- GEORGE H. CRAM, of Beloit, Rock County, is a well-known shoe
dealer in the college city,
- and his store is the center of trade for those who demand
good values for their money and are sensitive to fair dealing
and courteous treatment.
- Mr. CRAM was born in Missouri City, Mo., June 4, 1861, and
is a son of George H. and Hattie
- (BRITTAN) CRAM, of Vermont and New York respectively. They
were the parents of two children, Arthur and George H., the former
of whom died at the age of two years. The father came West
to Chicago in the 'fifties', and later spent a few months in
Missouri City, Mo., but kept his home in Chicago, in which city
he died in 1861, at the early age of twenty-eight. The mother
still survives. She is a Congregationalist, as was also Mr.
CRAM. He joined the Union army for service in the Civil war,
and was a first lieutenant in the 14th Ill. V.I., was wounded
in the battle of Fort Donelson, and died a week later. Mrs.
CRAM subsequently married E. B. McCLURE, and now lives in Visalia,
Cal. They have four children, Hattie, Frank, Harry and Fred.
The paternal grandfather of our subject came from England, and
died in middle life, soon after his arrival in this country.
He was the father of four children. Francis BRITTAN, the father
of Hattie, mentioned above, was a native of England, and was
the first silk and embroidery merchant in the United States.
He was a prominent merchant in Brooklyn, and also had a store
in New York. Late in life he came to Wisconsin, settling at
Mineral Point, at that time a more important city than Chicago,
and he spent some portion of his later years in Beloit, with
his son Arthur. He was the father of a large family.
- The early childhood days of George H. CRAM were spent in
Monmouth and Galesburg, Ill., and
- at Mt. Pleasant, Iowa. He attended the pubic schools and
college at Galesburg, and later a public school at Springfield,
Ohio. In 1876 he came to Beloit, and has since made that city
his home. Mr. CRAM began clerking in the shoe store of his uncle,
Arthur BRITTAN, soon after his arrival, and continued in his
employ until 1886. That year he entered business on his own
account, and opened a shoe store in partnership with George A.
LOWNSBURY, who retired from the enterprise after one year. Mr.
CRAM has since carried on the business alone, and has won a good
patronage, being now among the solid and prosperous men of the
city. In 1896 he opened a shoe store in Janesville, and later
associated himself with C. C. BENNETT, who presently became the
owner of the Janesville enterprise. Since that time, Mr. CRAM
has confined his business to Beloit. He has carried through
several important deals in real estate, and is agent for the
business of Arthur BRITTAN.
- George H. CRAM and Miss Cora A. WILLIAMS, daughter of George
and Harriet WILLIAMS,
- were united in marriage Aug. 3, 1883. To this union two
children have been born: Mildred and Arthur. The pleasant home
in which they live, at No. 431 Park avenue, was erected by our
subject in 1892. Mrs. CRAM and children are members of the Episcopal
Church which Mr. CRAM also attends. He is a member of Morning
Star Lodge, No. 10, A.F. & A.M., Beloit Chapter, No. 9, R.A.M.,
and Beloit Commandery, No. 6, and with his wife belongs to the
Order of the Eastern Star. He is a Modern Woodman and United
Workman, and has risen to a high standing in the Knights of Pythias,
having taken the uniform degree, was elected a major on the staff
of Gen Halsey, and served under him a full term. Politically
he is a Republican, and has represented the Second ward one term
in the common council. Mr. CRAM has been on the county board
several terms, and is a gentleman of prominence in local affairs.
-
- Taken from "Commemorative Biographical Record of
the Counties of Rock, Green, Grant, Iowa and Lafayette Wisconsin"
(c) 1901, pp. 648-649.
-
- Courtesy of Carol
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