Rash's Surname Index
Notes for John Price CROZER
JOHN PRICE CROZER was born in Springfield, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, January l3th, 1793. He is the son of John C. and Sarah (Price) Crozer, and grandson of James C. Crozer, who, with his four brothers, in the early part of the eighteenth century, emigrated from Ireland. His Christian mother early directed her children's attention to religious subjects, and he and his sister having been baptized by Rev. Dr. Staughton, in April 1807, united with the First Baptist Church in Philadelphia. Owing to the disability of his father, he managed the farm for several years previous to attaining his majority, after which he was given an interest in its productions until his father's death, January 8th, 1816. He subsequently continued the management of the place until the death of his mother, which occurred in 1817, and he then rented it on his own account, working it for three years thereafter. In the spring of 1820, he procured a tenant, to whom he sold his stock and implements, and in April of the same year, made an extended tour on horseback to Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky, returning in August to reside with his brother-in-law, John Lewis, until June 25th, 1821, when, in partnership with G. G. Leiper, who had purchased and taken possession of the old homestead, he commenced running a merchant and saw-mill on Ridley Creek, about three miles above Chester. However, in the following autumn, the firm was dissolved by mutual consent. After mature consideration, he determined to engage in cotton spinning, and having rented the second and third, with part of the first, floors of G. G. Leiper's mill, he invested his whole capital in the new enterprise, to which John Lewis added. He commenced operations in February 1822. The unforeseen obstacle of an overstocked market having interposed, he was obliged to sell at a sacrifice. In the fall of 1824, he purchased Mattson's paper mill, with 180 acres of land on the west bank of Chester Creek. In the spring of 1825 he took possession of his new property, which he named "West Branch," and commenced operations in the following August. He subsequently purchased another paper mill at the junction of the West Branch and Chester Creek, where he erected a new factory, and having transferred his residence thither in November, 1839, named it Crozerville. By the great flood of August 5th, 1843, his new stonefactory at Knowlton (76 by 36 feet), together with portions of the mills at West Branch and Crozerville, were demolished, but he speedily repaired the damaged mills and resumed operations. He purchased the Flower estate, consisting of 65 acres, situated on Chester Creek, about two miles from Chester, in February, 1845, and, having named it Upland, commenced the erection of his first mill there. On January 1st, 1847, he received his son, Samuel 0., into partnership with him, and removed to his new residence at Upland on the 19th of May following, but retained possession of West Branch and Crozerville, In April of the same year he had erected a temporary building at Upland for Church and Sunday school purposes, and in November 1850, completed an academy at Chester, besides responding liberally to the calls from the University at Lewisburg. In January 1851, he resolved to erect a church edifice at Upland, and the building was commenced in April of that year. It was completed at his own expense, and dedicated March 28th, 1852. It was " constituted " October 9th, 1852, and he was elected deacon thereof on November 6th of the same year. In 1857, he commenced the erection of a Normal School at Upland, which was completed in 1858, and opened in the following September. He had been made Vice-President of the Pennsylvania Baptist Education Society in 1852, and its President in 1855. He succeeded Bishop Potter as the President of the Pennsylvania Training School for Feeble-minded Children, to which he had contributed. He was also President of the Home for Friendless Children; of the Women's Hospital of Philadelphia; of the Pennsylvania Colonization Society; of the American Baptist Publication Society; and an officer and generous supporter of various other benevolent institutions, besides contributing largely to the American Sunday School Union, Asylum for the Insane, Bible Societies, Tract Societies, etc. In April 1866, his wife and children gave the sum of $50,000, known as the John P. Crozer Missionary Memorial Fund, the income of which is to be devoted to the improvement of the religious condition of the colored people. In July, 1865, he contributed, $20,000 to the University at Lewisburg, as his portion of the endowment of $100,000. With several members of his family, he started, February 1st, 1866, on a tour through the South and Southwest, but was obliged to return from Petersburg, Virginia, and gradually sank until his death, on March 9th, 1866. For nearly forty years he had been superintendent of a Sunday school, and his loss was deeply mourned by his family, friends, and the whole Christian community. The incidents of his life afford noble illustrations of the power for good emanating from a liberal heart and consecrated wealth; and one of the most fitting monuments erected to the memory of this great and good man was the donation by his family, November 2d, 1866, of the munificent sum of $275,000 (including the value of the property erected for a Normal School, and then occupied by the Pennsylvania Military Academy), for the establishment and endowment of the Crozer Theological Seminary at Upland, to which have since been added large sums by the same family. He was married, March l2th 1825, to Sallie L. Knowles, who survives him, with a family of seven children
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