CRANE. CRAPO. 147 In 1849 Mr. Crane was married to Lucy A., daughter of Quincy and Lucy (Loud) Reed of Weymouth. Of this union are five children living: Joshua E., Jr., Charles Reed, Morton E., Henry L., and Annie Howe Crane. Mr. Crane was among the pioneers of the Free Soil party, and was subsequently active in the organization of the Repub- lican party, of which he was a devoted ad- herent. He was elected town clerk and treasurer in 1^56, and for many yeais filled various municipal offices. In 1857 he represented the town in the state Legislature, and was state senator in iS62-'63, serving on com- mittees on mercantile affairs, insurance and claims. He was for several years a member of the Republican state central committee, thirteen years inspector and trustee of the state work-house, and for the greater part of the time chairman of the latter board. For twenty years he was actively con- nected with the Plymouth County Agricul- tural Society, and as trustee and treasurer, did much to further its interests. He also delivered the historical address on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the society. He was the president of the board of trustees of Bridgewater Academy; was for a generation a member of Fellowship Lodge of Masons, and was a charter member of Harmony R. A. Chapter, also a Sir Knight in the Old Colony Commandery of K. T. Mr. Crane's church connections were with the Central Square Congregational society. He was chairman of the building committee when the present edifice was built in 1 86 1. He was interested in the local history of the town, and has been a correspondent and contributor to the various historical socie- ties in his vicinity. A few years since, he wrote the history of his town, that ap- peared in the voluminous history of Plym- outh county. His love of antiquarian re- search was well known, and his collection of ancient books and papers is a museum of historic value. Mr. Crane was for years a press correspondent, and wielded a fer- tile pen when touching the leading ques- tions of the hour. He was one of the original incorporators of the Bridgewater Savings Bank, and had been one of the trustees since its organi- zation. He was one of the incorporators of the Bridgewater Water Company, and took a prominent part in the introduction of the system. CRAPO, William Wallace, son of Henry Howland and Mary (Slocum) Crapo, was born in Dartmouth, Bristol county, May 16, 1830, and was the only son in a family of ten children. He inherited his father's passion for learning, and although his means were limited, he embraced every possible oppor- tunity for study — first in the New Bedford public schools, then at Phillips Academy, Andover, where he prepared for college. He was graduated from Vale — which has since conferred upon him the degree of I L. D. — in the class of 1S52. Choosing law as a profession, he attended the Dane law school, Cambridge, and subsequently WILLIAM W CRAPO. entered the office of Governor Clifford, in New Bedford. In February, 1855, he was admitted to the Bristol bar, and in the following April was elected city solicitor, an office which he continued to hold for twelve consecutive years. Mr. Crapo's first active part in politics was taken about a year after his admission to the bar — at the time of the Fremont and Day- ton campaign. He was an earnest sup- porter of these candidates, and championed them from the stump. He was elected to the House of Representatives in the same year, and when only twenty-seven years
