C. W. CRAMER

CRAMER

Posted By: Jake Tornholm (email)
Date: 4/21/2020 at 11:22:42

C. W. CRAMER, proprietor of “Shade land,” section 28, Jasper township (postoffice Corning), was born March 16, 1845, in Clermont county, Ohio, near Cincinnati, a son of Joseph Cramer, a Pennsylvania German, who served in the war of 1812. His wife’s name before marriage was Elizabeth Binkley, and she was a native of Pennsylvania. They lived in Clermont county, Ohio, until their death, the father dying at the age of seventy-one years; he was a farmer all his 'life; was an active Republican and a zealous Methodist, being steward, class-leader, etc., in that religious body. They had twelve sons and two daughters; six of the sons served in the late war, one of whom, Alexander, died in Libby prison, after he had been confined there nine months. He was a member of the Second Ohio Volunteer Infantry.

Mr. C. W. Cramer, the eighth born in the above family, was reared to farm life. In August, 1861, at the age of sixteen years, he enlisted in Company C, Second Ohio Infantry Volunteers, and served over three years, taking an active part in the battles of Stoneriver, Nashville, Chickamauga, Chattanooga, Lookout Mountain (under General Thomas), Missionary Ridge, Perryville, Crab Orchard, etc. At Missionary Ridge he was wounded, losing the middle finger of his left hand from a buck shot. This confined him to the hospital at Nashville, at Camp Dennison,
Ohio, and still later with the Invalid Corps at Washington, District of Columbia. August 22, 1864, he was honorably discharged at Washington, and he returned to Clermont county, Ohio.

In 1865 he went to Knox county, Illinois, near Galesburg, where he made his home until March, 1886, when he came to Adams county, and settled upon his present farm. It had been entered from the Government by Isaac Mather, and afterward owned by W. Stahl. There are 240 acres in the place— good land and well improved, and here Mr. Cramer devotes his attention to the rearing of short-horn cattle and Chester white hogs. He has spent much time and money in obtaining the best specimens of cattle, and he now has a herd second to none "in the county. His swine he received from Cleveland, Ohio—the best that money can obtain. He has a fine frame house, modern style, 28 x 32 feet and two stories high, surrounded with tastefully arranged ornamental trees and shrubs, an orchard of four acres, barn 30x56 feet, with stone basement, and other barns and miscellaneous buildings in sufficient number and conveniently arranged. “Shadeland” is a beautiful place. In reference to national questions Mr. Cramer is a Republican, and he is a member of Llewellyn Post, G. A. R. Both himself and wife were brought up as Methodists in religion.

He was married in October, 1867, in Knox county, Illinois, to Miss Elizabeth Mather, daughter of Isaac Mather and a native of Connecticut, of an old New England family. Her mother before marriage was Mary Ann Faulkner, born in Virginia. Her parents died in Knox county, Illinois. Mr. and Mrs. Cramer have seven children, namely: Emory, who lives in Knox county, Illinois; Lewis, at home; Jerry, in Knox county; Marion, Nettie, Lettie and Martha.