John L Crane (1829 - 1863) “Killed in Quantrell Raid”

+4 votes
283 views

John Crane was born on September 30, 1829 in Washington, Berkshire, Massachusetts, United States. His parents were Amos Crane and Fanny Lewis. He died on August 21, 1863 in Lawrence, Douglas, Kansas, United States

We need collaboration with sourcing. Any children? Civil war records?

Note: Married a Mary A. Hill 

Question: Is there a free space of those unionists killed in the raid?

WikiTree profile: John Crane
in Genealogy Help by Andrew Simpier G2G6 Pilot (695k points)
retagged by Andrew Simpier
Is his middle name “Lewis” gravestone just shows the initial as “L”

Marriage source appears to be him but middle initial is “S”

1 Answer

+6 votes
 
Best answer

I didn't find a free space, but here is a website that purports to list the unionists killed in the raid.  It has John Lewis Crane as a member of the Kansas Militia.

http://quantrillsguerrillas.com/en/articles/126-t-charles-edwin-wells.html

FindaGrave has a virtual cemetery:

https://www.findagrave.com/virtual-cemetery/216126?page=1#sr-9693729

by Roger Stong G2G Astronaut (1.4m points)
selected by Andrew Simpier

Look at this website, which has a short biographical note and a picture:

https://blogs.lib.ku.edu/spencer/tag/john-lewis-crane/

Look at page 298 of this book - it describes how John Lewis Crane and George Holt were shot down:

https://www.google.com/books/edition/Quantrill_of_Missouri/8EXN-g2sUPoC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=%22John+Lewis+Crane%22+Quantrill+Raid&pg=PA298&printsec=frontcover

Kansas militia during the U.S. Civil War. I’ll need to research more about his unit. 

Interesting and tragic he died fairly young leaving his widow and most likely children. 

The middle name definitely appears to be “Lewis”

What a treasure. How amazing is this! It even states 

Photographs of two of his siblings and brother-in-law Gurdon Grovenor are also in this collection.”

Also, I look back at that Crane genealogy at page 165:

https://ia600906.us.archive.org/27/items/genealogyofcrane02cran/genealogyofcrane02cran.pdf

It reminded me that his mother was Fanny Lewis (which is consistent with the custom of using a maternal surname as the middle name) and did not list any children.  Interestingly, it did say that he was engaged with John Brown in excluding slaveholders from that state.

Here is another piece noting his connection to John Brown and a suggestion for why he may have come to Kansas:

https://www.washington-ma.com/history/History_The_Town_of_Washington_3.pdf

That’s an interesting find! John Brown the famous abolitionist?
Yes.  Look at the article for Washington County.

I will! How exciting! The brothers have my family resemblances on my Gibbs maternal side! It’s like looking into a mirror! laugh 

The 1859 State Census of Lawrence Kansas has him living there with his Luther Crane, which is the name of his younger brother.

https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=KSstatecen&indiv=try&h=2782112

I’m in awe that this side of my family had such interesting abolitionist roots and history. Washington Mass history is interesting respecting this time and events 

Look at page 217 of that Crane genealogy.  Luther married his brother's widow, served in the 2nd Colorado Infantry at Elm Creek, Honey Springs (near and dear to us Oklahomans) and Camden Point.  Wounded and settled in Leadville.

https://ia600906.us.archive.org/27/items/genealogyofcrane02cran/genealogyofcrane02cran.pdf

The boys father was a representative so they definitely had strong beliefs.

Also, he was in Kansas as early as November 29, 1854, when he appears on a Kansas election list in the First District of Lawrence.

https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=4099&h=206&tid=72577570&pid=30259024948&queryId=0528ae1bb1f6bbd9c8d4bc5efdd15f0a&usePUB=true&_phsrc=qcN43870&_phstart=successSource

P.S. Your family has what I like about my paternal side and all colonial families.  They spread and are involved in all kinds of American history.

I definitely feel like I’m in a time machine with this family group the photos and locations history. How odd laugh lots to digest in this circle 

Related questions

+5 votes
1 answer
+3 votes
0 answers
+4 votes
1 answer
222 views asked Dec 27, 2021 in Genealogy Help by Andrew Simpier G2G6 Pilot (695k points)

WikiTree  ~  About  ~  Help Help  ~  Search Person Search  ~  Surname:

disclaimer - terms - copyright

...