"An Illustrated History of Whitman County, state of Washington." San Francisco: W. H. Lever, 1901. p. 260. HON. ROBERT C. McCROSKEY Whitman county has had within its borders, ever since its inception as a separate political division, a very fair representation of men whose reputations were at least state wide, and at the present time it is not without a goodly number of really distinguished men. Among those who have won distinction by activity in promoting every worthy cause of a public or semi-public nature connected with the Palouse country, and by efficiently representing its interests in the halls of the state legislature, is the man whose name appears as the title of this article. A man of keen discernment, fine intellectual endowments and splendid executive ability, he has taken a place in the front rank among men in many of the walks of life, and, combining integrity with ability, has won and retained the esteem and confidence of those with whom he has had business or social relations. Born in Tennessee on March 10, 1845, he passed in that state the years of his early manhood, receiving there his educational discipline. This, however, was somewhat rudely interrupted by the Civil war, for he felt it incumbent upon him to doff the garb of the school boy and to don the gray uniform of the Confederates. After two and a half years of military service he returned to his books, and in 1868 he graduated from Croton College, Tennessee. Upon receiving his degree he engaged in teaching. In 1870 he came out to California, and, locating in Monterey county, engaged in the dual occupation of farming and school teaching. In 1873 he was elected county superintendent, and so efficient was his service that he was again, and yet again, the choice of the people for that office. He continued to till the soil of the Golden state until 1887, which year is the date of his advent to Whitman county. Locating at Garfield, he purchased land in the vicinity and again embarked in agricultural pursuits. He is now the owner of a princely domain of sixteen hundred acres, upon which are many improvements of value. Mr. McCroskey's service in the agricultural and industrial development of the county has been a very important one, but, as above intimated, it is as a legislator that he is best known and will be longest remembered. In 1890 he was chosen by the people to represent them in the state senate as a member of that important body for four years. While there he won distinction by framing and securing the passage of the important act known as the Wasson bill, the import of which was to materially reduce freight rates on grain and farm produce. Mr. McCroskey was a member of the national Democratic convention which nominated William Jennings Bryan in 1896. He was appointed by Governor McGraw to membership on the state grain commission, and by Governor Rogers to the regency of the agricultural college, the latter of which offices he still retains. In this and other educational institutions of the county, as indeed in everything for the social and intellectual amelioration of this section, he has ever manifested a deep and public-spirited interest. In fraternal connection our subject is identified with the F. & A. M., the O. E. S., the United Artisans and the K. of P., in which last he has served as grand chancellor of the state of Washington. In Madisonville, Tennessee, on September 21, 1882, Mr. McCroskey married Miss Blanche Houston, of the family to which Sam Houston, of Texas, belonged, and they have five children: Robert C., Houston, Gladys, Blanche and Earl. ******************* Submitted to the Washington Biographies Project in August 2008 by Diana Smith. Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.