Robert Quentin Crane is an American politician who served as Treasurer and Receiver-General of Massachusetts

Treasurer and Receiver-General of Massachusetts

The Treasurer and Receiver-General of Massachusetts is an executive officer, elected state-wide every four years....

 from 1965–1991. He is credited with starting the Massachusetts Lottery

Massachusetts Lottery

The Massachusetts Lottery was established in 1971, following the legalization of gambling by the Massachusetts General Court, the legislature of the Commonwealth...

.

Early life

He was born March 21, 1926 in Providence

Providence, Rhode Island

Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...

, Rhode Island

Rhode Island

The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...

. He received his education at English High School of Boston

English High School of Boston

The English High School of Boston, Massachusetts is the first public high school in America, founded in 1821. Originally called The English Classical School, it was renamed The English High School upon its first relocation in 1824. The current building is located in Jamaica Plain.-History:Since its...

 and Boston College

Boston College

Boston College is a private Jesuit research university located in the village of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA. The main campus is bisected by the border between the cities of Boston and Newton. It has 9,200 full-time undergraduates and 4,000 graduate students. Its name reflects its early...

.

Career

A state legislator and chairman of the Massachusetts Democratic Party, Crane was appointed state treasurer in 1964. He defeated Louise Day Hicks

Louise Day Hicks

Anna Louise Day Hicks was an American politician and lawyer from Boston, Massachusetts, best known for her staunch opposition to court-ordered busing in the 1960s and 1970s.-Early life:...

, John Francis Kennedy

John Francis Kennedy

John Francis Kennedy was the Treasurer of Massachusetts from 1955 to 1961.Kennedy worked as a supervisor in the miscellaneous small parts stockroom for Gillette in Canton, Massachusetts, before seeking public office. Kennedy first sought the office of Treasurer in 1952, losing the Democratic...

, and John J. Buckley

John J. Buckley

John Joseph Buckley was an American politician who served on the Massachusetts Governor's Council and as the Mayor of Lawrence, Massachusetts.-References:...

 for the Treasurer nomination in 1964. He went on to easily defeat Robert Hahn

Robert Hahn

Robert Conrad Hahn is an American lawyer and politician who was a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1961 to 1965 and served as chairman of the Massachusetts Republican State Committee from 1971 to 1972.Hahn represented the 5th Norfolk District in the Massachusetts House of...

 in the general election. In 1971 became the founding chairman of the Massachusetts State Lottery. The closest Crane came to losing his office was in 1974 when he defeated Charles Mark Furcolo, a Boston attorney and son of former governor Foster Furcolo

Foster Furcolo

John Foster Furcolo was a member of the Democratic Party who served as the 60th Governor of Massachusetts, a member of the United States House of Representatives, and in other government offices in Massachusetts. He was the first Italian-American governor of Massachusetts.-Life and career:Furcolo...

, 51%-49% in the Democratic primary. He retired from politics in 1991 amid accusations of patronage and nepotism.