The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-12-03
DAVID M'CRANOR.
He was the First Republican Omciai
Elected In Montana.

ne was the First Republican Omctat
Elected In Montana.
! Virginia City Madisonian: Genial
Davie McCraner Is dead. The news
will be a shock to the many who knew
and loved the jolly little man in Mon
tana. Nevada. California and Colo
RADIO. In Madison county in particular
which. though a wanderer for many
years. he called his home, the news
will cause genuine sorrow. 10 one
could know Davie McCraner and not
like him. He possessed a peculiar but
irresistible magnetism which seemed
to warm the hearts of men toward him.
He was like a beam of glad sunshine
and his modesty was as charming as
his good nature. In the minds of the
gray-haired boys OF the early sixties
the memory OF happy David will long
be cherished in loving remembrance.
As an instance of the esteem OF the
people of Madison county he was elect
ed sheriff of Madison county on the re-
publican ticket in 1866, and he enjoyed
the distinction Of having been the first
successful republican candidate for
any office of any importance In the
state. In '66 republicans were very
scarce and his election was considered
as highly complimentary. He entered
into the duties of his office in the days
which tried mems souls. Only few
years prior to his election that king of
cut-throats. Plummer, had filled the
joint Office of sheriff and chief of that
murderous gang of highwaymen, near
ly all of whom had received summary
punishment at the hands OF the enrag-
ed populace. The deeds of the bandits
were still fresh in the minds of the
people and they had their friends who
could not forget the manner of their
taking off. Under these circumstances
eh 1.Af Of hars
McCraner was born Jan. s, 1887, at
Germantown. Ohio. Seventeen years
later found him at st. Joe, Mo-, then
the great Quitting point for the West.
He went to Colorado and prospected
all over that state, spending some time
in California gulch, where Leadville
was built later. Here he was asso-
ciated with Sam Jones. brother of the
senator. and at that time superintend-
ent of the Comstock. With HIM he
went to California. subsequently, re-
turning to Colorado, from which place
he came to Alder gulch, arriving here
in August. 1863 He went into busi-
ness at Summit with Beck" T. s.
Hamilton. Three years later he was
elected sheriff. which Office he held IS
months. when he resigned to go into
the mercantile business at Silver Bow.
He continued in business there until
1871. when he sold out, and with his
partner. Hamilton, bought the general
merchandise business of r. p. Bate
man at Sheridan. Later he was asso-
ciated with p. A Largey in some In
dian contracts, and in 1876 was an un-
successful candidate for the legislature.
I'm the meantime he had become inter-
ested with l.. u. Letter Of Chicago and
others in what Dis now known as the
Lester mine or the Sheridan group. In
1880 he sold his mercantile interests to
William and John Hall and went to
Butte. where he helped to organize the
Butte Hardware company. Selling out
his interest DIN that concern a short
time later (he went into the grocery
business. and in 1885 closed his Butte
business out. returned to Sheridan and
commenced developing his mining in
terests. which he sold to the Letter
company in 1892 for a consideration va
riously estimated at from $4,000 TO
s40.0 900.
Several years ago he received a
stroke of paralysis. Since that time
he has spent his summers in Montana
and his winters in Hot Springs. ARK
AT the latter place his death occurred
Tuesday. the 18th inst. the result. it
is understood. of an unsuccessful sur
gical operation which was recently
performed on him
His mother and a sister reside in
Charlottesville, Ind. He also has rela-
tive in st. Joe. Mo.