Andrew S. Crotzer, one of the most enterprising business men of Lena, is junior member of the firm of Crotzer Bros. The brothers make a good company, both possessing rare business abilities and dealing in that fair and impartial manner which has secured them the confidence and esteem of their fellow-citizens.

Our subject was born in the town of Salona, Clinton Co., Pa., Feb. 27, 1846, and is a scion of one of the most influential families of that region. His grandfather, Solomon Crotzer, also a native of the Keystone State, but of German parentage, spent his entire life in the region of his birth, but during the early settlement of Stephenson County, visited Illinois, the journey being performed overland. Upon his return he was taken fatally ill and died before reaching home. His son, George W., the father of our subject, who was born in Pennsylvania, after reaching manhood selected a wife among the maidens of the vicinity, and after his marriage remained for awhile in Clinton County, but a few years later purchased a tannery in the town of Salona, which he operated until 1857. At that time he had decided to make his future home in the West, and disposing of his property in Pennsylvania, started for Illinois. Fifty miles of the journey were performed by team and the balance by rail. After reaching this county George Crotzer rented a tract of land in West Point Township until 1866. In the spring of that year he crossed the Father of Waters and going into Kansas purchased 120 acres of partially improved land in Jefferson County, where he engaged in farming and stock-raising and which has since been his home. He prospered from the start and is now the owner of 400 acres under good cultivation. The mother of our subject, who in her girlhood was Miss Mary Lower, was a native of Clinton County, Pa., and the daughter of William Lower, who was born in Pennsylvania and was of German ancestry, the ancient patronymic being Lohr. George and Mary Crotzer became the parents of six children: Mary E., the wife of Reuben Lower, lives in Montgomery County, Iowa; William H. is written of elsewhere in this volume; Carrie, Andrew S. and Franklin Luther, are residents of Lena; Emma died in 1870, when an interesting girl of eighteen years.

The subject of this sketch, the fourth child of his parents, was eleven years of age when they came to Illinois. He had received his first schooling in his native town, and after coming into this county pursued his studies during the winter and assisted his father and brothers on the farm in summer. Upon the outbreak of the Rebellion he enlisted as a Union soldier in Co. E, 92d Ill. Mtd. Inf., under Gen. Kilpatrick. The regiment was afterward detailed for duty with Sherman's command at Chattanooga, where they joined the great General in his march from Atlanta to the sea, and participated in all the engagements of that rapid and brilliant campaign. Our subject, who was then but twenty-two years of age, endured bravely and uncomplainingly the hardships of army life and received his honorable discharge at the close. This proved a rich experience to him, which he values above all others in his life. In traveling through the South he gained a good knowledge of its customs and its people, and traveled over an extent of territory which probably he would not have traversed had it not been that his duty led him thither. After returning from the army and visiting at the old home a few weeks, he began to lay his plans for the future. In the spring of 1866, accompanied by his brother Luther, he started with a four-horse team for Kansas, which journey occupied them three weeks. After arriving in that State he worked upon his father's land there three years and then rented the land until 1873. In the spring of that year he returned to Lena, where he had already secured an interest in a stock of hardware, and in connection with this business in June following began to deal in lumber, becoming a member of the firm of Stover, Steckle & Co. Soon afterward, however, he and his brother purchased the interest of the partners, and since that time the business has been conducted under the firm name of Crotzer Bros.

The marriage of Andrew S. Crotzer and Miss Maggie Seckler was celebrated at the home of the bride's parents Nov. 15, 1877. Mrs. Crotzer is a native of Montour County, Pa., and the daughter of Rev. Joseph and Mary (Hartzel) Seckler, whose biography appears elsewhere in this ALBUM. Mr. and Mrs. Crotzer are the happy parents of two bright daughters: Mary, born May 4, 1879, and Ada, born Jan. 5, 1881. They are members and regular attendants of the English Lutheran Church, in which Mr. Crotzer ahs held various important offices, being Deacon, Treasurer and Librarian, and attending as a delegate of the Northern Synod of Illinois and the United States Synod at Harrisburg, in 1885. He has occupied the various township offices and was a member of the Board of Supervisors from West Point in 1884. He is a strong temperance man, Republican in politics, and interested in everything pertaining to the welfare of his community. The handsome and substantial family residence is pleasantly located on Schuyler street, and was built in 1881. It is a large modern structure, fitted up with all the conveniences of the present day, and in its furnishing and finishing indicates the refined tastes and ample means of the proprietor. The grounds around are generous in extent and planted with choice shade trees and shrubbery, the whole forming one of the attractive features of the residence part of the city.

Contributed by Carol Parrish from Portrait and Biographical Album of Stephenson County, Ill. (1888), p. 409