Although I worked for what is now known as the John Crane Group for many years, the story of its namesake, John Crane, was not known or, more likely, not discussed by those who knew it.  The only bits of information available were a few patents and advertisements.  I decided to take on the challenge of “finding” John Crane and to write a short history of his life.

I first found patents but some of those patents were granted to “John Crane” and some to “John T. Crane”.  I browsed through many archived newspapers in the Chicago area.  I even searched Ancestry.com and eventually found him.  Along the way, I made contact with some of John Crane’s extended family who supplied me with family lore and newspaper clippings.  All of this “new” (to me anyway) information has been complied into a short history of John Crane – the Person.

My story of “John Crane — the Person” has been given its own page in the History section of SealFAQs.