Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 03.djvu/37

 CRAMP

CRANCH

wood, and steel for iron, in the construction of the navies of the world. In the progress wit- nessed in the United States navy, Mr. Cramp built the iron-clads of 1862-65, and the early U.S. cruisers of the civil war. These were followed in 1887 and subsequent years by the gunboat

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Torktoion, the torpedo-boat Vesuvius, the cruisers Baltimore, Philadelphia, Neioark, New York, Colum- hia, Minneapolis, and Brooklyn, and the battle- ships Indiana, 3Iassachnsetts, loioa, Alabama and Maine. In 1898 he visited Russia and received a contract to build a first-class battle-ship and a cruiser of high speed. In the management of the industry founded by his father, Mr. Cramp was assisted by his sons, the establishment being under their control.

CRAMP, William, ship-builder, was born in Kensington, then a suburb of Philadelphia, Pa., in September, 1807, his ancestors having been among the earliest settlers on the Delaware river, in Pennsylvania. In his youth he received a thorough English education and studied naval architecture with Samuel Grice, then at the head of that profession in America. In 1830 he estab- lished a shipyard of his own in Kensington, and a few years later removed' his plant to a more favorable situation a short distance up the river. As his sons grew up they became his part- ners and in 1860 the establishment became known as " William Cramp & Sons. ' ' The concern rapidh' ex- panded its business to „, -^ include the building iS iX ^ * of engines, and the

use of iron as struc- tural material of ves- sels. Their first naval vessel of any consider- able importance was the broadside iron- completed for the United in 1863. During the civil war "William Cramp & Sons built other war ves- sels, both iron-clads and gunboats, together with

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clad Xew Ironsides, States government

the first-class cruiser Chattanooga. Between 1870 and 1873 they built the four iron steamships for the American line known as the Feiinsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, to ply between Phila- delphia and Liverpool. William Cramp con- tinued at the head of the industry which he had founded until shortly before his death, which occurred at Atlantic City, N.J., July 6, 1879.

CRANCH, Christopher Pearse, painter, was born in Alexandria, Va., March 8, 1813; son of William and Anne (Greenleaf) Cranch; and grandson of Richard and Mary (Smith) Cranch. Christopher was graduated at Columbian col- lege, D.C., in 1831, and at Harvard divinity school in 1835. He became a close friend of Ralph Waldo Emerson. After preaching seven years he relinquished the pul- pit to study art. He spent the years 1846- 49 in Italy, then opened a studio in New York, where he remained. 1849-53, and lived and painted in Paris and Italy, 1853-63. He was

elected a National academician on ■ liis return to the United States in 1864, and later a member of the Water -color society, and contributed to

both exhibitions until 1872, when he removed to Cambridge, Mass., and laid aside his brush almost altogether, devoting his time chiefly to writing. He spent the years 1880-82 in Europe, and resided in New York city, 1882-84. He was married in 1843 to Elizabeth De Windt, daughter of John Peter and Caroline Amelia (Smith) De Windt of Fishkill, N.Y., and grand- daughter of Col. William Smith, aide-de-camp to General Washington. Besides numerous con- tributions to the leading periodicals, he is the author of: Poems (1844) ; Tlie Last of the Hugger- muggers (1856) ; a translation of the JEneid into English blank verse (1872) ; Kohboltozo (1857) ; Satan ; a Libretto (1874) ; Bird and the Bell and Other Poems (1875) ; Ariel and Caliban and Other Poems (1886) ; and A Memorial of Eobert Browning (1890). Among his paintings are : October After- noon (1867) ; Washington Oak, opposite Newburg, N.Y. (1868) ; Val de Maline Amalfi (1869) ; Eoman Citizen (1870) ; Xeajwlitan Fisherman (1870) ; Venice (1870) ; Venetian Fishing Boats (1871). He died in Cambridge, Mass., Jan. 20, 1892.

CRANCH, William, jurist, was born in Wey- mouth, Mass., July 17, 1769; son of Richard and Marv (Smith) Cranch. His mother was a sister

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