Henry Howland Crapo was born to Jesse and Phoebe (Howland) Crapo in
Dartmouth, Massachusetts on May 24, 1804. Jesse was of
Huguenot descent and a farmer. Crapo took every opportunity to learn especially new words. He taught himself how to be a
land surveyor from a book. After working as a surveyor, he became a teacher at the village school at Dartmouth. With a new high school, Henry passed the test to be principal of the new school. He moved to New Bedford in 1832 at the age of 28 years. There, he returned to being a land surveyor, sometimes an
auctioneer and entered the
whaling business. He soon was involved in the town's government, being elected to various positions, Town Clerk, Treasurer, and Collector of taxes. He continued as Collector for 15 years until New Bedford became a city, then served the city as Treasurer and Collector of taxes for two or three years. Later that year he delivered a similar decision against the Black abolitionist minister
Thomas James, ruling "that custom was law, and that by custom colored people were not allowed to ride in cars in company of white people." James appealed the case and the Massachusetts Supreme Court reversed Crapo's decision, declaring, according to James, "that the word "color," as applied to persons, was unknown to the laws of the commonwealth of Massachusetts, and that the youngest colored child had the same rights as the richest white citizen." Crapo was elected
Alderman of New Bedford, and became Chairman of Council Committee on Education. In the latter role he prepared a report upon which was based the order for the establishment of the free Public Library of New Bedford. On its organization, Mr. Crapo was chosen as a member of the board of trustees. This was the first free public library in Massachusetts, if not in the world. The Boston Free Library was established, however, soon afterwards. While a resident in New Bedford, he was much interested in horticulture, and to obtain the land necessary for carrying out his ideas he drained and reclaimed several acres of rocky and swampy land adjoining his garden. Here he started a nursery, which he filled with almost every description of fruit and ornamental trees, shrubs, flowers, etc. In this he was very successful and took great pride. He was a regular contributor to the New England Horticultural Journal, a position he filled as long as he lived in Massachusetts. As an indication of the wide reputation he acquired in that field of labor, it may be mentioned that after his death an affecting eulogy to his memory was pronounced by the President of the National Horticultural Society at its meeting in Philadelphia, in 1869. A fine barque built at Dartmouth, of which he was part owner, was named the "H. H. Crapo" in compliment to him. ==Life and politics in Michigan==