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- THE CONTINUING BIOGRAPHY OF E.P. CROSSEN
Ernest Perc (EP) Crossen is the colorful and urbane patriarch of the many descendants of Thomas Crossen, Sr., who came to the Cobourg area of Ontario from Comber, County Down, Ireland, about 1830 to farm. Now retired in Washington, D.C., Perc has had a distinguished career in Canadian and U.S. Investment counselling. Although he downplays his military activity, he also served with distinction as a fighter pilot in the Royal Flying Corps in World War I and as an administrative officer of the U.S.A.F. in World War II.
Born 18 March 1894 on a rented farm near Sonya, Ontario, Perc broke away from the Crossen family tradition of farming. Recognizing his potential and drive, the principal of Lindsay Collegiate allowed him to enter studies there although work on the 200-acre Sunderland farm of his father, Robert John Crossen, had prevented him from getting full matriculation qualifications. Perc later entered Victoria College in Toronto to study classics following some well meaning advice whose validity he soon questioned. World War I had broken out and he signed up for training as a pilot in the Royal Flying Corps, then recruiting in Canada.
During World War I, Canadians made up about one quarter of the flying personnel of the RFC and 40 per cent of its strength on the Western Front. Like many other Canadians recruited, Perc took what little flying instruction he had in England, soloing in a fragile, kite-like Maurice Farman "Shorthorn" biplane after only four hours instruction. He crash-landed it safely, the first of several other crashes he had in the combat duties he was rushed off to in France.
In about 300 days of action Perc Crossen is credited with shooting down three enemy planes and two observation balloons. The combat reports of his exploits are part of the official records kept by the Canadian Government. His contribution is also recorded in CANADIAN AIRMEN AND THE FIRST WORLD WAR: THE OFFICIAL HISTORY OF THE ROYAL CANADIAN AIR FORCE by S.F. Wise (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1981).
On one offensive patrol, for instance, an anti-aircraft fragment pierced Perc’s wing fuel-tank and lodged in the engine. The offending piece of shrapnel is one of his many operational souvenirs, which also include a piece of fabric from the Fokker triplane flown by Captain Manfred von Richthofen, shot down by another Canadian airman after the Red Baron had downed dozens of Allied aircraft. Ironically, Perc obtained this particular "souvenir" 21 April 1918 when he had to make an emergency landing at Bertangles Aerdrome, Somme, France, and found the Fokker had crash-landed with a dead German inside just before him. This was at the time the Germans were making their big push towards the Somme near Amiens and control of the air over the battlefield was vital. After another crash landing, again luckily behind his own lines, Perc was officially reported missing, believed dead. A welcome cable, countering the first tragic news, reached his family the day after the first.
Perc Crossen was sent to Ireland on rest leave just before the Armistice. He was only a few miles from "Crossen Hill" in Comber, County Down, where his Crossen Irish ancestors had farmed for generations. Specifically he was at an estate named Bally Edmond at Killowen and his hostess was a Lady Nugent with her family. For the young man raised on hard work on a farm in Ontario who had just gone through the hell of aerial combat of the Battle of the Somme it was veritable heaven. Perc did not know at this time it was from this area his people had emigrated to Cobourg, Ontario, in the early 1800’s to seek a better living.
Returning to Victoria College after peace came, Perc got his B.A. in 1921, being granted a year because of was service. He then went out to Macklin, Saskatchewan, to teach in a comprehensive, one-room, country school to earn enough money to continue his education. This was accomplished by postgraduate business studies at Harvard and Columbia in the U.S.A. to get his Master’s degree from Columbia in 1925 and other qualifications leading to a Ph.D.
Perc then taught at the Brookings State College, Brookings, South Dakota. It was there he met his wife, the former Lela Skinner, and they were married in Toronto 16 April 1928 where they lived and worked for several years. It had been on a visit to Toronto Perc saw an advertisement by the Bongard and Company for a head for their Statistics Department. Perc continued with Bongard for three and one half years, then moved to Chicago to work in the investment house of Standard and Poors. Later he became a supervisory investment counsellor with the Chicago Title & Trust Company. He retired 1 April 1959 and moved to California, first to Los Altos then to Rancho Bernardo, San Diego.
During World War II, Perc Crossen took time out from his business career to act as chief of the foreign installations section of the U.S.A.F. in Washington, D.C, with the rank of major in the Office of the Assistant Chief of Air Staff. He was cited for commendation by Robt. A. Lovett, then Assistant Secretary of War for Air.
Perc Crossen has one sister living, Wynn, born 28 September 1897, in Riverdale Hospital, Toronto. Three other sisters were Etta Retta (Willmot) 188?-1975), Marion Janet Crossen (1889-1980), and Pearly Juanita Crossen (1891-1974), all of Toronto, and Olive Mary (Ziegler) (1887-1977), of Kichener, Ontario. Perc’s brother, Almer Crossen (1884-1938), remained farming with their father, Robert John Crossen (1857-1938), on the family farm at Sunderland when Perc left. Robert John, who was a volunteer cafalry [sic] man in the Canadian militia, and Perc’s mother, Maria Grace, nee Buckingham (1857-1937), both staunch Presbyterians, were strong influences on Perc. Robert John, born on the family farm north of Cobourg of his father, Thomas Crossen, Jr., was the youngest son, so he left the area to settle near Sunderland after having rented and operated several farms in the district. The original Crossen farm north of Cobourg in Northumberland County purchased by Thomas Crossen, Sr., was between the 4th and 5th Concessions comprising Lot 17.
Perc and his brother and sisters used to visit this 200-acre farm near Camborne from Sunderland by train when they were young. One feature they remembered in the stone house was a butter-making churn operated by a dog on a treadmill. Perc also remembers visiting the Cobourg home of his cousin, Albert Stott, who was a volunteer fireman. The harness of the horses which pulled the fire waggon [sic] were stored above the horses in the stalls so they could be easily put on when the alarm was sounded. Perc’s aunt, Lizzie Crossen, was extremely tall and he can recall small boys asking her how the weather was up there.
Margaret Marie Crossen, daughter of Perc and Lee, was born 29 September 1930 in Toronto. Always interested in merchandising, she became a retail store assistant buyer for a large department store in San Francisco. Here she met and married Wallace S. Hutcheon, Jr., who is now a Commander in the U.S. Naval Reserve, Retired. Doctor Hutcheon is presently head of the Department of History at Northern Virginia Community College, Annandale, Virginia. He is author of ROBERT FULTON: PIONEER OF UNDERSEA WARFARE. Thanks to the Hutcheons, Perc and Lee Crossen have two gradndaughters [sic], Dorothy Lee, born 7 July 1964 and Hillary Ann born 14 April 1967. Dorothy is now a student at the University of Virginia and Hillary is in high school. Perc and Lee Crossen live at 9717 St. Andrew’s Drive, Fairfax, Virginia 22030, close to the grandchildren, daughter, and son-in-law, whom they see frequently.
From Ross Willmot, October 1982
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1894 - 1993 (99 years)
. Margaret Marie CROSSEN, b. 29 Sep 1930, Toronto, Ontario 
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