Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 03.djvu/66

 C-KO.Ml'TON

CROOK

faoturinp: looms for weaving fancy oassimere, in 1849. In l«ol he esUiblislietl in Worcester. Mas.s., the Crompton loom works and devoted himself to improving his father's looms, taking out more than fifty separate patents for improvements in the working of the looms and eight pat- ents for textile fabrics. He received the highest awards at various exhibitions and his improvements added sixty per cent to the producing capa- city and sjtved fifty i>er cent in the labor and more than that in the repairs of the looms. Mr. Crompton was married, Jan. 9, 1853, to Mary Christina, daughter of Charles Pratt of Cork, Ireland, and his sons, Charles, George and Ran-

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dolph, with their mother, succeeded on his death to the business, which was incorjKjrated in 1888 as the Crompton loom works. Mrs. Crompton died Dec. 17, 189"). Mr. Crompton died in Worcfster,:Mass.. Dec. 29, 1886.

CROMPTON, William, inventor, was born in Preston, England, Sept. 10, 1806. He was a hand loom cotton weaver and a skilled machin- ist, and while superintending the cotton mills at Ilfimsbottom he greatly imjjroved the cotton looms in u.se. He immigrated to America in 1830, and while employed in the mills at Taunton, Mass., invented a loom for the manufacture of fancy cotton cloths which he iiatented in 1837. Among other improvements this machine raised and lowered the warp simultaneously, being the first fancy loom to do so. and thereby making more room for the shuttle. He patented his loom in England in 1838 and returned to Taun- ton with his family in 1839. He adapted his

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loom to work on woolens in 1840 and it came into general use in the United States and England, lie dird in Windsor, Conn., May 1, 1891.

CROOK, George, soldier, was born near Day- ton, Ohio, Sept. 8, 1828. He was graduated from the United States military academy in 1852 and \vas assigned to the 4th U.S. infantry as brevet 2d lieutenant, serving in California, 1852-61. He commanded the Pitt river expedition in 1857 and in one of the several engagements was se- verely wounded hy an Indian arrow. His pro- motion to the rank of 1st lieutenant was re- ceived in 1856, and to that of captain in 1860. He was ordered east and in 1861 was made colonel of the 36th Ohio volunteer infantry. He commanded a brigade in western and was wounded at the affray at Lewisburg. He then engaged against the army of northern Virginia and at the battle of Antietam he won promotion to the brevet rank of lieutenant-colonel, U.S. army. He was in command of the 2d cavalry division, army of the Cumberland, 1863, and after the battle of Chickamauga, in which he was con- spicuous, he pursued Wlieeler's cavalry, driving it across the Tennessee into Alabama. In 1864 he was transferred to the command of the mili- tary district of West Virginia, won the battle of Cloyd's Mountain, May 9, 1864, and later in the year joined Sheridan and aided him in the Shenandoah campaign. He received for his services brevets as brigadier and major-general in the U.S. army, March 13, 1865. He commanded the cavalry of the army of the Potomac in Marcli and April, 1865, directing the operations at Din- widdie C.H., April 1, Jetersville, April 5, Sailor's Creek, Ai)ril 6, and Farmville, April 7. After the surrender, April 9, he was placed in com- mand of Wilmington, N.C., and in January. 1866, was mustered out of the volunteer service. He was commissioned lieutenant-colonel of the 23d U.S. infantry, July 28, 1866, and actively operated against hostile Indians in Idaho until 1872, when he was sent to Arizona to quell an Indian insurrection. He sent a message to the Indians, warning them that if they did not re- turn to their reservations they would be exter- minated. They refused to heed the warning and Crook engaged them at Tonto Basin, capturing their stronghold. This exploit put an end to their rebellion and in 1875 General Crook was ordered to W'yoming where he defeated the