Samuel F. Crossett was born January 07, 1857 to Liberty and Lydia Ann (Boyden) Crossett in Genesco, Henry
County, Illinois. He learned the telegraphy trade at Abingdon, Illinois, where he started his railroading career
with the Chicago Burlington & Quincy railroad in 1875. In the same year he arrived at the Chicago Burlington &
Quincy depot in Wyanet and worked with David T. Nichols for two years. He then went to Aledo, Illinois as an
employee of the Chicago Rock Island & Pacific railroad and was the station agent for almost two years. In 1879,
shortly after the death of station agent James Crawford in December of 1878, he returned to Wyanet to work
at the Chicago Rock Island & Pacific - Chicago Burlington & Quincy Junction.
He met Phoebe Ella Penney, the daughter of Theadore M. and Marcia A. (Valentine) Penney while she was living
at the Tiskilwa House in 1878. She was born July 21, 1860 in Andover, Henry County, Illinois.
They were married at the Tiskilwa House on August 20, 1879. Of that marriage five children were born,
Samuel Raymond, May 22, 1880, Mabel Ethel, December 23, 1883, Ina Belle, March 26, 1886,
William L, July 1888 and Ethel Lucille, November 04, 1894.
Theadore M. Penney was killed in action on November 16, 1863 in the siege of Knoxville, Tennessee. He enlisted
August 12, 1862 in the 112th Regiment Illinois Infantry, Company D. The 112th was organized on August 12, 1862
in Galva, Illinois. One of the chairmen of the Regiment was James M. Hosford of Genesco, Illinois.
Marcia A. Penney remarried on December 30, 1869 to Erastus P. Boyden in Henry County, Illinois.
Samuel spent the majority of his time at the Junction, excluding two years at Harvey Illinois. After the
Junction burned down on February 04, 1910, he was relocated to the Pond Creek station until his retirement
from the Chicago Rock Island & Pacific railroad on January 31, 1927.
Phoebe Ella Penney died on December 17, 1920 and is buried in Forest Hill Cemetery in Wyanet, Illinois.
Samuel F. Crossett remained in Wyanet until his death on December 04, 1932 and is buried along with his wife
at Forest Hill Cemetery.
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