History of Dalton, (Berkshire County) Massachusetts United States of America

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Biographies:

Zenas Crane, manufacturer, was born at Canton, Mass., May 9, 1777; son of Stephen and Susannah (Babcock) Crane; grandson of Benjamin and Abigail (Houghton) Crane; great-grandson of Stephen and Mary (Denison) Crane; and great2 grandson of Henry Crane, who came from England to Dorchester, Mass., in 1648 or 1649. He was educated at the district schools and learned the rudiments of the paper business at his brother's mill in Newton, completing his knowledge in General Burbank's mill at Worcestor. In 1799 he decided to establish a mill of his own and selected Dalton in the Berkshire hills as the most suitable location, chiefly on account of its inexhaustible supply of the purest washing water. His paper mill, the first to be constructed west of the Connecticut river, was finished in 1801, and was called the "Old Berkshire." This was the nucleus about which the great Crane mills gradually formed. Mr. Crane conducted this until 1807, when he sold his interest to a partner and entered mercantile business. In 1809 he was married to Lucinda, daughter of Gaius and Lucretia (Babcock) Brewer of Wilbraham, Mass. In 1810 he bought an interest in the new mill, subsequently known as the "Old Rod Mill," and became superintendent and chief manager. In 1822 he became sole proprietor. He conducted the mill with success until 1842 when he transferred his interest to his eldest sons, Zenas Marshall and James Brewer Crane, already his partners. In politics he was first a Federalist and later a Whig, and was several times chosen to the state legislature, beginning in 1811. In 1836-37 he served in Governor Everett's council. He died at Dalton, Mass., June 29, 1845.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Winthrop Murray Crane, governor of Massachusetts, was born in Dalton, Mass., April 23, 1853; son of Zena Marshall and grandson of Zenas and Lucinda (Brewer) Crane. He was educated in the public schools and at Williston seminary, and in 1870 entered his father's paper mill, working his way from the lowest position to superintendent of two of the mills, and having charge of the manufacture of the silk fibre banknote paper for the government. He acquired and inherited an ample fortune of which he gave liberal amounts for private charity, and for the good of the public, having made large contributions toward building the Congregational church, parsonage, town hall, and Irving house in his native town. He was a delegate-at-large to the Republican national conventions at Minneapolis in 1892 and at St. Louis in 1896. He was lieutenant-governor of Massachusetts, 1897-99, and in 1899 and 1901 was elected governor. Willams college gave him the degree of A.M. in 1897, and Harvard that of LL.D. in 1903.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Salome Cutler Fairchild, librarian, was born in Dalton, Mass., June 21, 1855; daughter of Artemas H. and Lydia (Wakefield) Cutler, and granddaughter of Jonas Cutler. She was graduated from Mount Holyoke seminary in 1875, and was instructor in Latin in that institution, 1877-79. She held various important positions in the American library association from 1889. She was chairman of the committee in charge of the library exhibit at the World's Columbian exposition in 1893, and chairman of the committee on the" American Library Association Catalog Supplement" from 1894. She was made the vice-director of the New York state library school, Albany, N.Y., in 1889. The degree of B.L.S. was conferred upon her by the University of the state of New York in 1891. She was married July 1, 1897, to the Rev. Edwin Milton Fairchild, lecturer for the educational church board. She is the author of Home Libraries, and Scientific Study of Philanthrophy, and editor of the Catalog of the A.L.A. Library.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor