Mr. McCrory was a Civil War Veteran and prisoner of war at both Libbey and Andersonville. He survived the Sultana disaster of April 1865 north of Memphis on the Mississippi River. At first reported dead, his return home was such a shock his wife soon died. He remarried a couple of years later and became a successful farmer and oil man. He died of a stroke.∼From The History of Wood Co, Ohio - Lewis W. McCrory was only a year old when his parents removed to Wood County. He was educated in the district schools near his home, and in the usual manner of farmer lads, was reared to manhood. He was married in Portage Township, February 10, 1856, to Caroline Lucy Gorton, a native of Bloom Township, whose parents came from Rhode Island to Wood County at an early day. They began their domestic life on a farm of twenty acres of wild land in Liberty Township, and Mr. McCrory continued its cultivation until June 9, 1862, when he enlisted at Portage, in Company A, 100th Ohio Volunteer Infantry. Soon after the regiment went to the front, and was assigned to the Army of the Cumberland. He participated in the important battles of the campaign of that year, and September 8, 1863, at the battle of Limestone Station, was captured by the enemy and conveyed to Lynchburg, whence he was afterword, first taken to Libby Prison, then to Belle Isle, lastly to Castle Thunder; he was at the last two on two different occasions, and March 13, 1864, was conveyed to Andersonville, where he remained until March 27, 1865, until April 24, he was at Vicksburg, and on April 27th, he was put on board the "Sultana". When the vessel was within seven miles of Memphis, the boilers exploded, and 1,700 men lost their lives. Mr. McCrory clung to the wreck for hours, but it finally took fire, and he was obliged to let go his hold. He was also in the water nine hours before he reached the shore, and narrowly escaped drowning. At length he was taken to Memphis in a boat, from there to Cairo, Illinois, on the steamer "Silver Spring" and was discharged at Columbus, Ohio, May 21, 1865.

In the meantime, the news of the terrible disaster spread northward, and Mrs. McCrory was told that her husband was dead. When he appeared before her alive and well, the shock was too great for her, and caused her death seven days later. Their children were; Melissa, born December 10, 1856, the wife of George Gorton, of Providence, R.I., Silas Augustus, who was born October 13, 1858; Francis Imogene, born September 6, 1860, wife of William George of Liberty Township; and Lewis Lafayette, born August 5, 1862, now of North Baltimore, Ohio. Mr. MrCrory was again married, this time on March 11, 1866 to Julia A. Taylor, who was born November 7, 1840, in Ashland County, Ohio, a daughter of David and Eliza (Myers) Taylor. They have always lived on their present farm, Mr. McCrory having in the fall of 1865 sold his first purchase, having bought eighty acres in section 25, Liberty Township. They have four children; Florence May, born January 20, 1867, wife of E. C. Marvin, of Liberty Township; Mary Gertrude, born September 30, 1868, died November 10, 1883; Tryphena, born December 25, 1870, died January 27, 1874; Delia May, born February 4, 1874, now the wife of Albert Roberts, Liberty Township.

In his business interests, Mr. McCrory has prospered, and is known as a man of unquestioned integrity and honorable dealing, his success being well merited. He has greatly improved his place, and has recently erected upon it a handsome residence, wherein hospitality reigns supreme. In politics he is a stanch Prohibitionist, and in religious faith he is an active member in the Disciples Church, in which he is serving as Deacon. Since the fall of 1874, he has also been a member of the Whitney Lodge, No. 589, I.O.O.F., of Portage.

His son Silas A. McCrory died in 1947 and is buried in South Heights Cemetery, Sapulpa, Creek Co, Oklahoma.