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Note: Crane) He was born March 3, 1840 in Jackson County, Indiana, and died inVining, Kansas, on Monday, March 18, 1918, 6:10 PM, 78 years, 15 daysold.
He hadn't been enjoying the best of health the past winter, and a cold contracted early in the year developed into pneumonia, which resulted in death. Hisearly childhood was spent in the county of birth, where he was unitedin marriage, March 31, 1861, to Miss Mariam E. Morris. Of childrenborn, six survive, J. A. Crane (my father), of Ada, Oklahoma; Mrs.Clara Seley, Milford, Kansas; Mrs. Ida Worth, Mound Valley, Kansas;Mrs. Dora Wiley, Elgin, Kansas; Victor L. Crane, Wymore, Nebraska;Mrs. Ned Sager, Vining, Kansas.
In the summer of 1862 he answered President Lincoln's second call forVolunteers to put down the rebellion; and enlisted in Company G, 67thInfantry, Volunteer Infantry of the State of Indiana. He served withthe company and regiment with distinction, taking an active part inmany battles and skirmishes and was once captured by the Confederatesduring the Red River expedition, but was exchanged with otherprisoners within a short time.
In 1865 he was honorably discharged at Vicksburg, Mississippi byreason of the close of the war. He returned to his native countyafter receiving his discharge and in a short time emigrated to Kansas - after having formed a favorable opinion ofthe new state while here on a short visit in 1859. He located nearLeonardville (Wallsburg), Kansas, where he homesteaded and livedthere a few years, then moved to Milford in 1895, stayed 3 years andthen again moved to Vining, Kansas, where he made his home until hisdeath.
In 1897 Mrs. Mariam E. Morris Crane passed away. In 1903 he marriedMrs. N. E. Curtis, who, with the children mentioned above and anumber of grandchildren and other relatives survive him.
He was a member of the Baptist Church for 40 years. A devoted studentof the Bible. He took great interest in church work, and attendedservices regularly until his health failed. He was a member of G. A.R. of Clifton, Kansas, and greatly enjoyed mingling with old comradesof the Civil War at different meetings and sessions.
Mr. Crane was well liked and highly respected by all who knew him, anda large circle of friends join with the relatives in mourning forhim. After a brief service conducted by R. E. Fleming, Pastor, at thehome in Vining on Wednesday morning - remains were taken to Milford,Kansas, and service was held in Congregational Church by the Pastorof the church there. Interment was in Milford, Kansas. Note byGranddaughter Adelia Crane - "I believe my Grandfather Crane'sancestors were of the Mohawk Indian Tribe." ****** This similar obituary was printed in "The Times", Clay Center, Kansas,on Thursday, March 28, 1918. John M. Crane was born in JacksonCounty, Indiana, March 3, 1840, and departed this life at his home inVining, Monday, March 18, 1918, at 6:10 O'clock PM. His age, at thetime of his death, was seventy-eight years and fifteen days. Mr.Crane was a patient sufferer for a number of years and during the past winter had been in very poor health, a bad cold, contracted early inthe year, having developed into pneumonia.
Mr. Crane was well known in and about the neighborhoods of Cliftonand Vining and enjoyed the friendship of those among whom he had so long resided.Mr. Crane spent his early childhood in the county of his birth, wherehe was united in marriage on March, 31, 1861, to Miss Mariam E.Morris. Of the children born to that union six survive the parents,namely: J. A. of Ada, Oklahoma; Mrs. Clara Seley of Milford, Kansas;Mrs. Ida Worth of Mound Valley, Kansas; Mrs. Wiley of Elgin, Kansas;Victor L. of Wymore, Nebraska; and Mrs. Ned Sager of Vining.
During the summer of 1862, Mr. Crane answered President Lincoln'ssecond call for volunteers to put down the rebellion and enlisted inCompany G, 67th Indiana Volunteer Infantry. He served with thiscompany and regiment with distinction, taking an active part in manybattles and skirmishes and was once captured by the Confederatesduring the Red River Expedition, but was exchanged with otherprisoners within a short time. In 1865 he was honorably discharged atVicksburg, Mississippi, by reason of the close of the war.
After receiving his discharge he returned to his native county andafter a short time emigrated to Kansas, having formed a favorableopinion of the new state while here on a short visit in 1859. Hefirst located near Leonardville, where he homesteaded and lived for afew years. He then moved to Vining and in 1895 moved to Milford,Kansas. In three years time, however, he removed again to Vining,where he continued to reside until the time of his death.
