Hiram Benjamin Crosby’s Early Life

Norwich, Connecticut

Hiram Benjamin Crosby was born on Christmas Day 1831 in Norwich, Connecticut, to Hiram and Nancy Elizabeth (Carew) Crosby.[1] As a young boy, his family moved to Lyme Connecticut where his father was a woolen manufacturer and dealer, but later the family returned to Norwich.[2] He had only one sibling, a younger sister named Elizabeth Ann. 

Academically, Hiram was very capable. He attended Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, where he was a member of the Kappa Kappa Kappa Society,[3] a literary and debate society. He graduated from Dartmouth in the Class of 1854.[4] 

He read law with the Hon. Lafayette Sabine Foster[5]— a Connecticut politician and jurist who was a U.S. Senator from 1855 to 1867 and later a Connecticut Supreme Court Judge. Hiram was admitted to the bar in 1855[6] and began practicing in Norwich. 

Hiram soon took a prominent place at the county bar and in the Norwich community. The Yankee work ethic was ingrained in him. He was elected City Attorney in 1857, Recorder in 1858, and Alderman in 1859.[7] In August 1858, the Norwich Police Court was established with Hiram appointed as the Judge with a $400 salary.[8] 

He joined the Masonic Lodge in Norwich in 1858 and was a member there at least through to 1867.[9] He helped to organize "Young Men's Lecturers" given in Breed Hall[10] where his law office was also located. He even became the town’s Fire Marshall receiving $15 in 1861 for this position.[11] 

1876 map of Norwich Connecticut
Norwich, Connecticut (1876 map)

Breed Hall, Norwich Connecticut
Breed Hall, Washington Square, Norwich CT
Hiram B. Crosby had his law office in this building which was opened in February 1860. The building was used for lectures, concerts, and large assemblies including Civil War meetings.

Marriage & Family

In September 1859 at the age of 27, Hiram married Mary Zilpha Scott,[12] daughter of Clark and Zlipha (Judd) Scott, who was about 10 years his junior. Hiram and his wife lived in his parents’ Norwich home in Union Street.[13] Multi-generational households were conventional at that time. 

Also in the household was Hiram’s unmarried sister, Elizabeth whose occupation in the 1860 US Census was listed as “Lady”. Mary’s occupation was listed as “Companion”, presumably ‘Lady’ Elizabeth’s companion.[14]

A son, Charles Erskine Crosby, was born to Hiram and Mary on July 11, 1860.[15]

The Crosby household, July 1860, just before Charles was born[16]

  • Hiram Crosby, aged 53, Manufacturer, $5000 personal estate
  • Nancy E Crosby, aged 49, Housekeeper
  • Hiram B Crosby, aged 29, [occupation illegible], $8000 real estate, $1000 personal estate
  • Mary Z Crosby, aged 19, Companion
  • Elizabeth Crosby, aged 25, Lady, $300 personal estate
  • Mary Mahony, aged 34, Domestic, born in Ireland

Footnotes & Sources

  1. [1] A history of the class of 1854 in Dartmouth college, including Col. Haskell's narrative of the battle of Gettysburg, edited by Henry A. Hazen and S. Lewis B. Speare; Boston: Alfred Mudge & Son, Printers, No. 24 Franklin Street; 1898; page 18. https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/100476707
  2. [2] 1840 U.S. census, Lyme, New London, Connecticut, population schedule, page 85, Hiram Crosby, enumerated 26 July 1840; imaged, “1840 United States Federal Census,” Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/8057/images/4411219_00176?pId=1538097 : accessed 10 September 2025). And 1850 U.S. census, Norwich, New London, Connecticut, population schedule, page 104a, Henry M. Gardiner; imaged, “1850 United States Federal Census,” Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/8054/images/4181038-00210?pId=18289736 : accessed 10 September 2025). The Crosby family were in the Gardiner's household. And Genealogical and biographical record of New London County, Connecticut : containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens and genealogical records of many of the early settled families (Chicago: J.H. Beers & Co., 1905), page 885.
  3. [3] Catalogue of the Kappa Kappa Kappa Society of Dartmouth College, Hanover, N.H.; issued March 1859. Ancestry.com, U.S., School Catalogs, 1765-1935.
  4. [4] Henry A. Hazen and S. Lewis B. Speare, ed., A history of the class of 1854 in Dartmouth college, including Col. Haskell's narrative of the battle of Gettysburg (Boston: Alfred Mudge & Son, Printers, No. 24 Franklin Street, 1898), page 18; digital images, (https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/100476707 : accessed 18 September 2025).
  5. [5] Hazen and Spear, A history of the class of 1854 in Dartmouth college, including Col. Haskell's narrative of the battle of Gettysburg, page 18.
  6. [6] "Norwich Attorneys and Physicians of 1863", Norwich Bullentin (Norwich CT), Tuesday 29 November 1921. https://fultonhistory.com/Fulton.html (accessed 12 October 2025)
  7. [7] Hazen and Spear, A history of the class of 1854 in Dartmouth college, including Col. Haskell's narrative of the battle of Gettysburg, page 18.
  8. [8] Hartford Times (Hartford CT), 10 August 1858, column 5. Nineteenth Century U.S. Newspapers, https://link-gale-com.nehgs.idm.oclc.org/apps/doc/GT3017162136/NCNP?u=mlin_b_nenghist&sid=bookmark-NCNP&pg=2&xid=da61242
  9. [9] Centennial History of Somerset Lodge, No. 34, F. and A.M., of Norwich, Conn., 5795-5895, with additional Masonic information, published by The Lodge, 1896; Record Job Print, Norwich, page 136. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924030290005&seq=9 (accessed 26 Oct 2025) and Annual assembly 1862-1865, Freemasons, Connecticut, Royal and Select Masters Grand Council, 1862 & 1865. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924097840684&seq=1 (accessed 27 Oct 2025)
  10. [10] "Young Men's Lectures", Norwich Morning Bulletin (Norwich CT), Saturday 3 November 1860, page 3. https://www.newspapers.com/image/1227226293/
  11. [11] "Auditor's Report—Expenses of the City of Norwich, for the year ending June 1, 1861: Miscellaneous", Norwich Morning Bulletin (Norwich CT), Monday 17 June 1861, page 3. https://www.newspapers.com/image/1227226978
  12. [12] "Sues H.B. Crosby for Divorce", The Sun (New York), Saturday 18 January 1896, page 8. https://fultonhistory.com/Fulton.html (accessed 16 Sep 2025)
  13. [13] Norwich, Connecticut, City Directory, 1861, p41; Ancestry.com. U.S., City Directories, 1822-1995.
  14. [14] 1860 U.S. census, New London County, Connecticut, population schedule, Norwich, page 878, dwelling 635, family 709, Hiram Crosby; imaged, “1860 United States Federal Census,” Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 9 October 2025).
  15. [15] Connecticut, Births and Christenings, 1649-1906, pages 325-326, image 324 of 941, FamilySearch, https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F77C-FJ2
  16. [16] 1860 U.S. census, New London Co., CT, pop. sch., p. 878, dwell. 635, fam. 709, Hiram Crosby.

10 November 2025

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