Washington District of Columbia
Biographies

Tunis Craven
1781 - 1866
Furnished by : John Sharp

Portrait by C. B. J. Feret de Saint-Memin circa 1804 This portrait is from the Library of Congress

Tunis Craven (1781-1866) was married to Washington Navy Yard Commandant, Commodore Thomas Tingey's daughter Hannah Tingey. When Hannah married Tunis Craven he was employed as a government clerk / accountant with a bright future. Shortly after their marriage however he left government service and turned businessmen in the private sector opening a hardware store in Alexandria. Tunis Craven's career as merchant was a failure. His business quickly floundered and Commodore Tingey bore some of the costs and did what he could to rescue the young man from debtors prison and bankruptcy by securing for him a position as Naval Purser . Imprisonment for Debt Daily National Intelligencer July 12, 1812 Washington County District of Columbia,Tunis Craven, insolvent debtor, confined in Washington County prison for debt.               William Brent, Clerk The above profile view of Tunis Craven circa 1804 shows him as handsome young man he was prior to his financial troubles. Tunis Craven had greater success in his second career as a Navy Purser. Two of his son's had distinguished careers as naval officers.

Tunis Craven's bankruptcy and economic struggles are described in Christopher McKee's A Gentlemanly and Honorable Profession the Creation of the United States Naval Officer Corps 1794-1815 U. S. Naval Institute Press Annapolis MD 1991 pp 81-85

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