Earl Cranston Earl Cranston ( June 27 , 1840 – August 18 , 1932 ) was an American Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church , elected in 1896 . He also distinguished himself as a Methodist Pastor and Presiding Elder , and as an editor and publisher of the M . E . Church . Birth and family . Earl was born in Athens , Ohio , the third Bishop of the Methodist Church to have been born in Athens . Earl was said to have a vigorous body squarely built and above the average height for that day ( mid - 19th century ) . Among his ancestors were Roger Williams and John and Samuel Cranston , both colonial governors of Rhode Island . Earl was the son of Earl and Jane E . ( née Montgomery ) Cranston . Earl Jr married Martha A . Behan in 1861 . She died April 7 , 1872 . He then married Laura A . Martin , who died February 3 , 1903 . He then married Lucie M . Parker . Earl was the father of Earl M . , Grace , James B . , Dora , Ethel , Laura Alden , and Ruth ( who became a well known writer and lecturer ) . Education and Christian conversion . Earl graduated High School in Jackson , Ohio . He earned the A . B . degree ( with honor ) in 1861 and the A . M . degree in 1865 , both from Ohio University . The Rev . Solomon Howard , D . D . , LL . D . , was the President of O . U . at the time . Earl was a member of Beta Theta Pi fraternity . The Rev . William Taylor , ( later Missionary Bishop of Africa ) visited Athens during Earl ' s college years . Taylor held revival services , in which many students , including Earl , were converted to Christ . Military service and business career . Earl entered the Union Army during the American Civil War as a Private . He progressed through the ranks , first as a First Sergeant , then as a commissioned officer , as a First Lieutenant , Adjutant and finally as a Captain . He left the U . S . Army in 1864 . Following his military service , Earl studied for business , and was engaged in commercial affairs until 1867 , when he entered the ministry . Ordained Ministry and the Founding of Denver University . Earl was admitted as a Minister to the Ohio Annual Conference of the M . E . Church in 1867 . He served the following appointments as Pastor : Portsmouth , 1867 – 69 ; and Columbus , 1869 - 70 . He then was transferred to the Minnesota Conference , where he served Winona , 1870 - 71 . He transferred again , to the Illinois Conference , where he served Jacksonville , 1871 - 74 . He transferred again , to the Indiana Conference , where he was appointed to Evansville , 1874 - 75 . He then transferred to the Cincinnati Conference , where he was appointed Pastor in Cincinnati , Ohio , 1875 - 78 . In 1878 , the Rev . Cranston was appointed Pastor in Denver , Colorado , a change necessitated by the health of his family . While in Denver , Dr . Cranston took a prominent part in the movement to create and establish the Denver University . He served both as Secretary of the Board of Trustees , and as Chairman of the Finance Committee . He also spent time as a member of the faculty . In 1880 , the Rev . Dr . Cranston was appointed Presiding Elder of the Southern District of the Colorado Conference , serving until 1884 . During this time he covered a territory of , requiring as much as of travel each year . Publishing agent . The 1884 General Conference of the M . E . Church elected the Rev . Cranston Publishing Agent for the Western Book Concern , headquartered in Cincinnati . The Western Book Concern included offices in Chicago , St . Louis and on the Pacific coast . During this time he resided at Avondale , Cincinnati . He held this position until 1896 . The Rev . Cranston was a member of M . E . General Conferences from 1884 until 1896 . Honorary degrees . Cranston was made an honorary Doctor of Divinity in 1884 by Allegheny College . He was similarly honored by Cornell College in Iowa ( D . D . , 1884 ) . His " alma mater " , Ohio University , awarded the LL . D . in 1896 . Episcopal Ministry . The Rev . Earl Cranston was elected Bishop by the 1896 M . E . General Conference . As Bishop he traveled widely throughout his denomination . His residence was Washington , D . C . Bishop Cranston also served as a trustee of various institutions of higher education , including Ohio University ( 1896 ) , The University of Puget Sound ( 1897 - 04 ) , Willamette University ( 1897 – 1904 ) , Goucher College ( 1905 – 16 ) and Morgan College ( 1912 – 16 ) . He was also a member of the Fourth Ecumenical Methodist Conference , Toronto , 1911 . Bishop Cranston was a member of the Grand Army of the Republic and of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States . He also was a Mason . Death and burial . Bishop Cranston died at New Richmond , Ohio . He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia .