Biography of Charles H. Crane, page 980.  History of De Kalb County, 
Indiana.  Inter-State Publishing Company, Chicago, 1885.

Charles H. Crane, grocer, Butler, Ind., was born in Seneca County, N.Y., 
Nov. 17, 1846, a son of John G. Crane, who moved to Carlton, Mich., in 
1868.  He was reared in his native county, and received a good education, 
completing it at the Onondaga Academy, near Syracuse, N.Y.  He taught school 
three years in New York, and in 1859 came West as far as Michigan, and 
engaged in the hide and leather business in Ypsilanti till 1875, when he 
went to Toledo, Ohio, and was employed as a traveling salesman for a 
wholesale grocery till 1877.  In January, 1877, he came to Butler and formed 
a partnership in the grocery business with James Fisher.  Eleven months 
later he bought Mr. Fisher’s interest and conducted the business alone a 
year and a half.  Then for three years was in partnership with W.E. Crane, 
in the F.W. Oberlin building on Broadway.  In the meantime they built the 
store now occupied by Lingenfelter, to whom they sold it in June, 1880, and 
the same year built the store he now occupies on Oak street, moving into 
it in December.  This store is the largest and most convenient of the kind 
in Butler.  The cellar is a rear basement, under the crockery and glassware 
departments, each of which is entered from the main room, and in full view 
of the front entrance.  Mr. Crane keeps a large supply of everything in 
his line, consisting of groceries, provisions, crockery, glassware, etc., 
and is able to compete with any firm in the place.  His annual sales amount 
to $15,000, with a constantly increasing trade.  He was married October, 
1871, to Emma, daughter of Alexander Wallace.  They have three children---
Austin, Mary and Carrie.  Mr. Crane is a member of the Masonic fraternity.

Submitted by:
Arlene Goodwin
Auburn, Indiana
Agoodwin@ctlnet.com