Schuh’s Annotated Bio-Bibliography


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CROSS, Roselle Theodore.

(1844 – 1924)

(Born: Richville, New York, U.S.A., 21 August 1844; Died: Denver, Colorado, USA, 1924) American theologian & mineralogist.

Cross graduated from Oberlin College in 1867, and studied theology at Union Theological Seminary and Andover. Oberlin and York Colleges both awarded him the Doctor of Divinity degree. He assumed the pastorate of a church in Hamilton, New York where he served from 1874-1876. In 1876, Cross came to Colorado at the request of the Home Mission Board to discover the reasons for the short pastorates of young men who came to the west. He became the first pastor of the Congregational church in Colorado Springs who was not directly involved with Colorado College. He served in that position for five years. He founded the short-lived The Congregational News in 1879. After Colorado Springs, he became pastor of the Congregational church in West Denver, followed by Minneapolis, York, Nebraska, Eugene, Oregon before returning to Denver. While pastoring in Colorado Springs he organized a group of boys into an exploring association. The group is credited with the discovery of the "Cave of the Winds" in 1880.

Biographical references: Hafen, L.R., Colorado and its People. New York, 1948. Pearl, R.M., Colorado Gem Trails and Mineral Guide. Third edition, revised. Chicago, 1972: p. 22.

1. English, 1887.
Clear as Crystal. | [rule] | A Series Of Talks To Children On The Crystal, Given | In The West Denver Congregational Church In | Denver, Colorado, During 1886 And 1887. | [rule] | By Rev. R.T. Cross, | Author of Home Duties. | [rule] | Fleming H. Revell. | [to left, 2 lines:] Chicago: | 148 And 150 Madison Street, | [in center, 2 rules] | [to right, 2 lines:] New York: 148 And 150 Nassau Street. | Publisher of Evangelical Literature.

8°: [i]-iii (i.e., viii), 9-206, [2] p.

Very scarce. The text consists of 49 chapters that describe various crystals and their properties as an entree to speak of God to children. It is based on talks and sermons given in The West Denver Congregational Church in 1886-'87 and includes anecdotes of the authors mineral collecting experiences in the West. The last page contains Rev. Cross' advertisement to sell at reasonable prices a collection of "clear, smokey, opaque..." quartz crystals from the Rocky Mountains and elsewhere.

Bibliographical references: Sinkankas, Gemology Bibliography, 1993: no. 1501.

2. English, 1903.
Crystals and Gold | [rule] | By | R. T. Cross | Author of Home Duties, | Clear as Crystal, etc. | [rule] | Copyright 1903 by Roselle Theodore Cross. | [rule] | The Nebraska Newspaper Union, | Printers and Binders, York, Nebraska.

8°: [1]-192 p., frontispiece (portrait of Cross).

Very scarce. The text, written in 18 chapters, provides an early account of mineral collecting in St. Lawrence County, New York, the Black Hills of South Dakota and the mountains of Colorado.

Bibliographical references: Pearl, R.M., Colorado Gem Trails and Mineral Guide. Third edition, revised. Chicago, 1972: p. 22. Sinkankas, Gemology Bibliography, 1993: no. 1502.

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