Background
Rafael Crame was born on October 2, 1863, in Malabon, Rizal, Philippines. He was the son of Rafael María de Crame y Gonzales Calderon and Maria Perez de Tagle.
Rafael Crame was born on October 2, 1863, in Malabon, Rizal, Philippines. He was the son of Rafael María de Crame y Gonzales Calderon and Maria Perez de Tagle.
Rafael Crame studied in the Ateneo de Manila (now Ateneo de Manila University) and later in the Spanish military academy in Manila in 1879-1881.
Rafael Crame was employed in the Spanish government in the Negociado del Contribucion Territorial after his cadetship. When the Revolution broke out in 1896, he was a government official in the Administracion de Hacienda Publica. He was successively private, corporal, and sergeant in the battalion of volunteers, from August 29, 1896, till June 1898, becoming the first lieutenant until he was honorably mustered out on August 13, 1898.
Upon the establishment of the American government in the Islands, he joined the police force of Manila as a lieutenant and subsequently was promoted to captain. But upon the reorganization of the city police, he was virtually canned out as only four of the sixteen police officers with the rank of captain were retained. On November 1, 1902, he joined the Philippine Constabulary at the invitation of Captain Alkinson, starting as fourth class inspector. He rose rapidly from that position to the second lieutenant on March 1, 1903. He became the first lieutenant on September 15, 1903, and captain on March 15, 1905. That same year on April 11, he was captain and assistant superintendent of the infantry division.
On November 1, 1906, he was appointed major and assistant superintendent of the infantry division. His next position was lieutenant-colonel and assistant director of the Philippine Constabulary, which he took on December 1, 1907. In seven years, on February 13, he became a colonel and assistant chief of the Philippine Constabulary. On May 15, 1917, he was appointed acting chief of the United States Army succeeding Col. Marcus D. Cronin. His last position was brigadier general and chief, which he has been taking from December 17, 1917, till his death.
In 2003, Crame's remains were exhumed from the La Loma Cemetery in Manila and he was finally given a hero's burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig.
Rafael Crame was married to Maria Garcia. The marriage produced three children, Maria, Luis, and Rafael. By his second wife, Soledad Fernandez, two children were born, Soledad and Teresa. Upon the death of the second wife, he married Concepcion Fernandez, by whom he had eight children, Antonio, Concepcion, Jose, Pilar, Filomena, Juan, Ines, and Nieves.