Charles Crane (1928)

CRANE, MILLER, ILGENFRITZ

Posted By: Treva Patterson
Date: 8/26/2007 at 16:24:24

The Winterset Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
Thursday, March 15, 1928

Death of Charles Crane

Dexter, March 20, Special-Charles Crane, the oldest resident of Dexter, died Friday March 16, at his home after an extended illness. He was over 93 years of age and had been a resident of Penn township and Dexter since the Civil War. Mr. Crane was born in Vermont and was graduated from a Vermont college. He lived in Texas before coming to this country.

Mr. Crane's first wife died in the 70's. To them were born four children, two of whom survive, Mrs. Homer Miller of Des Moines and G. A. Crane of Dexter. His second wife, who is 85 years of age is still living but she is in poor health. Two of their children survive Mr. Crane, Ralph Crane of Dexter and Ernest Crane of Seattle, Washington.

The deceased was a member of the Masonic lodge and was the oldest Master Mason in the state. He belonged to the Presbyterian church and was an elder in that church for years. Funeral services were held at Dexter Tuesday, March 20th and burial was made in the Dexter cemetery.

Mr. Crane has a granddaughter residing in Winterset, Mrs. H. F. Ilgenfritz.
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From Dexter Library Obituary Collection
Dexter, Iowa

Charles Crane was born in Williamstown, Vt., Nov. 20, 1834, and departed this life at his home in Dexter March 16, 1928, aged 93 years, three months and 26 days.

Mr. Crane’s boyhood was spent on a farm which had been purchased from the government by his grandfather and where his own father was born and lived until his death.

He entered the University of Vermont in 1855 and graduated with the class of 1859. He was a member of the Delta Psi fraternity and during his last year in college was made a Master Mason, being raised to the sublime degree in Washington Lodge, No. 3, at Burlington, Vt., in July of 1859.

Soon after his graduation, Mr. Crane went to the state of Texas where he was principal of the preparatory department of Aranama College for Boys in the town of Goliad. He served in this capacity until 1863. He was admitted to the bar for the practice of law in 1862.

During the last year of the Civil War Mr. Crane served with the Confederate Army, he holding the place of assistant adjutant general. Noteworthy in his military experience was his single-handed subduing of the Galveston, Texas, military hospital mutiny.

Mr. Crane had been married to Susan M. Blair of Goliad, Texas, on Dec. 25, 1860, she passing to the other world in 1874.

In 1867 he came to Penn township, Madison county, Iowa, residing on the farm until 1876 when he moved into Dexter, engaging in the mercantile business. On April 6, 1876 he was married to Achsah A. Marshall of Bluffton, Ohio.

Four children preceded him in death: Mary Patton, Charles Blair, Carrie Lois, and Carroll Frederick. He is survived by his widow and the following children: Mrs. Ansel G. Royce of Beaumont, Calif., Mrs. Homer R. Miller of Des Moines, George A. of Dexter, Ralph M. of Holstein, Ernest B. of Seattle, Wash. Beside these are ten grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren.

He was a life-long member of the Presbyterian church, and had been affiliated with the Dexter Presbyterian church from the date of its organization.

The funeral services were held from the Presbyterian church in Dexter on Tuesday afternoon, March 20, and the interment was made in the Dexter Cemetery.

Link to Gravestone Photo
 

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