Cradock, Thomas

Cradock, Thomas a missionary of the Church of England, was born at Wolverham, Bedfordshire, in 1718, and was educated at Cambridge. An attachment having sprung up between a sister of the duchess of Bedford and Thomas, he was persuaded by her friends to migrate to Maryland, where it is believed that he arrived in 1742. In October of that year the General Assembly passed an act for the erection of a chapel about twelve miles from Baltimore, to be called St. Thomas's. In 1745 it was made an independent parish. Mr. Cradock became its minister the same year, also keeping a school for several years. Between 1750 and 1753 he preached a sermon which made considerable impression, urging the necessity of electing a bishop in the colony. In 1753 he published a version of the Psalms in heroic verse. About 1763 Mr. Cradock became physically paralyzed, but retained his mental vigor, and continued to fulfil his Sabbath appointments until his death, May 7, 1770. He was a man of varied learning, an intense student, and a preacher of considerable power. See Sprague, Annals of the Amer. Pulpit, 5:111.