Years in parentheses are years of service as a Director of The Bank of Delaware County and/or The Delaware County National Bank

Robert Peirce Crosby (1816-30), son of John and Ann (Peirce) Crosby, was born at Crosby Place (the residence of the late John C. Leiper), Ridley township, June 7, 1789. After his marriage in 1810, he resided in the dwelling on Edgmont avenue above Twenty-second street, now the home of William B. Harvey, Esq., and operated the quarries on Ridley creek, from which he supplied large quantities of stone used in erecting the Delaware Breakwater. His shallops, in descending and ascending the creek, were propelled by long poles.

"A bend in the stream, known as the 'horseshoe,' lengthened the poling required, much to the disgust of Crosby's workmen. By cutting it off, a long distance could be saved, the bend being so peculiar that it came back to near the place it started from. So one dark stormy night, a large force of quarrymen, with shovels, picks, horses and carts, and plenty of whiskey, went to work and in the morning had a channel, shortening the distance to the Delaware for the upper quarry (Crosby's) quite a quarter of a mile, but leaving the McIlvain quarry some distance from the creek. This was thought a good joke, and the new channel was attributed to the storm, but everybody suspected who did it."

Robert P. Crosby served as vestryman of St. Paul's Church, Chester, from 1819 to 1832, a period of more than thirteen years. He died September 9,1832, aged 43 years. The late Admiral Peirce Crosby was his son. 

[Obituary]