Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 03.djvu/44

15, 1813. to Mary, daughter of Nathan and Catherine Hammett of Newport. She died, Nov. 24, 1857. Their son, William Henry Cranston, was mayor of Newport for nine years and died Oct. 10. 1871, Henry Y. Cranston died in Newport. R.I., Feb. V2. 1804.

CRANSTON, John, governor of Rhode Island, was supposed to have been born in England about 1626. He was a son of James Cranston, chaplain to Charles I. By special act of the general assembly of Rhode Island, March 1, 1664, he was permitted " to administer phisicke and practice chirurgy." He was a soldier and lawyer, holding the rank of major-general in King Philip's war. He was attorney-general, 1654-56, deputy governor, 1672, 1676 and 1677. and governor, 1678-80. He died March 12. 1680.

CRANSTON, Robert Bennie, representative, was born in Newport. R. I., Jan. 14,1791; son of Peleg and Elizabeth Cranston and brother of Henry Young Cranston. He was a collector of internal revenue, .sheriff of Newport, and a Whig representative in the 25th, 26th. 27th and 30th congresses, 1837-43 and 1847-49. He engaged in banking, was postmaster of Newport, represented that city in the state legislature and was speaker of the house one term. He was elected major of Newport but declined to serve, and was a presidential elector on the Republican ticket in 1864. At his death one of his bequests was the sum of §70,000 to the poor of Newport "too honest to steal and too proud to beg." He died in Newport, R.I., Jan. 27, 1873.

CRANSTON, Samuel, governor of Rhode Island, was born in Newport, R.I., Aug. 27, 1659; son of Gov. John Cranston. After his marriage with Mary Hart, a granddaughter of Roger Williams, he went to .sea and not having been heard from for a number of years was given up for lost. His wife, supposing her husband dead. accepted an offer of marriage from a Mr. Russell of Boston, and just as the marriage was about to take place the husband returned. In 1698 he was elected governor of Rhode Island, to which office he was re-elected twenty-nine consecutive times. His tombstone at Newport bears this in.scription: "Here lieth the body of Samuel Cranston, Esqr., late governor of this Colony, aged 68 years, and departed this life April 26, A.D. 1727. He was the son of John Cranston, Esq., who also was governor here in 1680. He was descended from the noble Scottish Lord Cranston, and carried in his veins a stream of the ancient Earls of Crawford Bothwell and Tracjuair, having for his grand-father James Cran.ston, Clerk, Chaplain to King Charles the First. His great-grandfather was John Cranston. Esq., of Boal. This last was .son to James Cranston, Esq., which James was son of William, Lord Cranston." He died at Newport, R.I., April 26, 1727.

CRAPO, Henry Howland, governor of Michigan, was born at Dartimouth. Mass., May 24, 1804; son of Jesse and Phebe (Howland) Crapo. His education was acquired chiefly by means of private study. Having made him.self familiar with theoretical land surveying from a book on the subject, he constructed a rude compass and began life as a surveyor. He also taught school in Dartmouth until 1832 when he removed to New Bedford and continued to practise surveying. He held various muinicipal offices, and was prominent in all matters of public interest in that place, before and after its organization as a city. He removed to Flint, Mich., in 1857 and became a successful manufacturer of lumber. In 1862 he was elected mayor of Flint; in 1863-64 he served in the state senate, and in 1864 was elected governor of Michigan, holding the office four years. He was married June 9, 1825, to Mary Ann Slocum of Dartmouth, Mass., and had one son, William Wallace Crapo, and nine daughters. He died at Flint, Midi.. July 22, 1869.

CRAPO, William Wallace, representative, was born at Dartmouth Mass., May 16, 1830; son of Henry Howland and Mary Ann (Slocum) Crapo. He attended the public schools of New Bedford, and Phillips Andover academy, and was graduated at Yale college in 1852. He studied An image should appear at this position in the text. law in the office of John H. Clifford at New Bedford, and at Harvard law school, and was admitted to the bar in February 1855. He was city solicitor of New Bedford, 1856-68. His first political speeches were made in behalf of John C. Fremont, in 1856. He was a representative in the Massachusetts legislature, 1856, and in 1857 declined a nomination to the state senate. He was a Republican representative in the 44th, 45th, 40th and 47th congresses, 1875-83, declining renomination in 1882. In the 47th congress, as chairman of the committee on banking and currency, he urged the passage of the bill for extending the charters of the national banks. He was several times an unsuccessful candidate for governor of Massachusetts. He was president of the Flint and Pere Marquette railroad; president of the New Bedford institute for savings; President of the Wamsutta mills; one of the