Hans Crocker was born in Dublin, Ireland, on June 11, 1815. He immigrated with his parents to the United States, and lived his early years in Utica, New York. Later he studied law in the office of Butterfield & Collins, Chicago. In 1836 Crocker moved to Milwaukee to be editor of the Milwaukee Advertiser, but remained with the newspaper only a few months. He practiced law from November 1836 to 1844 as a member of the law firm of Wells. Crocker & Finch until 1839 and in partnership with John H. Tweedy until 1844. Crocker was judge advocate general in 1838, with the rank of colonel in the Wisconsin Territorial Guard; he was attorney for the Wisconsin Marine and Fire Insurance Company directed by George Smith and Alexander Mitchell. Crocker and Mitchell developed close professional and personal ties, and together they participated in many investments, especially railroad ventures.
Crocker was active in the economic life of Milwaukee and Wisconsin, encouraging the development of public improvements, such as the construction of canals, railroads, and a harbor at Milwaukee. This interest was reflected in the appointments he received and the positions he held: canal commissioner (1839); secretary to the River and Harbor Convention held in Chicago (1847); president of the Milwaukee Board of Trade (1850); director of the Milwaukee and Watertown Plank Road and president of the Lake Hydraulic Company (1852); director of the Milwaukee and Mississippi Railroad and president of the Milwaukee Gas and Light Company (1853); commissioner reporting on the Fox River Valley Railroad (1856); receiver for the Portage and La Crosse Division of the Milwaukee and Mississippi Railroad (1857); vice-president of the Milwaukee and Prairie du Chien Railroad (1858); and receiver for all divisions of the railroad (1860).
Crocker also was active in politics and remained a staunch Democrat throughout his career. He was private secretary to Wisconsin's first territorial governor, Henry Dodge, in 1836, vice-president and president of the Milwaukee Lyceum (1839-40), member of the Territorial Council for two terms (1842-44), and principal author of Milwaukee's new City Charter (1852). In 1852 he was elected mayor of Milwaukee and served one term (1853). Crocker was married to Augusta Potter on March 21, 1844. He died on March 16, 1889.
