"An Illustrated History of Whitman County, state of Washington." San Francisco: W. H. Lever, 1901. p. 299. UPTON EUGENE CRONK an enterprising farmer living five miles west of Elberton, a pioneer of 1880, is a native of Ohio born July 7, 1850. When four years old, he was taken by his parents to Iowa, and in that state he received his educational discipline. When he reached man's estate, and the time came for him to inaugurate independent action he naturally turned to the business, which had elicited his earliest interest and in which his youthful energies had found their first field of activity, namely, farming. He was numbered among the thrifty and successful agriculturists of his neighborhood until 1877, when he moved to Oregon, locating in Yam Hill county. Two years later, he changed his residence to Clark county, Washington, whence the next year he came to Whitman county. Shortly after his arrival here, Mr. Cronk took a homestead in that locality where we now find him and engaged in farming, bringing to his enterprise in the new home, the valuable experience gained during his residence in two other states. While he is not as extensively engaged in agriculture as many others, he is rightly ranked among the most thrifty and energetic of the farmers of his part of the county, and under his skillful husbandry his fine land is made to produce the excellent crops of which it is capable. In addition to his home Mr. Cronk owns some very desirable property in Elberton. As a man and citizen, our subject's standing in the community is a very enviable one, and he enjoys in abundant measure the esteem and regard of his neighbors. He is a prominent and active member of the Methodist Episcopal church of Elberton. In the state of Iowa, on July 8, 1872, Mr. Cronk married Miss Addie Wood, a native of New York, and to them have been born four children: Maud, now wife of Jefferson Griffith, residing near Fallon; Herbert; Homer and Mabel. Since the above was written, there has come a sadness in the home of our subject as deep as it was sudden. Their oldest son, Herbert, was employed by the Seattle Logging Company as fireman of a donkey engine, near Port Crescent, this state. During the operation of removing the engine from one portion of the work to another, it was placed on a logging truck, which was pushed by a locomotive. In the course of this work, the engine overturned, falling on Herbert Cronk, its entire weight resting on his body from the chest downward. After an hour of rapid work he was taken from this terrible position and conveyed by special engine to the bay and from there to Port Angeles by tug to the nearest doctor. But just as the whistle blew for the wharf, his spirit took its flight to his Maker. The remains were embalmed and returned to the sorrowing parents, and now rest in the Bethel cemetery at Tennessee Flat. The accident occurred on May 5, 1901. Herbert W. Cronk was born near Oto, Iowa, April 17, 1876, and was four yeas of age when his parents came to this county. He was a bright, kind hearted boy, especially fond of animals and a lover of good music, having attained considerable skill in operating on the guitar and in rendering vocal selections in later years. He was ever found in his place in the Sunday school and was of pure habits and ways, free from the vices so common in the rushing age. His was a home life; even after arriving at his majority, he continued with his parents, being a comfort and stay. He was generally beloved and esteemed by all. The foreman wrote of him that he never used profane language; the company's secretary extolled him for uprightness and integrity, and the paper said: "He was a young man of excellent habits and well and favorably known." He was engaged to be married to Miss Lair, and excellent lady, who is left with his parents to bemoan his untimely demise. It was his intention to return to his home in a few days but the fateful accident came and his plans remained forever unfulfilled. Of him it was said, "He was a Christian," which is no small source of comfort to the sorrowing ones behind. Transcriber's additional notes: Census 1860, July 5; Clinton Co, IA; Waterford Twp, Charlotte PO, p 105 Ezra Cronk, 40, NY, farmer, 700 / 200 Huldoh, 33, NY Agnew, 11, m, OH, att. school William, 9, m, OH, att. school Mathias Fritz, 40, NY, farm hand Emily, 32, NY Frank, 11, NY, att. school Gusta, 9, NY, att. school Frylinda, 5, IA Anass, 2, IA 1870, July; Woodbury Co, IA; Sioux City PO, p 358 Ezra Cronk, 49, NY, farmer, 3000 / 1600 Huldah, 40, NY, keeping house Eugene, 20, OH, works on farm, att. school Willis, 17, OH, att. school Carrie, 6, IA Udorah, 2, IA 1880; Whitman Co, WA; Farmington dist. 2, p 358 Upton Cronk, 29, OH, NY, OH, farmer Ada, wife, 27, NY, VT, MA, keeping house Emily Maud, dau, 6, IA, OH, NY Herbert W, 4, IA, OH, NY Platt Mead, 22, IA, IN, __, farm laborer 1883; Whitman Co, WA, p 26 N. E. Cronk, 32, m, OH, farmer E. M., 30, f, NY, house keeper E. M., 9, f, IA, att. school H. W., 7, m, IA, att. school 1900, June 18; Whitman Co, WA; Elberton Pct, p 157 Upton Cronk, 49, July 1850, OH, NY, OH, mar 28 yrs, farmer Addie M, wife, 47, NY, VT, MA, mar 28 yrs, 5 children-4 living Herbert W, son, 24, April 1876, IA, OH, NY, single, farm laborer Henry H, son, 16, Dec 1883, WA, OH, NY, att. school Clara M, dau, 10, May 1891, WA, OH, NY, att. school 1910, April 25; Whitman Co, WA; North Colfax, Pct, p 59 Upton E. Cronk, 59, OH, NY, OH, 2nd mar, farmer Hellen, wife, 67, ENG, ENG, ENG, 2nd mar, 10 children-6 living 1920, January 19; Whitman Co, WA; North Colfax, p 68 U. E. Cronk, 69, OH, NY, OH, retired Ella, wife, 77, ENG, ENG, ENG, to US 1890, Na. 1910 * * * * Submitted to the WA. Bios Project in October 2006 by Diana Smith. Notice: These biographies were transcribed for the Washington Biographies Project. Unless otherwise stated, no further information is available on the individual featured in the biographies.