In 1897 Mrs. Crane passed away and in 1903 he was again married; thistime to Mrs. Nancy Ellen Morrisey Curtis, who, with the childrenmentioned above and a number of grandchildren and other relatives,survive him.
The deceased was a member of the Baptist Church for more than fortyyears and was a devoted student of the Bible, devoting much time toits study. He also took a great interest in church work, attending the services regularly untilfailing health made it impossible for him to do so. He was a memberof the G.A.R. of Clifton and greatly enjoyed mingling with the oldcomrades of the Civil War at their different meetings and sessions.
Mr. Crane was a man well respected by all who knew him and a largecircle of friends join with the relatives in mourning for him. Ashort service was held at the home in Vining last Wednesday afternoon, conducted by Reverand R. E. Fleming, of the Presbyterian Church ofClifton, after which the remains were taken to Milford for burial.Further services were held at the latter place in the Congregational Church,the pastor of the church in charge. Burial was made in the MilfordCemetery. ****** The following article was given to me (Shirley Lindsey Tift) by John's granddaughter, Alice Seley Small. Author: unknown John Meeker Crane was born March 3, 1840, in Jackson County, Indiana.We do not, as of this writing, know the names of his parents, but a recordwritten by his daughter, Clara Belle Crane Seley, states: "I have norecord of my father's parent's births, but his father died June 3,1849, at the age of 40 years, 5 months, 28 days. Cause of death waslung fever. His mother died August 19, 1869, at age 59 years, 9months, 7 days. Her cause of death was typhoid fever." (Handwrittennotation states: "Father's name was Isaac B. Crane and Mother's namewas Minerva Lauraway.")
John would have been 9 years old when his father died. His fatherwould have been born December 5, 1808. His mother would have beenborn November 12, 1809. She would have died three years after Johncame to Kansas, so we believe she stayed in Indiana, and is mostlikely buried by her husband somewhere near Hardenburg and FourCorners, Indiana, in Jackson or Jennings County. We believe that ourAmerican Indian heritage comes from his mother's ancestors, but we have no furtherinformation on them at this time.
John was married to Mariam Elizabeth Morris, daughter of Benjamin andMary Lancaster Morris, on March 31, 1861, at the home of Mariam'sUncle Levi and Jerusha Brown Morris, in Jackson County, Indiana, byMethodist pastor, John F. McClain (or McClane). Their first child, a son, Julian Albert Crane, was born February 9,1862, in Jackson County, Indiana. On August 6, 1862, when they hadbeen married 17 months, and Julian was 6 months old, John enlisted inthe Union Army to fight against slavery in the Civil War. Heenrolled as a Private in Company G, 67th Regiment, Indiana Infantry,at Seymore, Jackson County, Indiana. His enrollment was for 3 years. We can only speculate, but, knowing of the poor conditions of thecamps and their clothing at that time, it is entirely possible thatJohn suffered from frost-bitten feet while at this first camp. We doknow that his army records show that from November 9 through December1862, he was reported as "sick at Seymore, Indiana".
He was sent to New Orleans, Louisiana, in February, 1863, and wasdetailed to the Ambulance Corps, 10th Division on March 15, 1863, asan ambulance drive, on detached service with the Marine U. S. A.General Hospital in New Orleans. He was paid $20.94 for expenses oftransportation from Indianapolis, Indiana, to Memphis, Tennessee, andanother $10.00 to report on to New Orleans.
He, himself, became a patient in Marine U. S. A. General Hospital, inNew Orleans, August 18 until October 5, 1863, when he was released tocontinue ambulance service there. On May 25, 1864, he wastransferred to serve as ambulance driver out of U. S. A. GeneralHospital, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He again became ill, and was apatient in this hospital from May 28 through July 22, 1864.
Upon his release, he was granted a 60 day recuperative furlough bythe Surgeon General, and returned home to his wife and family inJackson County, Indiana, for that period of time. His wife, Mariam,was evidently pregnant when he first left for the Army, as 9 monthslater, on May 12, 1863, their second child, a daughter, Mary Adaline Crane, was born. She was 14 months old when he came home in July of1884.
He returned to his unit in September and on October 28, 1864, he wasassigned as Service Guard at Post Commissary, Vicksburg, Mississippi. He wasadmitted as a patient in McPherson U. S. A. General Hospital,Vicksburg, Mississippi, on November 22, 1864, and remained a patientthrough April 1865.
