Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 2).djvu/42

22 CROWELL, William, journalist, b. in Middle- field, Mass., in 1806 ; d. in Flanders, N. J., 19 Aug., 1871. After receiving an academical educa- tion, he entered the Baptist ministry, and was jsas- tor for some years at Waterville, Me. He took charge, in 1838, of the " Christian Watchman," the principal Baptist paper in New England, to which he had previously been a large contributor, and conducted it with ability till its consolidation with the " Christian Reflector " in 1848. He then edited the " Western Watchman," in St. Louis, for several years, and during the civil war was pas- tor of a church in central Illinois. Rochester university gave him the degree of D. D. in 1857. Dr. Crowell was the author of " The Church-Mem- ber's Manual of Ecclesiastical Principles " ; " The Church-Member's Hand-Book " (Boston, 1850) ; a " History of Baptist Literature for Fifty Years," for the missionary jubilee volume, and several Sunday-school books.

CROWNINSHIELD, Jacob, congressman, b. in Salem, Mass., 31 March, 1770; d. in Washing- ton, D. C, 14 April, 1808. He was educated for a merchant, and at one time he and three of his brothers were in command of vessels in the India trade. He was a member of the Massachusetts legislature in 1801, and elected to congress, serving from 1803 till 1805. He was appointed secretary of the navy by President Jefferson on 3 March,- 1805, but never entered upon his duties, owing to his rapid decline and death, the result of consump- tion. — Jacob's brother, Benjamin Williams, sec- retary of the navy, b. in Boston, Mass., 27 Dec, 1773 ; d. there, 3 Feb., 1851, received an English education, and engaged in business in Salem, Mass. He was a state senator in 1811, and on 17 Dec, 1814, appointed secretary of the navy by President Madison. He held the same office in Monroe's cabinet, and resigned in November, 1818. He was a presidential elector in 1820, again a state senator in 1822-'3, and then elected to con- gress as a democrat from the Salem district, serv- ing from 1 Dec, 1823, till 3 March, 1831. He was a candidate for re-election in 1830, but defeated by Rufus Choate. — His grandson, Arrant Schuy- ler, naval officer, b. in New York state, 14 March, 1843, was graduated at the U. S. naval academy in 1863. He was attached to the steam sloop " Ti- conderoga," and participated in both attacks on Fort Fisher, being commended for his efficiency by Capt. Charles Steedman. He was made lieutenant, 10 Nov., 1866, lieutenant-commander, 10 March, 1868, and commander, 25 March, 1880. He is a member of the naval advisory board in New York city. — Benjamin Williams's grandson, Fred- eric, artist, b. in Boston, Mass., 27 Nov., 1845, was graduated at Harvard in 1866, and began the study of water-color drawing in London in 1867 under Rowbotham, devoting himself to landscape-paint- ing in water-colors and in oil. He passed eleven consecutive years in Europe, most of the time in Italy, and studied his profession chiefly under Couture, though he was for one term in the Paris ecole des beaux arts, under Cabanel. At this time he took up figure-painting. His first woi'k exhibited in public was an allegorical portrait group sent to the Paris salon of 1878. His water- colors are much admired. After his return to this country he became, in 1879, instructor in the art school connected with the Museum of fine arts in Boston, and remained there till 1885. He has lately devoted the greater part of his time to mural painting, and to stained glass.

CROXTON, John Thomas, soldier, b. in Bour- bon county, Ky., 20 Nov., 1837; d. in La Paz, Bolivia, 16 April, 1874. He was graduated at Yale in 1857, studied law in Georgetown, Ky., was admitted to the liar in 1858, and began jiractice in Paris, Ky., in August, 1859. Two years later he was active in the movement for raising Union troops, and went to the front in June, 1861, as lieutenant-colonel of the 4th Kentucky infantry. In jMarch, 1862, he succeeded to tlie command of the regiment, and in August, 1864, was commis- sioned brigadier-general. Soon afterward he was brevetted major-general. He participated in the battles of Sherman's army, and at the close of the war was put in command of the military district of southwest Georgia, with headquarters at Macon. In December, 1865, he resigned his commission and returned to Kentucky, where he resumed the practice of law, residing on his farm near Paris. Two or three years later he was active in estab- lishing the " Louisville Commercial " as a repub- lican journal. His exposure during the war and subsequent overwork had greatly impaired his health, and in 1873 he accepted the office of U. S. minister to Bolivia, in the expectation of benefit to his health from it ; but it was too late.

CROZER, John Price, manufacturer, b. in Springfield, Delaware co.. Pa., 13 Jan., 1793 ; d. in Upland, Pa., 11 March. 1866. In the manufacture of cotton goods he made an ample fortune, which he largely devoted to philanthropic purposes. In 1858 he erected at LTpland, Pa., at a cost of $45,- 000, a building intended for general education, but which he subsequently gave to the Baptists for a theological seminary. In honor of him as a founder, this institution was called the Crozer theological seminary. His widow and children have endowed it with contributions amounting to $275,000. Mr. Crozer made other large gifts to the cause of education, the American Baj^tist pub- lication society, and humane institutions.

CROZET, Clande, educator, b. in France ; d. in 1863. He was educated at the Polytechnic school in Paris, and liecame an officer of artillery under Napoleon I. He came to the United States in 1816, and on 1 Oct. was appointed assistant professor of engineering at the U. S. military academy at West Point, and on 6 March, 1817, professor. He resigned in 1823, and thereafter acted as a civil engineer.

CRUCE, or CRUZ, Francisco de la, author, b. in Granada, Spain, about 16OO ; d. in Potosi, Peru, in 1660. He was a Dominican, and held offices in San Juan Bautista, Peru. He founded the College of Santo Tomas in Lima, and was its professor of theology. He was a voluminous writer, both on theological and political subjects. His works in- clude " Historia del Rosario a Coros" (Alcala, 1652) ; " Discursus pro Occidentalibus " (Lima, 1653): "Cursus Artium" (SevilJa, 1655): and " ilanifiesta obligacion del Vasallo" (Lima and Madrid, 1656).

CRUFT, Charles, soldier, b. in Indiana; d. in Terre Haute, Ind., 23 March, 1883. He was com- missioned an officer of volunteers from Indiana, 16 July, 1862, and became a major-general of volun- teers, 5 March, 1865. He served with credit through- out the war, and specially distinguished himself in the battles that were fought near Richmond, Ky., 29 and 30 Aug., 1862, having command of a bri- gade under Gen. Mahlon D. Manson.

CRUGER, John, colonial mayor of New York, b. there 18 July, 1710; d. 27 Dec, 1792. He early turned his attention to trade, and became eminent as a shipping merchant. Like his father, who was mayor from 1739 till 1744, lie filled important political offices. In 1 754 he was chosen alderman of the dock ward, and from 1756 till 1765 was mayor.