Mentor joins in the celebration of the 250th anniversary of our nation’s founding by honoring the Revolutionary War veterans who settled – or were interred – in the city of Mentor.
Mentor City Council has declared May 4, 2026, as “Roger Ascham Craine Day” in the city of Mentor.
Roger Ascham Craine was born in Mansfield, Connecticut Colony on May 4, 1762. He enlisted in the Revolutionary War from Medway, Massachusetts Colony in 1777 and served with the 4th Massachusetts Regiment, Continental Army until December 1783. The regiment saw action at the Battle of Bunker Hill, New York Campaign, Battle of Trenton, Battle of Princeton, Battle of Saratoga, Battle of Monmouth and the Battle of Rhode Island.
During his enlistment, he served under Captain John Fuller, Colonel William Shepard, Colonel Samuel Wylllys, Colonel Henry Jackson, and a Colonel Hollister.
A granddaughter reported that he was with Washington at Valley Forge through the winter and that he was one of forty men under Colonel Barton who surprised and captured Major-General Prescott in his own quarters on the night of July 10, 1777, on the Prescott Farm in Rhode Island. Prescott was later exchanged for General Charles Lee. He also participated in the battle at White Plains.
After the war, Craine married Sarah Whiton in Ashford, Connecticut, on May 20, 1784. Their children were Abigail, Cyrus, Ahira, Eleazer, Tower, Horace, Avin, Samuel, Alexis and Ruth.
The family settled in Groton, New York, where he was a farmer. He applied for and received a pension in May 1818.
They later moved to Painesville, Ohio, where he died June 3, 1841. His remains were moved to the Mentor Cemetery in 1857 2-29-6.
According to one of his descendants, “Grandfather Craine had repeatedly refused to sign the temperance pledge, saying, he was not a drinking man, and didn’t care to sign away his liberty. One training day an old drunkard cried out, ‘Here comes Roger Craine, he is one of our set, for he will not sign his liberty away either!’ Grandfather signed the pledge that day.”
We thank Roger Ascham Craine for his service to our country as well as contributing to the foundation of our community.