He was mustered out at Vicksburg with an honorable discharge on May31, 1865. He was paid $25.00 a month while in service, $10.00 fortransportation home on furlough in the fall of 1864, and a $28.00 clothing allowance, in addition to thetransportation money listed earlier. The nature of his sicknesseswere never mentioned in any of his records, and his name was not onany of the Army's admittedly incomplete hospital records. Thisomission and incomplete records were a major cause in the delay, inlater years, of the granting of his Disability Pension.
John returned to Jennings County, near Hardenburg, Indiana, to hiswife and two youngsters. Clara (spelled "Clarah" by her father)Belle Crane was born there on April 20, 1866, eleven months afterJohn's discharge. That summer, month unknown, while Clara was only afew months old, John, with his wife, Mariam; his son, Julian Albert(age 4); daughter, Mary Adaline (age 3) and infant, Clara Belle,moved to Riley County, Kansas, in a covered wagon.
It is thought that several other relatives traveled with them, amongthem, perhaps Mariam's Uncle Levi Morris, wife, Jerusha, anddaughter, Minerva. Records show that Levi Morris died April 8, 1872,in Riley County, Kansas. We have an affidavit dated December 15,1888, signed by a Hester A. Miller, age 44, of Clifton, WashingtonCounty, Kansas, who says she is a sister of John Meeker Crane. Shewould have been four years younger than John. She would have been 22when John came to Kansas. Hester married John Conrad Miller in Baldwin Creek, Kansas.
John and Mariam settled first on Mill Creek, near Milford, RileyCounty, Kansas, but in a short time they moved near Randolph, Kansas. A few years later, they moved 8 or 9 miles north-west of Randolph,on Walnut Creek.
Life was very hard for Mariam Elizabeth Morris Crane, and for herbabies in Kansas. Little Mary Adaline Crane died October 18, 1866,probably in Riley County, Kansas. She would have been 3 1/2 yearsold. Hulda Jane Crane was born January 2, 1868, and died February18, 1868, at age one month, 16 days.
Ida Elmina Crane was born December 26, 1868. She grew to womanhoodand married Lou Worth. They had three children - Ross, Bessie andLee. Ida and Lou were later divorced. Ida died December 11, 1950,in Longmont, Colorado, and is buried there. She was 81, lacking 15days of being 82, when she died.
Florence Minerva Crane was born August 14, 1870, and died August 28,1871, at the age of one year, 14 days. Morris Nelson Crane wasborn December 30, 1871, and died September 12, 1891, just 3 months,18 days short of his 20th birthday. He was probably living in Milford, Kansas, when he died. We don't know the cause ofhis death, but we do know that Francis Lincoln Seley, husband of ClaraBelle Crane Seley, paid some of the bills for his medicine anddoctor's care. His doctor was Dr. J. D. McDonald, who was also adruggist. Francis paid $5.00 on September 16, 1891, four days afterMorris's death, but a balance of $3.35 was still owing on May 1, 1892- $1.05 was paid soon after that, leaving a balance due of $2.30,with no record found as to when that was paid. Morris Nelson Craneis buried in Milford Cemetery, Riley County, Kansas.
Bruce Armeda Crane was born April 31, 1873, and died September 29,1874, living just one year, four months and 29 days. Cora Etta Cranewas born February 4, 1875. She grew to womanhood and married EdWiley. She was living in Elgin, Kansas, in 1918. Victor Lawrence Crane was born January 20, 1877. (This articleincorrectly listed his daughters as Effie and Bertha - they wereJulian Albert's daughters.)
Rose Annetta Crane was born January 16, 1879. She married Ned Sager,March 2, 1895. They had five children - Loyd, Bert, Fred, Gerald andMildred. They spent most of their married life in or near Vining,Kansas. Ned died in 1942 and Rose lived with her son, Fred, in Vininguntil her death February 19, 1964, at the age of 85 years, one month,and three days. She is buried in Vining Cemetery.
The twelfth child, Dora Elizabeth Crane was born November 20, 1880, on Walnut Creek, west of Randolph, in Riley County, Kansas, where allbut the first three or four children were born. Dora married EdOsborne. They had five children - twins Edna and Earl, Leta, Ruthand Arthur. Dora and Ed are buried in Topeka Cemetery, Topeka,Shawnee County, Kansas.
