What started out as dream has turned into the first work of Huntingdon author Bob Hileman. He always wanted to be an author and thanks to letters he received from his aunt, Hileman compiled them into a book about Colonel James Crowther, an early Tyrone leader.
“This is something I have wanted to do for a very long time,” said Hileman. “I have spent 35 years as an accountant. It was great to have the opportunity to do something I like. I was very fortunate to have such an interesting story come to me. I learned a lot of interesting aspects about the life of Col. Crowther in researching the book.”
Colonel James Crowther was the great-great uncle of Hileman and he was an early leader in Tyrone. In 1855, Crowther purchased a lot on where now the Tyrone Moose Lodge is located on. Crowther’s wife and daughter were charter members of the First Presbyterian Church joining the congregation in 1857.
Hileman received 35 letters written by Crowther to his wife throughout their married life. The letters span their early days of marriage to his time on the battlefield of the Civil War.
“I have always been a student of the Civil War,” said Hileman. “This really made for a happy experience being able to write about something I enjoyed.”
Crowther began his military service in 1958 when he was commissioned as a first lieutenant of the Tyrone Artillery of the Pennsylvania Militia. When the Tyrone Cavalry was formed in 1959, Crowther was promoted to captain.
He was elected the borough’s third burgess in 1860. He served until he was called to duty in April of 1861 when he was called to service in the Civil War.
“Back then, the colonel was a pioneer in work force diversity,” said Hileman. “The unit that was formed, the 110th Regiment, was five companies from the Tyrone and Huntingdon areas and five companies of city Irishmen. You learn that people can do exceptional things. As you read through the book, Crowther’s leadership in battle came from what he learned in Tyrone.”
Since the book has been published, Hileman has received good response.
“As a historian of the Civil War and particularly of this regiment, I am thrilled at Hileman’s efforts,” said Andy Waskie, Ph.D, Temple University faculty in a press release from Hileman’s publisher. “The book will materially aid my and other scholars’ attempts to interpret the Civil War and educate the public about the service of its veterans.”
“I am very happy with the response I have received,” said Hileman. “This book is something I had put off for many years, but once I got started it took a year and a half to write. I am hoping to have the next installment finished this summer.”
The book takes you from Crowther’s early days of marriage through his death on the battlefield of Chancellorsville. It takes you through some of the early days of Tyrone and it shows the bravery of battle.
“It was very exciting to get into the story,” said Hileman. “I enjoyed getting into the details, talking to the people here in Tyrone and other sources to find out the things going on behind the letters. Finding out the background of Col. Crowther. You will read about how his character carried through. You see the kind of person that he became in Tyrone and how it made him a leader of the regiment.”
Hileman is hoping his literary efforts are a springboard for something positive in Tyrone.
“Tyrone hasn’t had many good things happen lately,” said Hileman. “Maybe after reading the book, there could possibly be a Col. James Crowther Day in Tyrone. I hope that after reading the book, people will learn about Tyrone and its part in history.”
Hileman will be signing his book, “The Crowther Letters Family, Companions and Rebels” tomorrow at I-99 Antiques on Pennsylvania Avenue.
“I am looking forward to meeting the people of Tyrone today,” said Hileman. “I am very happy to share the experiences of the life of this early Tyrone leader with the people of Tyrone today.”
