| Birth | April 2, 1651 |
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| Father | Jasper Crane | ||||||||||
| Mother | Alice Leave | ||||||||||
| Marriage | Mary Treat | ||||||||||
| Death |
November 5, 1730 Fairmount Cemetery, Newark, NJ |
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| Children |
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Best known as Deacon Azariah Crane, a prominent figure in the
Presbyterian Church and in colonial America. Azariah is recognized as
the founder of Cranetown in New Jersey, now known as Montclair.
Azariah married Mary Treat, the daughter of American colonial leader
and Connecticut governor
Robert Treat.
He bequeathed a family heirloom, his "Silver Bole" to the Old
First Presbyterian Church in Newark where it is supposedly still on display.
Deacon Azariah Crane is recognized by the Descendants of Founders of New Jersey. See Also: Geni |
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Deacon Azariah Crane2 (Jasper1) married Mary daughter of Captain Robert Treat. She
was born 1649, died November 12, 1704, aged 55; he died November
5, 1730, in his 83rd year.
In the overturn of the government by the Dutch, etc., he was
entrusted with the concerns of his father-in-law, Mr. Robert
Treat, who was Governor of Connecticut during the Charter Oak
affair.
Azariah appears to have outlived all the original settlers and
left his silver bowl to be used forever in the 1st Presbyterian
Church in Newark, where he was a deacon from 1690 until his death.
He held many offices of public trust in the town: in 1690, on
committee of safety; in 1691, chosen to care for the poor of
the town; in 1692, to treat with Rev. John Prucen to become the
minister ; January 1693-4, deputy to Provincial Assembly, also
deputy in 1695; selectman in 1676, 1683 aud 1694; also as
constable, grand juryman, pound-Keeper; to look after the young
people of the town, to lay out highways, view children’s estates,
overseer of the poor, etc.
As early as 1715, he was living on his home place at the Mountain,
and it is almost certain that he located there many years prior to
that date, for we find in the early town records the following:
"By warrant, April 27, 1694, there was laid out by John Gardner
a tract of land at the foot of the Mountain, having Azariah
Crane on the northeast, and Jasper Crane on the southwest.”
June 9, 1679, warrants were issued to him for 186 acres in nine
parcels, the sixth was fifty acres on branches of the Elizabeth
River, April 27, 1694, 100 acres in three parcels.
April 19, 1698, the town voted that a committee of five should
view whether Azariah Crane should be given land out of the Common
for a tanyard at the front of John Plume’s home lot; on committee
in 1706, to treat with Rev. Samuel Whittlesey, to settle in work
of the ministry.
They must have had some little trouble in securing the right man,
for March 21, 1708, he was in a committee to instruct Mr. Pearson,
who was going to New England, to endeavor to procure a minister.
He secured Nathaniel Bowers, who remained with the people there
until his death, Aug 30, 1716, and again Mr. Crane was on
committee to secure a new minister.
There was apparently some hitch in the arrangement for the tannery
before referred to, for Azariah soon after that date removed to a
place near the mountain, and formed a settlement known as
Cranetown (later named Montclair), six miles from Newark.
January 13, 1719, there was organized a Church called "The Society
at the Mountain," now Orange, two miles west of Newark, and during
that year land was purchased for a meeting-house plot of Thomas
Gardner, and soon a small church edifice was erected.
Azariah Crane became a prominent actor in the society, and for
many years was a deacon there, living to the age of seventy four
years.
His sons, Nathaniel, Noah, Azariah and William, also in their
turn, took leading positions in this society, aiding materially
with funds in building the church edifice. William succeeded his
father Azariah as deacon in that Church. October 1785, this
mountain "Society at the Mountain" was first called "Orange Dale,"
and two years later the "Dale" was omitted, and thenceforth known
as Orange.
In June, 1798, Joseph Crane, son of Noah, was deacon of this
Church. He was then a resident of Cranetown, and afterwards became
elder in the Church at Bloomfield. Of the elders in that Church by
the name of Crane, we may name Lewis, who died in 1777, aged 59;
Noah in office, 1776, died June 8, 1800, aged 81; Joseph,
mentioned above, in office, 1794-98, died Oct. 11, 1832,
aged 81.
Children:
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