Page 99 - La Société canadienne d'histoire de l'Église catholique - Rapport 1961

REPORT ON THE PICTURE GALLERY. 95

ten years residence in Illinois, he held successively the military
offices of Adjutant, Inspector General, and Colonel.
He removed, in 1827, to Wisconsin, and engaged in the min- '.
ing business, having devoted all the previous part of his life to
the occupation of farming. During that year he acted as
Sergeant in Capt. ABNER FIELD'S company of Illinois volun-
teer riflemen, and embarked at Galena for Prairie du Chien;
but this Winnebago difficulty soon blew over. In the Black
Hawk war of 1832, he served first in the capacity of second
Lieutenant at Fort Defiance, and subsequently as captain of the
fifth mounted volunteer company under Gen. DODGE, during the
war, and took part in the battles of Pekatonica and Wisconsin
Heights.
In 1836, he was elected a member of the first Territorial
Legislature of Wisconsin, which first met at Belmont, and sub-
.sequently held two additional sessions, in all which he served
his constituents faithfully. In 1841, he was again returned to
the Territorial Legislature, from Iowa county. I11 1849, he was
electNed a member of the State Legislature from La Payette
County; and at different periods of his life, served as Justice of
the Peace, Chairman of the Town and County Board cf Super-
visors. Col. PARPINSOX, in a green and honored old age,
resides on his farm, in La Payette County, five miles from
Mineral Point, where he has lived since 1833. When the great
reveille shall beat to call him to his final home, not a few of his
old surviving pioneer comrades will miss his tall and manly form,
and the benignant expression of his countenance, and long
mourn his departure.
VIII. RAMSAY CROOKS-a name familiarly known wherever
has been read the interesting story of Astoria and Rocky
Mountain adventure by the classic pen of WASEINGTON IRVING.
Mr. CROOKS was born in Greenock, Scotland, Jan. 2d, 1787,
and migrated to America when only slxteen years of age; and
he was for a while employed as junior clerk in the mercantile
house of Maitland, Garden and Auldjo, in Montreal. In 1805,
he engaged in the service of a Mr. GILLESPIE, and proceeded to
the then frontier village of St. Louis, Missouri. His activity

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