Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 2).djvu/22

2 church in Montgomery, Ala., from 1839 till 1842, and iifterward pastor of various other churches in Missisippi and Texas. He has been president of Mississippi female college, of Semple Broadus college, of Mount Lebanon college, and of Baylor university, Independence, Texas, to which he was called in 18(53, retaining the place till his death. Upon the removal, in 1»85, of the names of Baylor university and Baylor female college to Waco and Belton, respectively, the property, buildings, etc., were left at Independence, and were thenceforth called " Crane college " in honor of Dr. Crane. He was regarded as one of the ablest and most scholarly divines of his denomination. He was the author of "Literary Discourses," a "Life of Sam Houston," and other works.

CRANE, William Montgomery, naval officer, b. in Elizabethtown, N. J., 1 Feb., 1776; d. in Washington, 18 March, 1846. He was a son of Gen. William Crane, an officer in the Revolutionary army, who was wounded at Quebec, and died in 1814. William Montgomery entered the navy as a midshipman in 1709, became lieutenant in 1803, commander in 1813, and captain, 22 Nov., 1814. While in command of the brig "Vixen" he distinguished himself in the attack on Tripoli. He was in the "Chesapeake" when she was attacked by the "Leopard." In July, 1812, while in command of the brig "Nautilus," he was captured by the frigate "Southampton," and, on being exchanged, was ordered to the lakes, where, in command of the "Madison" and "Pike," in Chauncey's squadron, he served until the end of the war. In 1827, in the flag-ship "Delaware," he commanded the Mediterranean squadron, acting as joint commissioner with Mr. Olfley, U. S. consul at Smyrna, to open negotiations with the Ottoman government. He was appointed navy commissioner in 1841, and in 1842 chief of the bureau of ordnance and hydrography. He died by his own hand.

CRANFIELD, Edward, governor of New Hampshire, d. in England in 1704. He was selected by Robert Mason to become governor of New Hampshire in 1682, and gave up lucrative employment in England with hopes of bettering his fortune. In the administration of his office he was exceedingly arbitrary, and in his greed for money he attempted to tax the people without their consent. This action was strongly resented, and complaints referred to the board of trade were decided against him. Associations were formed for mutual support in resisting the collection of illegal taxes. At Exeter, the collector was driven off with clubs, and farmers' wives threatened to scald the officer if he should attempt to attach property in the house. Gov. Cranfield forbade the usual exercise of church discipline, and, in his efforts to intimidate the clergy, prosecuted, condemned, and imprisoned the Rev. Joshua Moody. Religious worship was almost entirely broken up in the colony. In 1685 he returned to England, and afterward became collector of Barbadoes.

CRANSTON, Henry Young, lawyer, b. in Newport, R. I., 9 Oct.. 1789 ; d. there, 12 Eeb., 1864. He received a limited education, and after following a trade, studied law, and in 1809 was admitted to the bar. Prom 1818 till 1833 he was clerk of the court of common pleas, and he was a member of the state conventions held for framing and improving the constitution of Rhode Island. He was a member of the state legislature from 1827 till 1843, and was repeatedly elected its presiding officer. Subsequently he was sent to congress and served from 4 Dec, 1843, till 3 March, 1847, after which he was again a member of the state legislature and for three years its speaker. He retired from public life in 1854, but continued his residence in Newport until his death. — His brother, Robert Bennie, b. in Newport, R. I., 14 Jan., 1791; d. there, 27 Jan., 1873, received a public-school education and later was employed in the collection of internal revenue. For a time he was sheriff of Newport, and then was elected as a whig to congress, serving from 4 Sept., 1837, till 3 March, 1843. He was a banker for several years, was postmaster, and a member of the state legislature, serving. for one term as speaker. Subsequently he was sent to congress as a "law-and-order whig," and served from 6 Dec, 1847, till 3 March, 1849. Later he was elected mayor of Newport, but declined the office. He bequeathed $75,000 to those poor of Newport "who are too honest to steal and too proud to beg."

CRANSTON, John, president of Rhode Island, d. 12 March, 1080. He appears to have had some knowledge of law, and was for many years attorney-general of the colony, first holding this office under Nicholas Easton in 1654. In 1672 he became deputy-governor, and continued in that capacity until his election as governor in 1678, in which office he remained until his death. During King Philip's war he was selected to command all the militia of the colony, and he was the first that ever held the rank of major-general in the colony.—His son, Samuel, president of Rhode Island, d. in 1727. He became governor in 1698, and was thirty times successively chosen to that place, holding the office until his death. Gov. Cranston held his place probably longer than any other man that has ever been subjected to the test of an annual election. He also held the highest military office that it was possible to occupy in the colony, and his great firmness in times of unexampled trial is said to have been the cause of his great popularity and successful administrations.

CRAPO, Henry Howland, governor, b. in Dartmouth, Mass., 24 May, 1804; d. in Flint, Mich., 23 July, 1869. He early removed to New Bedford, where he resided until 1857, when he settled in Michigan. For many years he was extensively engaged in the manufacture and sale of lumber, and also held important political offices. He was elected mayor of Flint, subsequently served in the state senate, and was twice chosen governor of the state, holding that office from 1864 till 1868. During the civil war he rendered important services to the cause of the Union.

CRAVEN, Charles, colonist, d. in 1754. He was secretary of the proprietors of South Carolina, and governor of the colony from 1712 till 1716. During 1712 he was ordered to sound Port Royal river, and it is supposed that he then founded Beaufort. Three years later all of the Indians from Cape Fear to St. Mary's river combined under the leadership of the Yemassees for the purpose of destroying the colony on Ashley river. Gov. Craven at once proclaimed martial law, laid an embargo on all ships to prevent the departure of men or provisions, and at the head of 1,200 men, part of whom were faithful blacks, met the Indians in a series of desperate encounters and finally drove them beyond the Savannah.

CRAVEN, Thomas Tingey, naval officer, b. in Washington, D. C., 30 Dec., 1808; d. in Boston, Mass., 23 Aug., 1887. He was the oldest son of Tunis Craven, of the U. S. navy, and his wife, Hannah Tingey, daughter of Com. Thomas Tingey, also of the U. S. navy. Young Craven attended school until 1822, when he entered the navy, and from 1823 till 1828 served in the Pacific squadron