Introduction

Biography

Samuel was the son of James Ab­bott Cra­ver and Han­nah Porch, and hus­band of Lau­ra El­len Gass­ner.

He was edu­cat­ed at Io­wa College (AB, BD, DD, 1871); Bos­ton Theo­lo­gic­al Col­lege (1875); and Io­wa Wes­ley­an Col­lege, Mount Plea­sant, Io­wa (1887).

In 1875, Cra­ver became a Me­tho­dist Epis­co­pal mis­sion­ary in Mexico, serv­ing there for 20 years. He was a char­ter mem­ber of the Me­tho­dist Mex­ico Con­fer­ence, and found­er of the Me­tho­dist Church at Gua­na­jua­to. He al­so worked in Pa­ra­guay.

In 1895, Cra­ver was trans­ferred to South Am­er­ica, serv­ing as a pas­tor, sev­er­al times dis­trict su­per­in­tend­ent, and pre­si­dent of the theo­lo­gic­al se­mi­na­ry in Buen­os Air­es (1895–1919).