Son of Robert Cravens and Sarah Grover Paul.
Married Drusilla Ann Lanier on 1 Feb 1844, Jefferson Co., IN.
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The Indianapolis News
27 March 1899

JUDGE JOHN R. CRAVENS

A Distinguished Indianian, a Native of the City of Madison.

Madison, Ind., March 27--Judge John Robert Cravens, the distinguished jurist, a native of this city by birth in 1819, died last evening at his suburban home, Fairmount, on the hill-top, overlooking the city of his birth. He graduated from the State University when but nineteen years old, and he read law in this city in the office of Joseph G. Marshall. In 1844 he married Miss Drusilla Lanier, daughter of J.F.D. Lanier, a prominent banker of this city at that time, and afterward one of the great financiers of New York, who did much during the civil war in sustaining Governor Morton with money and influence, and in holding Indiana true to the Union cause. Miss Lanier was one of the beauties and belles of this city, famous even at that time for the grace and beauty of its womanhood. For several years Mr. Cravens engaged in milling with W.W. Page, Sr., but their investments burned to the ground. He was then elected president of the Madison & Indianapolis Railway Company, and of the Shelbyville & Columbus railway, continuing in office until the reorganization of the companies, when he voluntarily retired to become the editor and proprietor of the Madison Banner, the organ of the Whigs. He was a brilliant and versatile writer, but the vexations of journalistic life were not to his liking, and he soon retired.

When the slavery question became an issue he took a bold and aggressive position, and became a free and outspoken free-soiler, noted for the vigor and sincerity of his convictions. He was a natural-born orator, of superb voice and fine scholarship, and he had no superior on the stump. As a political campaigner he was irresistible. As one of the organizers of the Republican party, he became a leader. He served in the State Senate in 1856-7, also in 1860, and again in 1866-68-70, and his influence was paramount.

Illustrative of his vigor and impetuosity, during an exciting campaign in the fifties, Governor A. P. Willard, an orator of national prominence, while delivering an exceedingly impetuous Democratic speech, alluded to one "John R. Cravens, a craven by name and a craven by nature." Instantly the loud, sonorous voice of John R. Cravens, himself rang through the hall. "Does the gentleman allude to personal courage? If so, let him walk down." Willard was disconcerted by the abruptness of the interruption, and somewhat haltingly remarked that nothing personal was intended. Again the same voice rang out. "If Governor Willard meant in any way to impute dishonor, Governor Willard is a liar." Mr. Cravens stood erect, awaiting attack, but there was no reply, and Governor Willard was suffered to proceed taking care, however, to avoid further personalities.

ACTING LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR

Not only upon the stump as a campaigner, but also as an opponent in joint debate, John R. Cravens was noted for his ability and eloquence. After the election of Governor Henry S. Lane to the Senate, in 1861, Lieutenant-Governor Morton became Governor, holding the position until 1863, when he entered the army as paymaster, with the rank of major. After the war he was re-elected to the State Senate, and in the Horace Greeley movement he became a Liberal Republican, with George W. Julian, Lyman J. Trumbull and other noted men, and was placed on the ticket as a Democrat candidate for Lieutenant-Governor. This was the year in which the Republicans bolted the nomination of Thomas M. Browne, the Republican nominee for Governor, although supporting the remainder of the ticket, and as a result Thomas A. Hendricks, heading the Democratic ticket, was the only Democratic candidate elected. The following year Mr. Cravens was appointed judge of the Jefferson Circuit Court, to fill a vacancy.

He served the city of his birth as school trustee for a number of terms, and he was trustee of the State University and Hanover College. In 1858 he joined the Second Presbyterian church at Madison. At time of death he was connected with the directory of the Madison Opera House Company, the Madison Hotel and the Madison foundry. As a grandson of the founder of the city of Madison, he was distinctively a Madison man, and he advocated every measure likely to rebound to the credit of his home town. For several scores of years he was its foremost citizen and its representative upon social and public occasions. He was a gentleman of the old school, and in him was mirrored the stately courtesy, the quiet dignity and the cordial hospitality of the olden-time Virginian. As an orator he was eloquent, stirring and high-minded.

His children are Robert, James, Alexander, William, Joseph, and Charles Cravens, Miss Drusilla Cravens, Mrs. W. R. Davidson, and Mrs. John Sage.