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Lawrence William Cramer (December 26, 1897 – 1978) was the second civilianGovernor of the United States Virgin Islands.

Cramer was born inNew Orleans, Louisiana. He graduated from theUniversity of Wisconsin–Madison and obtained amaster's degree fromColumbia University. He then spent two years in theUnited States Army duringWorld War I and was wounded in battle. After the war, he returned as a professor of government at Columbia University and wrote a book about the diplomatic background of the war.

Cramer waslieutenant governor underPaul Martin Pearson since 1931. Both he and Pearson weresubpoenaed to appear inWashington, D.C., before theSenate regarding a scandal / political dispute that ultimately resulted in the forced resignation of Pearson and the appointment of Cramer as full governor on August 21, 1935. After his appointment, the Senate hearings continued andRobert Herrick was made acting-Governor.

Before Cramer was even installed, he had been tainted by his predecessor's reputation. The Islands' Colonial Council voted on July 29, 1935, to petitionPresidentFranklin D. Roosevelt to bring the Islands back under the control of theUnited States Navy, as it had been prior to 1931.

After his inauguration, however, Cramer made some positive moves which quelled fears. First, he was sworn in by a native judge and not a mainland one. He announced stepped-uprum exporting plans and petitioned theDepartment of the Interior for increased home rule for the territory. He also petitioned foruniversal suffrage. These moves were successful and the moves to oust Cramer ceased.

However, his difficulties resurfaced in 1937 as theLegislature of the United States Virgin Islands met for the first time and refused to consider eight of the nine bills he asked them to vote on. Cramer continued to have difficulties with the Assembly over tax law and other matters.

He resigned as governor in December, 1941. Cramer later served as executive secretary of theCommittee on Fair Employment Practice during World War II.^[1]

Cramer's Park, a popular beach onSt. Croix,U.S. Virgin Islands is named after him.

• ISLANDS GET NEW RULER. Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, Calif.: Jul 24, 1935. pg. 13, 1 pgs
• CRAMER A LIBERAL; WAS AN EDUCATOR. Special to THE NEW YORK TIMES. New York Times. New York, N.Y.: Jul 24, 1935. pg. 11, 1 pgs
• Island Groups Oppose Cramer. Special Cable to THE NEW YORK TIMES. New York Times. New York, N.Y.: Jul 25, 1935. pg. 15, 1 pgs
• REQUESTS RULE BY NAVY. New York Times. New York, N.Y.: Jul 30, 1935. pg. 6, 1 pgs
• VIRGIN ISLANDS WRITE A HOME RULE BILL. HARWOOD HULL. New York Times. New York, N.Y.: Feb 2, 1936. pg. E12, 1 pgs
• CRAMER REBUFFED IN VIRGIN ISLANDS. Special Cable to THE NEW YORK TIMES. New York Times. New York, N.Y.: Nov 24, 1937. pg. 15, 1 pgs
• CRAMER RESIGNS VIRGIN ISLAND POST. Times Wide World. New York Times. New York, N.Y.: Dec 3, 1940. pg. 25, 1 pgs

• 1897 births
• 1978 deaths
• Politicians from New Orleans
• Columbia University alumni
• University of Wisconsin–Madison alumni
• Governors of the United States Virgin Islands
• United States Army personnel of World War I
• United States Army soldiers

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