William C. Crain
Encyclopedia
William Cullen Crain was an American physician and politician.
.
He entered his father's office as a student of medicine, and practiced for about two years. Then he gave up the practice of medicine, and occupieded himself with agriculture, his landed interests in Warren being considerable.
In 1826, he married Perses Narina Tunnicliff, daughter of William Tunnicliff, and granddaughter of the Count George Ernst August von Ranzau, an officer on the staff of the Friedrich Adolf Riedesel, and author of the interesting Journal of Burgoyne
's Expedition contained in the archives of the general staff at Berlin
. Their sons were Dunham Jones Crain
(1831–1908) and Dr. William Baker Crain (d. 1907).
Crain was politically a Democrat of the Jeffersonian school. He was a member from Herkimer County of the New York State Assembly
in 1832, 1845 and 1846, and was Speaker
in 1846.
He was Sheriff of Herkimer County from 1840 to 1843. In 1852, he was a presidential elector on the Democratic ticket, voting for Franklin Pierce
.
In 1860, he ran unsuccessfully for Lieutenant Governor of New York
. He was many times a delegate to Democratic National Convention
s, and often represented his party in state conventions.
New York County D.A. Thomas C. T. Crain
was his grandson.
Life
His father was Rufus Crain, a physician, a judge of the Court of Common Pleas for sixteen years, and a near relative of General Israel PutnamIsrael Putnam
Israel Putnam was an American army general and Freemason who fought with distinction at the Battle of Bunker Hill during the American Revolutionary War...
.
He entered his father's office as a student of medicine, and practiced for about two years. Then he gave up the practice of medicine, and occupieded himself with agriculture, his landed interests in Warren being considerable.
In 1826, he married Perses Narina Tunnicliff, daughter of William Tunnicliff, and granddaughter of the Count George Ernst August von Ranzau, an officer on the staff of the Friedrich Adolf Riedesel, and author of the interesting Journal of Burgoyne
Burgoyne
Burgoyne may refer to:People named "Burgoyne":*Burgoyne Diller , American abstract painter*Mike Burgoyne , Canadian ice hockey player*Hugh Talbot Burgoyne , Irish captain of the Royal Navy, son of John Fox Burgoyne...
's Expedition contained in the archives of the general staff at Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
. Their sons were Dunham Jones Crain
Dunham Jones Crain
Dunham Jones Crain was an American politician and diplomat from New York.-Biography:...
(1831–1908) and Dr. William Baker Crain (d. 1907).
Crain was politically a Democrat of the Jeffersonian school. He was a member from Herkimer County of the New York State Assembly
New York State Assembly
The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature. The Assembly is composed of 150 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 128,652...
in 1832, 1845 and 1846, and was Speaker
Speaker of the New York State Assembly
The Speaker of the New York State Assembly is the highest official in the New York State Assembly, customarily elected from the ranks of the majority party....
in 1846.
He was Sheriff of Herkimer County from 1840 to 1843. In 1852, he was a presidential elector on the Democratic ticket, voting for Franklin Pierce
Franklin Pierce
Franklin Pierce was the 14th President of the United States and is the only President from New Hampshire. Pierce was a Democrat and a "doughface" who served in the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate. Pierce took part in the Mexican-American War and became a brigadier general in the Army...
.
In 1860, he ran unsuccessfully for Lieutenant Governor of New York
Lieutenant Governor of New York
The Lieutenant Governor of New York is a constitutional office in the executive branch of the government of New York State. It is the second highest ranking official in state government. The lieutenant governor is elected on a ticket with the governor for a four year term...
. He was many times a delegate to Democratic National Convention
Democratic National Convention
The Democratic National Convention is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1832 by the United States Democratic Party. They have been administered by the Democratic National Committee since the 1852 national convention...
s, and often represented his party in state conventions.
New York County D.A. Thomas C. T. Crain
Thomas C. T. Crain
Thomas Crowell Taylor Crain was an American lawyer and politician from New York. He was New York County District Attorney from 1930 to 1933.-Biography:...
was his grandson.
Sources
- http://www.rootsweb.com/~nyherkim/warren/richfieldvicinity.html Bio at Rootsweb
- http://cjrc.osu.edu/hvd/dbfiles/herkimerco/Herkimer%20County%20Murders.pdf Herkimer County Crimes listing county officials
- http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9D06E4DD1E30E233A25753C1A9659C946697D6CF Obit of his son, in NYT on March 10, 1907
- The New York Civil List compiled by Franklin Benjamin Hough, Stephen C. Hutchins and Edgar Albert Werner (1867; page 579)