Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...

has served on the staff of St. Francis Hospital
as a specialist on diseases of women
since the hospital was organized, and he
is also one of the directors of the institu-
tion. He organized the bacteriological
department of the health board of the city
of Hartford in 1894, and Dr. Wolff's lab-
oratory was the second municipal laboratory
to be established in the world. He
has served as bacteriologist for the city
since that date. He is a fellow of the
Royal Microscopical Society of London,
Society of American Bacteriologists, City,
County and State Medical societies, American
Medical Association, and the Con-
necticut State Board of Health. Dr.
Wolff is domestic in his tastes, devoting
his entire time aside from his professional
duties to his family and home. The demands
of his professional work, study and
writing have made it impossible for him
to give attention to outside interests.
Dr. Wolff married Harriet, daughter of
Samuel Krotosliner, of Hartford, Connec-
ticut. They are the parents of one child,
Arthur S. (2nd).
CRANE, Harry Wesley,
Government Official.
A native of Wethersfield, Mr. Crane
has long served the community in the
capacity of postmaster, to which position
he was appointed at the age of twentyfour
years by President Cleveland. He
has been continuously reappointed by
successive presidents, and is popular with
all classes of people in his native town.
He is descended from one of the oldest
families of Connecticut, the founder of
which was Benjamin Crane, born about
1630, and settled in Wethersfield at the
age of twenty-five years, in 1655. On
February 24, 1656, he was granted a home
lot, was made a freeman, May 12, 1658,
was a tanner by trade, acquired a large
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
68
estate, and died May 31, 1691. He married,
April 23, 1655, Mary Backus, daugh-
ter of William and Sarah (Charles)
Backus. Their sixth son, Abraham Crane,
born 1668, died July 5, 1713, leaving an
estate valued at three hundred and forty-
five pounds, three shillings and seven
pence. His wife's baptismal name was
Hannah, and they were the parents of
Abraham Crane, born October 5, 1713,
lived in Wethersfield, and died March 25,
1756. He married, March 15, 1739, Rebecca
Hurlbut, born January 12, 1713,
died November 13, 1794, daughter of
Thomas and Rebecca (Meekins) Hurl-
but. She joined the Wethersfield church
in 1739. Their youngest child, Joseph
Crane, was born August 13, 1755, and
was a Revolutionary soldier. In 1790 he
purchased a house in Wethersfield, which
is still occupied by his descendant, Harry
Wesley Crane. He died June 21, 1811.
He married, December 3, 1778, Abigail
Dix, baptized 1764, died March 27, 1813,
daughter of Jacob and Mary Dix. Their
sixth son, David Crane, born May 28,
1797, in Wethersfield, died there April 23,
1848. He married, September 25, 1822,
Pamelia Deming, born November 8, 1800,
died December 28, 1872, daughter of Levi
and Sarah (Grant) Deming. Their eldest
son, David Crane, born March 13, 1826,
in Wethersfield, was a farmer, as were
his ancestors, and died January 29, 1882.
He married, February 13, 1861, Katherine
Callahan, who died in 1875. They
were the parents of three children
George, Edith and Harry Wesley, all of
whom live in or near Wethersfield.
Harry Wesley Crane, junior son of
David and Katherine (Callahan) Crane,
was born December 11, 1868, in Wethers-
field. where his life has been passed. In
boyhood he shared in the labors of the
homestead farm, attended the public
schools, and followed agriculture until his
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