Ernest W. Crane Biography


	This biography appears on pages 726-727 in "History of Dakota 
	Territory" by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. V (1915) and was 
	scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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				ERNEST W. CRANE.  

	Ernest W. Crane, founder and proprietor of the Crane Automobile 
Company of Yankton, is a native of Turner county, South Dakota, born 
March 3, 1879. His father, J. A. Crane, still resides in Centerville, 
this state. He was born in Ohio and came to South Dakota, or what was 
then Dakota territory, about 1867, in company with his father, William 
Crane, who established the family home in Vermillion, Clay county, and 
there opened the first blacksmith shop in the Dakotas. J. A. Crane 
wedded Minnie Hall, a native of London, England, who came to the 
Dakotas with her parents. She died in the year 1889. Ernest W. Crane is 
the eldest in a family of five, having two brothers and two sisters, 
the others being: Arthur, a farmer living near Beresford, Lincoln 
county, South Dakota; Forest, a house mover of Sioux Falls; Nettie, the 
wife of Reuben Saville, of Centerville, South Dakota; and Myrtle, the 
wife of Burt Cune, also of Centerville.  

	Ernest W. Crane was born on a farm, but his father later built 
the first hotel at Centerville, Turner county, and in that 
establishment the boy largely spent his youthful days. He was educated 
in the public schools, which he attended to the age of sixteen years, 
after which he was employed at farm labor for two years. He then 
engaged in blacksmithing and house moving in connection with his father 
and when about twenty-five years old purchased his father's house 
moving outfit and began business on his own account. In 1903 he removed 
to Yankton, where he continued operations as a house mover, his 
business, however, extending over a wide section of the state. He 
became particularly well known in the southeastern section of South 
Dakota and he continued his activities along that line until 1913, when 
he embarked in the automobile business in Yankton, establishing a 
first-class garage. He now has the agency for the King motor car and 
the Carnation car and in addition he conducts a general repair and 
storage business and deals in all kinds of automobile accessories and 
supplies. He has been very successful in the new venture, his business 
growing rapidly.  

	In 1903 Mr. Crane was married to Miss Marie Nelsen, a native of 
Denmark, and they have one son, Harvey. Mr. Crane holds membership with 
the Modern Brotherhood of America and his political endorsement is 
given to the republican party. He is well informed concerning important 
political issues, but is not an office seeker. His entire life has been 
spent in the northwest and has been one of intense and well directed 
activity, his energy and utilization of opportunity bringing to him the 
success which he now enjoys.