Benjamin CRANE

Abt 1630 - 1691  (61 years)

• Name	Benjamin CRANE  [1, 2]
  	Benjamin Crane, was in Wethersfield, Conn., as early as 1655, and may have been there a few years earlier. According to the Records of the Particular Court, held at Hartford, March, 1655, he is defendant in a civil suit with John Sadler, pltf.; also in June 1656, he is defendant in another suit with Richard Montague. He was born about 1630; was made freeman May 12, 1658, at Wethersfield, It is not positively known from whence he came to Wethersfield, but Hinman in his "History of Connecticut Settlers" seems to think that he came from Massachusetts, which statement all investigations thus far seem to warrant. February 24, 1656, the town gave him a home lot of 2 1/2 acres, more or less, bounded by the Common N.W., a brook and the home lot of John Graves N.E., the Common S.E., the highway S.W. He also bought John Dixon's or Dickenson's land in the West Field, Sept. 14, 1664. The latter is said to have removed to Hadley 1659 or 1660. It appears that this last mentioned tract of land was that on which the late home of Sam'l Coleman, deceased, stands, on Mud Lane. It was there when Mr. Crane built his dwelling-house and tanneries. The house was one of the six houses fortified by vote of the town in 1704. The town also gave him three acres of land on Beaver, now Tando's, Brook, 1660; served as juror 1664; drew land in the allotment of 1670, and purchased land of Daniel Rose, Dec. 8,1671. January 15, 1673, he is rated among inhabitants of Wethersfield to pay the town 0-4-5 1/2; acquires more land next south of Job Whitcomb's, February 22, 1680, March 25, 1680, July 13, 1680; under latter date the land is located on the Connecticut River on road to Middletown and road to Rocky Hill. May, 1682, Benjamin Crane wit others petitioned the General Court for liberty to "erect a plantation in the Wabaynassit country" (Windham County). It was proposed to have a "Town Grant" ten miles square. He married Mary Backus, daughter of William and Sarah (Charles) Backus, April 23, 1655, and carried on the tanning business about a mile below the village on the Middletown road. The spot for many years has been known as "Old Crane's Tannery Place." At his death, May 31, 1691, his son John succeeded to the business. [1]
  Birth	Abt 1630	Wethersfield, Hartford Co., Connecticut   [1, 2]
  Gender	Male
  Death	31 May 1691  [1, 2]
  Person ID	I93402	Main Tree
  Last Modified	5 Jan 2022

  
  

  Father	John CRANE
  Relationship	Birth
  Mother	? UNKNOWN
  Relationship	Birth
  Family ID	F39038	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Mary BACKUS   d. 8 Jul 1717
  Marriage	23 Apr 1655  [1, 2]
  Children	+ 1. Lieut. Jonathan CRANE,   b. 1 Dec 1658, Wethersfield, Hartford Co., Connecticut d. 6 Jun 1735 (Age 76 years)  [Birth] + 2. Israel CRANE,   b. 1 Nov 1671   d. 28 Apr 1707, Wethersfield, Connecticut (Age 35 years)  [Birth]
  Family ID	F39037	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	27 Jun 2021

  
  

• Sources

  [S10307] Ellery Bicknell Crane, Genealogy of the Crane Family Vol. 2 Descendants of Benjamin Crane, of Wethersfield, Conn; and John Crane, of Coventry, Conn.; also of Jasper Crane, of New Haven, Conn.; and Newark, NJ, and Stephen Crane, of Elizabethtown, NJ, (Forgotten Books). [S12646] Horace A. Abell, Ancestors and Descendants of Jonathan ABELL who came from Connecticut and settled in Schenectady Co., New York about 1812.