Henry Howland Crapo

Address delivered Henry Howland Crapo

Henry Howland Crapo (pronounced Cray-poe; May 24, 1804 - July 23, 1869) was the 14th Governor of Michigan during the end of the American Civil War and the beginning of Reconstruction. In 1858 Crapo moved to Flint, Michigan, primarily due to investments in pinelands, and became Flint's mayor in 1860. His family established a lucrative lumbering business in the area, which by the beginning of the Civil War was one of the largest individually owned lumber firms in the state. He served as mayor until 1861. He was instrumental in the construction of the Flint and Holly Railroad, and was President of that corporation[citation needed] until its consolidation with the Flint and Pere Marquette Railroad. In 1862, he was elected to the Michigan Senate to represent 24th District from 1863 to 1864. In 1864, he was nominated on the Republican ticket for Governor of Michigan and won the election. He was re-elected in 1866, holding the office two terms and retiring in January 1869.