a somewhat subdued marker when compared to others, yet a single word on it really captured my attention… Major.

George W. Crosley was born in New Haven, Ohio, on March 4,1839 and died in Webster City on December 27, 1913.

Between those dates was a life as varied, accomplished and full of service to others as I can imagine. When he was 17, his family moved to Iowa and began farming outside of Ames, in Story County.

After a short time, they moved to Nevada and were there when George enlisted in Company E of the Third Iowa Infantry at the start of the Civil War. He quickly became First Sergeant of the company and was soon promoted to Lieutenant.

After service in Missouri, chasing rebels and guarding supply lines, the regiment was sent to a small town in Hardin County, Tennessee, called Pittsburg Landing; known as the site of the Battle of Shiloh.

It was, in two days, the deadliest battle in American history to that point, and the Third Iowa suffered badly. So many officers were killed or wounded that Lieutenant Crosley was appointed as temporary regimental commander.

George finished the war as a Major, though he was temporarily promoted to Colonel. Returning to Iowa, he became a businessman in Webster City.

In 1879, he retired from business and was elected to two terms as Hamilton County Sheriff.

In 1884, Crosley was hired as the warden of the Iowa penitentiary at Fort Madison, serving there for six years. He returned, again, to Webster City, and served another six years as a city councilman.

In his eventual retirement, George remained active in Webster City affairs and worked with his good friend, Charles Aldrich, in work on Iowa history at the state level.

Crosley also served on the Iowa Shiloh Battlefield Monument Commission, ensuring Iowa’s representation on the battlefield.

George married Edna Risdon in 1864; they were together until his death in 1913. They had four children; George, Charles, Charlotte and Varick.

Three of the children also reside in Graceland Cemetery. As I walk through our neighborhood, I’ll be sure to pay even closer attention to those who reside here.

After all, you never quite know who you’re going to meet; in a box of chocolates there might even be a Hershey, Reese, Nestle or Cadbury.