Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 03.djvu/56

mon and Anna (Watson) Cresson. He engaged in mercantile business and amassed a fortune, from which he gave liberally to various charitable institutions. lie devoted much money and time to the plan of establishing colonies of American negroes in Africa, and was president of the colonization society for a time, and the agent of that society in New England, 1838-39; in the south, 1839—10; and in Great Britain in 1840-12 and 1850-53. He divided among various charitable objects S$122,000, and gave land valued at $30,000 to provide a "Home for superannuated merchants and gentlemen." He died in Philadelphia. Pa., Feb. 20. 1854.

CRESSON, John Chapman, educator, was born in Philadelphia. Pa., March 16, 1806; son of Joseph and Mercy (Chapman), grandson of the Rev James and Sarah (Hooton) Cresson, and of Dr. John Chapman, representative in the 45th congress; great-grandson of John and Rebecca and great² grandson of Solomon and Anna (Watson) Cresson who came from France to America early in the 17th century. On his mother's side he descended from John Chapman who settled in Pennsylvania in 1684 and was one of the principal surveyors for William Penn. He attended the Friends' academy, Philadelphia, and began the study of medicine which he abandoned to become an agriculturist. He attended lectures on the subject at the University of Pennsylvania, and also studied practical agriculture. He was married in May, 1827, to Letitia Louisa, daughter of Charles Massey, and engaged in farming in Cheltenham, Pa., until 1834, when he removed to Philadelphia. He was elected superintendent of the Philadelphia gas works in 1836, and engineer soon after. He became a member of the Franklin institute in 1831, was professor of mechanics and natural philosophy in the Institute, 1837-05, and president from 1855. He was also professor of mechanics and natural philosophy in the City high school for two years. He was for several years manager of the Schuylkill navigation company; was president of the Mine Hill and Schuylkill Haven railroad company, 1847-76; an original commissioner and later chief engineer of Fairmount park; a trustee of the University of Pennsylvania, 1852-76; a manager and vice-president of the Pennsylvania institution for the instruction of the blind; a manager of the Episcopal hospital, and prominently identified with many charitable, religious and educational institutions. He was elected a member of the American philosophical society in 1839, and was a vice-president, 1857-76. He received the degree of A.M. from the University of Pennsylvania in 1844, and that of PhD from the University of Lewisburg in 1846. He died in Philadelphia. Jan 27. 1876.

CRESWELL, John Angel James, senator, was born in Port Deposit, Md., Nov. 18, 1828. He was graduated at Dickinson college in 1848 with the highest honors of his class and was admitted to the Baltimore bar in 1850. He was a member of the Wliig party and on its dissolution he acted with the Democrats and was a delegate to the Democratic national convention of 1856. When the issue arose between the free and slave states he became a pronounced Union man and used his influence in his state to prevent its secession. In November, 1861, he was elected a representative from Cecil county in the Maryland legislature, and in 1862-63 was adjutant-general of the state. He represented Maryland in the 38th U.S. congress, 1863-65, and in an eloquent speech before that body advocated the abolition of slavery. In 1865 the legislature of Maryland elected him a United States senator to fill the unexpired term of Thomas H. Hicks, deceased. In the senate he was appointed to deliver the eulogy upon the life of Henry Winter Davis who had been his colleague in the 38th congress. He was a delegate to the Republican national convention at Baltimore in 1864; in 1866 was a member of the Loyalists' convention at Philadelphia, Pa., in 1867 of the Border States convention at Baltimore, and in 1868 of the Republican national convention at Chicago. He opposed the administration of President Johnson and was one of the first in congress to advocate the impeachment measures. In 1868 he was elected secretary of the U.S. senate but declined, the office. Upon the accession of Gen. U. S. Grant to the presidency, March 4, 1869, he appointed Mr. Creswell postmaster-general. On June 22, 1874, the President appointed him counsel for the United States in the court of commissioners sitting on the Alabama claims and thereupon he resigned his portfolio in the cabinet to accept the position and served as counsel until Dec. 21, 1876. When disaster overtook the Freedman's saving and trust company, Mr. Creswell was appointed one of the commissioners to close up the business of the concern. He was president of the Citizens' national bank of Washington, D.C., and vice-president of the National bank of Elkton. Dickinson college gave him the honorary degree of LL. D. in 1871. He died in Elkton. Md., Dec. 23, 1891.

CRETIN, Joseph, R.C. bishop, was born in Montluel, department l'Ain, France, Dec. 10, 1799. He made his theological studies in the seminary of St. Sulpice, Paris, where he received tonsure in 1820, minor orders Nov. 24, 1821, was made deacon, May 1, 1823, and was ordained, Dec. 20, 1H23, by Mgr. Devie. On July 1, 1S31, he was nominated Cure de Ferney. He decided to devote himself to foreign mission work, and