Going back to the children born in Indiana, we know that Julian Albert Crane married Johannah (Hanna) Lindquist in Leonardville, Kansas.They had nine children, Edward William, Junia Bertha, Effie Elima,Albert Theodore Lester, Morrel Morris, Hanna Agnes Adelia, ManfredJulian, Violet Marie and Dorothy Eva. Johannah died in Riley,Kansas, on July 28, 1907, of cholera, leaving Julian with 9 childrento finish raising. By 1918 he and the remaining children moved toAda, Oklahoma. At some time after 1921 he moved back to Kansas anddied in Larned, Kansas, in 1938.
Clara Belle Crane, the third child, attended the Baptist Church neartheir farm with her family. She was baptized by the Reverand CharleyErickson, pastor of the Baptist Church on Walnut Creek, in or nearRandolph, Kansas, in December 1879 at the age of 13. She attendedthe Nickleson School on Walnut Creek, and was presented a "Reward of Merit:, on March 20, 1884, by her teacher, C. G. Surngle. Shelacked one month of being 18 at that time.
John Meeker Crane sold the farm on Walnut Creek in 1885 and moved tonear Bala, Kansas. Clara writes, "I was married to Francis L. Seley,October 17, 1886, at my father's home near Bala, Kansas, by ReverandSheer." Clara and Frank had nine children, Grace Edith, Alva Lewis,Merrel Beecher, George Meeker, Flossie M., Iva Ruth, Francis Belle,Millie May, and Myrtle E.
John first applied for a pension for his Civil War injuries (tenderfeet) on November 2, 1888, while still living near Bala, Kansas. Hissister, Hester A. (Crane) Miller, who lived in Clifton, Kansas, wrotein an affidavit dated December 15, 1888, that she knew he wassuffering from "disease of the feet" when he was discharged and camehome from the Army in 1865.
Julian Albert Crane, John's oldest son, wrote in an affidavit datedDecember 21, 1888, also stating that his father suffered from "diseaseof the feet, since his discharge, May 31, 1865, until the presentdate, and that at the time he entered the service he was a perfectlysound man, especially as to his feet." Julian was 28 at the time hewrote this and he was a resident of Bala, Kansas.
John made another request for a pension on July 29, 1890, while stillat Bala. He and Miriam moved to near Vining, Washington County,Kansas, sometime around March 1, 1891. We have a copy of anaffidavit, written by Dr. H. E. Potter, in April 1893. By Dr.Potter's statements, John was a very sick man from 1891 to 1893, witha series of respiratory illinesses - la grippe, pheumonia, pleurisy,influenza, chronic brochitis, post-nasal and pharyngeal catarrh, anda strong tendency to diabetes. He was 5' 10" tall when he entered the Army, and the doctor now describes him as "cadaverous appearing"(skin and bones thin), and totally disabled. His request for apension still was not approved.
His wife, Miriam Elizabeth Morris Crane, died August 12, 1897, atVining, Kansas, and was buried at Milford, Kansas. She was 55 years,7 months and 4 days old when she died. John was 57 years old at thattime and they had been married for 36 years.
John answered a Department of Interior, Bureau of Pensionsquestionnaire on March 21, 1899, but still received no pension. OnDecember 24, 1903, at age 63, John married Nancy Ellen Curtis, age 50, of Clay Center, Kansas, by Reverand Lydia S. Brock at Clay Center.Nancy was the daughter of Michael Morrisey and she was a nurse.
Nancy's first husband, W. Henry Curtis, was also a Civil War veteranwho had died June 1, 1896. Nancy and Henry were married on April 13,1870, and had been married 26 years at the time of his death. We do not know if she and Henry hadchildren.
A Declaration for Pension notarized by J. R. Worth on August 21, 1915, states that John had a dark complexion, blue eyes and dark hair. His occupation was listed as a farmer. Finally, on November 4, 1915,(twenty seven years after he first applied) the Bureau of Pensionsauthorized a pension of $30.00 a month to commence as of March 3,1915.
John died March 18, 1918, at his home in Vining, Kansas, at the age of78 years and 15 days. He and Nancy had been married 14 years when hedied. He had received his much deserved pension for only threeyears. Nancy applied for a widow's pension, with the help of friendsand relatives, on April 30, 1918. Nancy Ellen Curtis Crane died May 20, 1932, at 80 years of age. She is buried in Greenwood Cemetery,Clay Center, Kansas, with her first husband, W. Henry Curtis. ******
Note: Obituary of John M. Crane (copied by Granddaughter Hannah Agnes Adelia
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