Roswell Parsons Crafts (September 17, 1822 – September 3, 1904)"The Death of R.P. Crafts". was an American businessman, politician, fire chief, and the second and sixth mayor of

Holyoke, Massachusetts Holyoke is a city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States, that lies between the western bank of the Connecticut River and the Mount Tom Range. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 38,238. Located north of Springfield ...

. Born in Whately, Massachusetts on September 17, 1822 to Chester and Phila (née Jewett) Crafts, he arrived in Holyoke at age 11, and after attending school began his first business driving a

stagecoach A stagecoach is a four-wheeled public transport coach used to carry paying passengers and light packages on journeys long enough to need a change of horses. It is strongly sprung and generally drawn by four horses although some versions are draw ...

between

Springfield Springfield may refer to: * Springfield (toponym), the place name in general Places and locations Australia * Springfield, New South Wales (Central Coast) * Springfield, New South Wales (Snowy Monaro Regional Council) * Springfield, Queenslan ...

and

Northampton Northampton () is a market town and civil parish in the East Midlands of England, on the River Nene, north-west of London and south-east of Birmingham. The county town of Northamptonshire, Northampton is one of the largest towns in England; ...

carrying mail and passengers. At the age of 20 he helped his brother, Chester, open a general store under the name Chester Crafts & Co. In 1843 he married Ms. Delia Jones of Ireland Parish; the couple bore one son, Pliny Jones Chester on February 9, 1845. This same year he left his brother's venture to open his own store on High Street. By 1866 he had made his son a business partner, operating under the name R.P. Crafts & Son. In 1870 his store's building and its contents burned to the ground, prompting him to construct the

Caledonia Building The Caledonia Building, also known as Caledonian Hall or The Caledonian, is a historic commercial building located at 185-193 High Street in downtown Holyoke, Massachusetts. Built in 1874, it is one of that commercial district's finest examples ...

in 1874. Prior to this he had served as the city's fire chief from 1868 to 1869, and following his own store's fire served for one more year in 1871. RPCrafts House

Ever present in the political landscape of the town, he ran successfully for a representative seat for the

Massachusetts Legislature The Massachusetts General Court (formally styled the General Court of Massachusetts) is the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The name "General Court" is a hold-over from the earliest days of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, w ...

in 1872. When Holyoke was incorporated as a city in 1873, Crafts ran for mayor against

William B. C. Pearsons William Baron Chapin Pearsons (December 19, 1824 – March 3, 1898), was an American politician, lawyer, judge, fire chief, soldier, and the first mayor of Holyoke, Massachusetts. Personal life Pearsons was born on December 19, 1824 to parents J ...

that Fall; local historian George H. Allyn later recalled–

the recriminations of
912 Year 912 ( CMXII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. __NOTOC__ Events By place Byzantine Empire * May 11 – Emperor Leo VI (the Wise) dies after a 26-year reign in wh ...
are weak and feeble compared with what passed between the advocates of W. B. C. Pearsons and R. P. Crafts. When Pearsons was elected by a majority of sixty-two the Transcript came out with a cut of the most exultant, arrogant, loud-throated rooster that it was ever our fortune to gaze upon. He was re-elected, and then R. P. Crafts was given a turn ...

Losing the first mayoral election, Crafts subsequently ran successfully in 1876 as well as 1881 and 1882 for 3 one-year terms. During his time as mayor, the city opened its first paved roads. By the end of his life, Crafts had held several properties in the city, as well as a stake in the Bemis Paper Company. He died at his residence in Holyoke on September 3, 1904 from kidney failure, and was interred in

Forestdale Cemetery Forestdale Cemetery is a public secular cemetery located in Holyoke, Massachusetts. The cemetery was officially organized on November 1, 1860, after a town meeting in October of that year designated a sum of $1,500 dollars (approx. $41,000 2016 U ...

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References

* * * 1822 births 1904 deaths 19th-century American politicians Mayors of Holyoke, Massachusetts Businesspeople from Massachusetts Massachusetts Democrats People from Franklin County, Massachusetts Mayors of places in Massachusetts 19th-century American businesspeople {{US-business-bio-1820s-stub

See also

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