Carey, Charles Henry.  "History of Oregon." Vol. 3. Chicago-Portland: Pioneer
Historical Pub. Co., 1922.  pp. 323-4.

FRANK ABBOTT CRAM

Frank Abbott Cram was born in Yreka, California, in 1875 and is a representative
of one of the old and honored pioneer families of the Pacific coast. The
ancestral line can be traced back to the middle of the thirteenth century, when
a family of the name of Von Krom left Germany and settled in England. After many
years' residence in Great Britain the descendants dropped the von and the name
first became Kram and finally the present orthography was adopted. En the
seventeenth century representatives of the Cram family came from England to the
American colonies in search of religious liberty, settling in what is now the
state of New Hampshire. Many of the Crams were patriot soldiers of the American
Revolution and did their share in various other ways in the upbuilding and
development of the colonies. Perry Cram was born in New Hampshire and there
wedded Miss Mary A. Scolly, whose forbears had settled in New England in the
seventeenth century. After reaching his majority Perry Cram removed with his
family to Texas, where he became a breeder of blooded horses, meeting with
substantial success in that line. He found himself in the Ô60s confronted by
conditions caused by the outbreak of the Civil war. Being an intense Union
sympathizer he sold what he could of his possessions and gathering his family
and taking his brood horses and other possessions which he had not sold, he
started on a long trip to the Pacific coast. The journey lay through Mexico and
for seven months they traveled by horseback and by teams, running the gauntlet
of hostile Indians but finally reaching the west coast of Mexico, where they
boarded a ship for San Francisco, landing there in the spring of 1864. He
purchased property in Sacramento and again established himself in the stock
business, but the great flood of the Sacramento river caused the loss of blooded
horses and cattle to the sum of fifty thousand dollars. Fearing a recurrence of
such a disaster he removed still farther northward, settling in Siskiyou county,
California, and it was there at Yreka, in 1875, that his son Frank Abbott Cram,
was born. In 1881 Perry Cram removed with his family to Oregon, traveling by
team and settling in Cow canyon, where he purchased a tract of land. Having
retained some of his brood mares he again began the raising of blooded stock. In
1883 he disposed of his property and located at Prineville.

Frank A. Cram acquired his education in the schools of The Dalles. When quite
young he accepted a position in a dry goods store and such was his aptitude for
the business that when but fourteen years of age he was made a clerk. On
reaching the age of nineteen he went to eastern Oregon, where he joined his
brother, Bidwell Cram, who had established himself in the stock raising
business. There he remained for two years, after which he accepted a clerkship
in a general merchandise establishment at Antelope, Wasco county, and remained
for eighteen months. He next entered the employ of the A. M. Williams Company at
The Dalles, acting as department manager and buyer. In 1901 he removed to Hood
River and established the dry goods business which he now owns and which for
nineteen years has been the highest class concern of the kind in the valley. His
store is located on Oak street, the main business artery of Hood River, and
embraces thirty-four hundred square feet. The stock carried is at all times most
attractive and comprehensive in its scope. He makes it his purpose to handle
only new goods and the people of this section have come to know that they cannot
obtain shopworn goods or old styles in Cram's Dry Goods Store. His trade extends
all over the Hood River valley and into a portion of Wasco county as well as
across the river to the towns and settlements in the state of ÔWashington.

Mr. Cram was married in September, 1900, to Miss Etta D. Story, a daughter of
Judge J. L. Story, who was a pioneer lawyer of Oregon and a prominent factor in
the growth of the state from the days of Indian warfare to the time of his
demise, during which period much had been accomplished in the way of
progressive modern development. Among the many offices which he held was that
of mayor of The Dalles. Mr. and Mrs. Cram are the parents of five children: Mary
Lenore, who is a student in the University of Oregon; Dorothy, who was graduated
from the Hood River high school in 1920 and will enter the Oregon State
University; Evelyn, a high school pupil; Jack Randolph, a junior in the high
school; and Edwin Story, who is a pupil in the grades.
While giving close attention to his business Mr. Cram is ever ready to lend a
hand to all enterprises that tend to advance the interests of Hood River and the
valley. He was formerly president of the Business Men's Association, has been a
director of the Commercial Club and has given his time and money to further many
Interests of public benefit. He assisted largely in all projects having to do
with the prosecution of the war, including the sale of Victory bonds and the Red
Cross work. Mrs. Cram is an active Sunday school worker and well known club
woman and was very diligent and earnest in Red Cross work and in her support of
all war drives. She has always held a prominent social position and is known as
an ideal mother as well as a charming hostess.


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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in November 2006 by Jeffrey L. Elmer. 
Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned
above.