Robert Bennie CRANSTON, Congress, RI (1791-1873)

CRANSTON, Robert Bennie, (brother of Henry Young Cranston), a Representative from Rhode Island; born in Newport, R.I., January 14, 1791; attended the public schools; employed in the collection of internal revenue 1812-1815; sheriff of Newport County 1818-1827; postmaster of Newport in 1827; elected as a Whig to the Twenty-fifth, Twenty-sixth, and Twenty-seventh Congresses (March 4, 1837-March 3, 1843); member of the State house of representatives 1843-1847, and served one year as speaker; served in the State senate; elected as a Whig to the Thirtieth Congress (March 4, 1847-March 3, 1849); was elected the first mayor of Newport on June 9, 1853; resigned the same day; presidential elector on the Republican ticket in 1864; died in Newport, R.I., January 27, 1873; interment in Common Burial Ground.

Source: Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1771-Present