Background
John Joseph Craven was born on September 08, 1822 in Newark, New Jersey, United States in such lowly circumstances that he was deprived of even the limited advantages afforded the youth of the time.
(The Prison Life of Jefferson Davis is John Craven’s intim...)
The Prison Life of Jefferson Davis is John Craven’s intimate first person account of Jefferson Davis’ prison life after the end of the Civil War. Captured by federal troops in May of 1865, Davis was accused of treason and other high crimes, taken to Fort Monroe, Virginia and placed in solitary confinement. Craven, a northerner served as Davis’s personal physician for seven months during his incarceration. He describes the proud and noble Southerner and first President of the Confederate States of America during a time that few others could.
https://www.amazon.com/Prison-Life-Jefferson-Davis/dp/1582185107?SubscriptionId=AKIAJRRWTH346WSPOAFQ&tag=prabook-20&linkCode=sp1&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=1582185107
John Joseph Craven was born on September 08, 1822 in Newark, New Jersey, United States in such lowly circumstances that he was deprived of even the limited advantages afforded the youth of the time.
When Craven was old enough to work he entered a chemical manufacturing plant in Newark where he continued for a number of years, taking every opportunity for study. About the time of his majority the telegraph had been launched, and, when the construction of the line from New York to Philadelphia was begun in 1845, Craven left the chemical plant and joined the telegraph construction crew. He continued with the Magnetic Telegraph Company, as the organization was called, until after its completion, and had the distinction of being the first man to use the newly invented pole climbers. He is said to have devised a gutta-percha insulation for cables at this time which had the particular advantage of permitting the laying of the telegraph wires in water. It is said further that with his insulated cables successful communication was had between New York and Philadelphia, but a patent for which he applied was denied on technical grounds.
In 1849, with a group of friends, he sailed around the Horn for California. He apparently had rather indifferent success in the search for gold and within two years was again back in Newark. His early work in chemistry undoubtedly had a marked influence upon him, for from this time on he devoted himself to the study of medicine, in which he eventually gained success.
At the outbreak of the Civil War he joined the 1st New Jersey Infantry as a surgeon, but within a few months was mustered out and became a surgeon of volunteers, serving throughout the war in this capacity. In 1862 he was medical director of the Department of the South, and in 1864 became director of the 10th Corps. For “faithful and meritorious service during the war” he was made a brevet lieutenant-colonel of volunteers in 1865, and was mustered out of service January 27, 1866. While with the 10th Army Corps, he was in attendance upon Jefferson Davis who was a prisoner at Fortress Monroe, Virginia and after the war he published The Prison Life of Jefferson Davis (1866).
Craven returned to Newark after the war, served four years as postmaster, and then became a practising physician until 1883, when he retired and removed to Patchogue, Long Island. Here he entered energetically into the civic affairs of the town in various capacities, such as health officer, president of the library association and board of education, as well as acting as consultant for several abattoir organizations.
(The Prison Life of Jefferson Davis is John Craven’s intim...)
Craven was married to Catherine S. Tichenor, daughter of Samuel Tichenor of Newark.