CRENSHAW, ARTHUR, lieutenant commander U.S. Navy, a member of the well known Crenshaw family of Alabama, was born March 4, 1875, at Clinton, N.C.; son of Edward and Sarah Edith (Brittain) Crenshaw, the former of Butler County, and the latter of Georgetown, Dunarara, British Guiana; great-great-grandson of Gen. John Arthur Elmore (q. v.), of Revolutionary fame. He received his early education in the public and private schools at Greenville, and at the U.S. naval academy. He was an ensign on board the U.S.S. Maine at the time of the explosion in the Havana harbor; served during the Spanish American War on the U.S.S. San Francisco; inspector of machinery for the government, Bath, Maine; and promoted Lieutenant Commander, U.S. Navy, July 1, 1909. Married: March 19, 1900, at Buenos Ayres, Argentine Republic, to Theodora Jacobs.

Source: The History of Alabama and Dictionary of Alabama Biography, Volume 3, by Thomas McAdory Owen & Marie Bankhead Owen, page 423.

Military Citation: The Navy Cross was awarded to Captain Arthur Crenshaw, U.S. Navy, for "exceptionally meritorious service in a duty of great responsibility as Commanding Officer of the U.S.S. Prairie."

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The United States Army and Navy Journal and Gazette of the Regular and Volunteer Forces, Volume 58, Part 2 (Army and Navy Journal Incorporated, 1921)

page 1216 - RECENT DEATHS

Capt. Arthur Crenshaw, U.S.N., died at the naval hospital, Newport, R.I., on July 19, 1921, after an operation for appendicitis. At the time of his death he was a student officer at the Naval War College. He left a widow, Mrs. Lola Crenshaw, who, with several children, resides at the Corson cottage, on Catherine street, Newport.

Captain Crenshaw was born in North Carolina on March 4, 1875. He was appointed to the Naval Academy from Alabama on Sept. 6, 1892. His first duty was on the U.S.S. Columbia, in 1896. In the following year he served on the U.S.S. Maine and in 1897-98 was on the U.S.S. Wilmington as assistant engineer. He was on duty at the Bureau of Steam Engineering until 1903, when he was promoted to lieutenant and assigned to the U.S.S. Montgomery. In 1904 he did duty on the U.S.S. Nebraska and in 1905 was on duty again at the Bureau of Steam Engineering. He commanded the U.S.S. Villalobos in 1908 and in 1909 was promoted to lieutenant commander, and assigned to the U.S.S. Colorado. He served another tour at the Bureau of Steam Engineering in 1910, was on the U.S.S. Nebraska in 1912, and commanded the U.S.S. Cummings in 1913. He was in command of the 6th Division, Torpedo Flotilla, Atlantic Fleet, in 1914. He was again at the Bureau of Steam Engineering in 1915, was promoted to the grade of commander in 1916 and was on duty as engineer officer at the naval station, Hawaii. In 1917 he was placed in command of the U.S.S. Schurz, and thereafter commanded Group 3, Flotilla 1, Destroyer Force of the Pacific Fleet, and later commanded Flotilla 5, Destroyer Squadron 4 of that Fleet. He was promoted to captain in 1918 and commanded the U.S.S. Prairie. During the World War Captain Crenshaw was on duty in the 14th Naval District and served as district section member of the Joint Army and Navy Board of Survey for merchant vessels, and was on additional duty at Seattle, Wash., and San Francisco. On being detached he was placed in command of the Naval Reserves at Gulfport, Miss., and upon the closing of that station was ordered to duty in the Navy Department in connection with naval examining boards.