Lorenzo Crosby, born on the 23rd of Feb. 1876 in Hebron, Washington County, Utah, was the fourth child of George Henry Crosby and Sarah Hannah Brown. Lorenzo was ten years old when his family moved by wagon to Arizona. His early years of schooling were in Eagar and St Johns.

Lorenzo or "Ren " as he was called married Mary Ann "Mollie" Wiltbank on the 8th of December 1896 in Eagar, Arizona. The next year they took the honeymoon trail to the St George Temple. The honeymoon trail was a hazardous 400 mile wagon trip through rivers, barren plateaus, and steep canyons. They braved the difficult terrain, including the perilous Lee's Ferry crossing of the Little Colorado River near the mouth of Grand Canyon, to get to the temple for their endowments and the sealing of their marriage for time and all eternity.

Ren and Mollie lived on at ranch on Black River above Eagar at what is now known as Crosby Crossing. It was here that they started in the cattle business with the brands REN and MLY.They also had a small store where they sold their own butter and cheese and a few staples.

One day the Smith gang stopped to buy supplies and Ren recognized the horses which they had stolen fresh in Nutrioso. the outlaw gang had robbed a bank in Holbrook and was headed up Black River. They threatened Ren's life if he told of their whereabouts. However, Uncle Hy said that Ren immediately rode into Nutrioso for the Maxwells and other posse members who trailed the outlaws resulting in a gun battle and arresting the outlaws who were then imprisoned. They vowed to kill Ren.

Lorenzo and Mollie had three children: Hannah born in Eagar, George Ellis born at the Crosby Crossing ranch on Black River, and Lester Lorenzo born in Greer. When George was just two years old his father was called to the LDS Southern States Mission where he became president of the Virginia Conference. He kept a journal of the mission work which shows his love of the Lord and his devotion to building the kingdom.

Tragically, Elder Crosby was shot when returning from his mission, The Smith gang, released from prison, shot him in the sleeping car of the train at Kansas City and gave out the story that he had committed suicide. His body was brought home for burial at Eagar Arizona in Feb 1904.
Mollie's, father, Ellis Whitney Wiltbank, lived at Greer where he had a sawmill. He moved Mollie and the children there and built them a home. Lester Lorenzo died of scarlet fever in 1907. The epidemic was so bad that only the Relief Society president came to help and Mollie took her child by herself on horseback to bury him. In 1908, Mollie married John Thomas Butler.
Re: Lorenzo's descendants - Hannah married Rulon Stephen Kimball and had three daughters.
George Ellis married Florence Leoma Greer and had five sons and two daughters

This life sketch contributed by his granddaughter,
Sylvia C Clegg

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