Samuel Crane
Encyclopedia
Samuel Crane was a businessman and political figure in Canada West.
in 1794 and had settled in Lower Canada
by 1820. He became a partner in a forwarding business at Lachine
, west of Montreal
. The firm owned a share in the Ontario, an American steamship operating on the Great Lakes
. Crane moved to Prescott
in Upper Canada
some time later and partnered with John Macpherson of Kingston in the transporting of goods and passengers.
The Crane-MacPherson partnership dominated the forwarding business in the area, in part because of their alliance with the Ottawa and Rideau Forwarding Company which controlled the forwarding trade on the lower Rideau Canal
. In 1837 at the age of 43, Crane became a director of the Commercial Bank of the Midland District. He was elected to the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada
for Grenville
in 1841. In 1849, he was named to the Legislative Council
.
In the early 1850s, the partners began to sell off their assets due to declining business and the nearing completion of the Grand Trunk Railway
in the area. When the company that purchased much of their business failed in 1857, the partnership was dissolved and declared bankruptcy. By 1858, Crane largely had stopped attending the Legislative Council and his seat was declared vacant due to lack of attendance. Crane died at Prescott in 1858.
Biography
Samuel Crane was born in MassachusettsMassachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
in 1794 and had settled in Lower Canada
Lower Canada
The Province of Lower Canada was a British colony on the lower Saint Lawrence River and the shores of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence...
by 1820. He became a partner in a forwarding business at Lachine
Lachine, Quebec
Lachine was a city on the Island of Montreal in southwestern Quebec, Canada. It is now a borough within the city of Montreal.-History:...
, west of Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
. The firm owned a share in the Ontario, an American steamship operating on the Great Lakes
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface, coming in second by volume...
. Crane moved to Prescott
Prescott, Ontario
Prescott is a town of approximately 4,180 people on the north shore of the Saint Lawrence River in Leeds and Grenville United Counties, Ontario, Canada. The Ogdensburg-Prescott International Bridge, 5 km east of Prescott in Johnstown, connects it with Ogdensburg, New York...
in Upper Canada
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...
some time later and partnered with John Macpherson of Kingston in the transporting of goods and passengers.
The Crane-MacPherson partnership dominated the forwarding business in the area, in part because of their alliance with the Ottawa and Rideau Forwarding Company which controlled the forwarding trade on the lower Rideau Canal
Rideau Canal
The Rideau Canal , also known as the Rideau Waterway, connects the city of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada on the Ottawa River to the city of Kingston, Ontario on Lake Ontario. The canal was opened in 1832 as a precaution in case of war with the United States and is still in use today, with most of its...
. In 1837 at the age of 43, Crane became a director of the Commercial Bank of the Midland District. He was elected to the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada
Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada
The Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada was the lower house of the legislature for the Province of Canada, which consisted of the former provinces of Lower Canada, then known as Canada East and later the province of Quebec, and Upper Canada, then known as Canada West and later the...
for Grenville
Grenville County, Ontario
Grenville County area is a historic county in the Canadian province of Ontario.The county was created in 1792, and named in honour of William Wyndham Grenville, 1st Baron Grenville, Secretary of State in 1790. The First settlers were Loyalist from the United States...
in 1841. In 1849, he was named to the Legislative Council
Legislative Council of the Province of Canada
The Legislative Council of the Province of Canada was the upper house for the Province of Canada, which consisted of the former provinces of Lower Canada, then known as Canada East and later the province of Quebec, and Upper Canada, then known as Canada West and later the province of Ontario...
.
In the early 1850s, the partners began to sell off their assets due to declining business and the nearing completion of the Grand Trunk Railway
Grand Trunk Railway
The Grand Trunk Railway was a railway system which operated in the Canadian provinces of Quebec and Ontario, as well as the American states of Connecticut, Maine, Michigan, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. The railway was operated from headquarters in Montreal, Quebec; however, corporate...
in the area. When the company that purchased much of their business failed in 1857, the partnership was dissolved and declared bankruptcy. By 1858, Crane largely had stopped attending the Legislative Council and his seat was declared vacant due to lack of attendance. Crane died at Prescott in 1858.