The Crane family, of which the subject of this sketch is a representative, traces its origin to New England. There Albert Crane, the grandfather of Frank M., was born and thence he went to the Catskill regions of New York, where he followed the trade of blacksmith. Albert Crane, his son and the father of Frank M., came from New York state to Illinois in 1851 and settled on section 14, Dimmick township, LaSalle county, where he became a prosperous farmer and where he spent the rest of his life and died, his death occurring in 1894. His wife, Mary Aiken, whom he married in his native state, died in 1876. Their children were the following named: Miss Sarah Crane; Robert Crane, of Burlington, Kansas; Albert, Jr., who died in 1886; James Crane; Mary E., deceased wife of Thomas Gardiner; and Frank M., the subject of this sketch.
Frank M. Crane was born on his father's farm, March 4, 1853, and was here reared and received his education in the common schools. At the age of twenty he engaged in farming on his own account. Stock-raising became one of the chief features of his business, and it is still a source of no jimall revenue to him. He owns a farm of five hundred acres, desirably located and substantially improved.
Mr. Crane was married December 15, 1886, to Miss Margaret J. Jackson, daughter of John Jackson, of Troy Grove, Illinois; and the children in their family are Charles H., Howard A., Nelson J., Edith M., Elsie and Aletha.
The Crane family for the most part have been identified with the Democratic party and active in its support. In 1896, however, Frank M. supported the McKinley ticket in the belief that sure relief from long financial depression lay in the triumph of the head of that ticket, and two years of its administration of public affairs have not served to convince him that he was mistaken in his judgment. For the last two years Mr. Crane has been a school director.
Extracted 26 Dec 2016 by Norma Hass from Biographical and Genealogical Record of LaSalle County, Illinois published in 1900, volume 2, pages 433-434.
| Lee | DeKalb | Kane |
| Bureau |
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Kendall |
| Putnam | Grundy | |
| Marshall | Woodford | Livingston |
