Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 2).djvu/29

Rh became assistant surgeon in tlie French navy on 24 Oct., 1868, was attached to the marines at the be- ginning of the war of 1870, became a surgeon of the second class in 1873, gained the cross of the legion of honor in 1870 for devotion to yellow- fever patients in the Salut islands, and, after re- covering from an attack of the disease, ascended Maroni river in French Guiana, explored the Tu- inuc-Humac mountains, and descended the Yari to the Amazon. Pie afterward ascended the Oyapock again, and descended the Payou to the Amazon, and then explored Yapoura river. After a visit to France, Dr. Crevaux returned to South America, made a voyage on the Orinoco, and in 1881 set out from Buenos Ayres with a number of companions to ascend the Paraguay and cross over to the Ama- zon by the Tapajos and the Zingu. The expedi- tion reached the confluence of the Pilaya and Pil- conaayo, and embarked in three boats ; but, in the region of the Teyo, Dr. Crevaux and all his com- panions save two were treacherously murdered by the Tapeti Indians.

CREVECŒUR, Jean Hector St. John de, author, b. in Caen, Normandy, in 1731 ; d. in Sar- celle. near Paris, in 1813. After studying in Eng- land he embarked for America in 1754. He pur- chased an estate near New York, and married the daughter of an American merchant. During the wars of the Revolution his farm was frequently ravaged, and he himself forced to seek safety in flight. In 1780, as his aifairs in Europe required his presence, he obtained permission from the Brit- ish commander to cross the line of the army, and entered New York with one of his sons, from which city he was about to sail. But the unexpected appearance of a French squadron led to his being suspected of having entered New York as a spy, and he was cast into prison. After a detention of three months, he was released by two prominent merchants becoming security for him. He then embarked on a vessel sailing for Dublin, and reached France in 1783. About this time he in- troduced the culture of the American potato into Normandy. He had previously published in Eng- lish his "Letters of an American Farmer." He now translated those letters into French and had them published in Paris. He then returned to New York, where he was appointed French consul. No sooner had he landed, in November, 1783, than he learned that his house had been burned and his farm ravaged by the savages. His wife had died a few weeks before, and he could learn nothing of his children. He discovered them, however, in the charge of an English merchant named Flower, who, through gratitude for Creveeceur's kindness to the English prisoners in Normandy, had, at great risk, rescued them. The appointment of Crevecoeur was agreeable to the American govern- ment, and Washington gave him particular proofs of his esteem. He accompanied Franklin in the journey that the latter took in 1787 to Lancaster to lay the first stone of the college which he had founded. The " Lettres d'un cultivateur Ameri- cain" (3 vols., Paris, 1784) gives an elaborate de- scription of the United States and Canada. It was so laudatory of the climate, productions, etc., that more than five hundred families left France on the faith of Creveeceur's statements, and settled on the Ohio, where most of them perished. He also wrote " La culture des pommes de terre " and " Voyage dans la haute Pensylvanie et dans I'etat de New York " (3 vols., Paris, 1801).

CRIADO DE CASTILLA, Alonso (cre-ah -do day cas-teel'-yah), Spanish governor of Guatemala from 1598 till 1611. During his administration peace and order reigned in every section of the country, as the filibustering expeditions headed by Drake had been successfully repelled before he en- tered office. He founded the town and port of Santo Tomas, on the harbor of Castilla.

CRINNON, Peter Francis, Canadian R. C. bishop, b. in CuUen, county Louth, Ireland, in 1818; d. in Jacksonville, Fla., in 1883. He came to Canada when a boy, and was ordained in To- ronto in 1854. He was then appointed to mission- ary duty in London, Ontario. He erected St. Mary's church in Stratford. He became bishop of Hamilton in 1874. During his administration of the diocese the number of Catholics was doubled.

CRISPIN, Silas, soldier, b. in Pennsylvania about 1830. He was appointed to the U. S, mili- tary academy in 1846, and at graduation ranked third in his class. Assigned to duty at the arsenal at Watervliet, N. Y., he remained there two years, and then served successively at the arsenals at Alleghany, Pa., St. Louis,. Mo., and the Leaven- worth ordnance depot in Kansas. In 1860 he be- came assistant inspector of arsenals. He was pro- moted captain of ordnance, 3 Aug., 1861, and in that grade served through the civil war, having charge of different depots for the ordnance depart- ment. He received successive brevets to include that of colonel in the regular army at the close of the civil war, but did not receive his promotion as major of ordnance until 7 March, 1867. On 14 April, 1875, he was promoted lieutenant-colonel, and colonel, 23 Aug., 1881.

CRITTENDEN, John Jordan, statesman, b. in Woodford countv, Ky., 10 Sept., 1787; d. near Frankfort, Ky., 26 July, 1863. His father served in the war of the Revolution, with the rank of major. The son was graduated at William and Mary college in 1807, and entered upon the prac- tice of the law in his native coun- ty, but after a short time re- moved to Logan county, border- ing on Tennessee, a thinly settled part of the state. In 1809 Gov. Ninian Edwards appointed him attorney -general of the -territory of Illinois. He served for a short time as a volun- teer in the war of 1813, was aide to Gen. Shelby in 1813, and served with Adair and Berry in the Canada campaign. After leaving the array he resumed the practice of his profession, soon attaining a high place at the bar. In 1816 he was elected to the legislature, where he at once took a high rank. The next year he was elected to the U. S. senate, but after three years' service he resigned his seat, and in 1819 took up his residence in Frankfort. Here he soon rose to eminence in the legal profession, especially as a criminal lawyer, and served several terms in the legislature. In 1837 he was appointed by President Adams U. S. district attorney, but, on the accession of Gen. Jackson to the presidency in 1829, he was removed. He was elected again to the U. S. senate in 1835, and served a full term. In the remarkable canvass of