Wykoff’s Last Civil War Veteran

September is Wykoff month on Roots & Riddles as we celebrate the town’s 150th birthday—and we’re starting with one of its most remarkable early residents.

Robert Crowell came to the Wykoff area in the 1850s, built a log cabin, and later enlisted in Company K of the 6th Minnesota Infantry. He served under General Sibley, saw action during the U.S.-Dakota War, and later campaigned in the South during the Civil War.

By the time he died at age 95, Crowell was remembered as the oldest Civil War veteran in Fillmore County and the last surviving veteran in Wykoff. His family’s military service stretched across generations—from the Revolutionary War and War of 1812 to the Spanish-American War and World War I.

In this episode, Preston and Lenora look back at the life of Robert Crowell, one of Wykoff’s earliest settlers, and the extraordinary military legacy carried through his family.

🎉 All September long, Roots & Riddles will be featuring stories from Wykoff in honor of the town’s 150th birthday.