Born in Missouri in July 1854, Henry McCraven came to Des Moines, Iowa by 1876 and married Maria Stevens in that year. St. Paul AME Church history lists him as a member of the group who incorporated the church on September 29,1879. He was said to be ordained an AME minister by Bishop Brown in Quincy, Illinois in 1884.

For a short time he left St. Paul AME and worked with another church. The Iowa State Bystander reported on February 14, 1896 that McCraven was “late of the AME church, but now, is reported of the First or Central Christian Church.” By January 14, 1898 he was listed again as an official with St. Paul AME. He and Maria McCraven would continue to serve that church through each of their lifetimes.

McCraven was described as one of the most widely known Black residents of Des Moines in 1926. He was employed as a porter for the Iowa legislature. It is known he delivered the opening prayer at multiple legislative sessions and for Iowa Senate sessions multiple times in late 1933 and early 1934. He was honored with a picnic at Good Park on July 4, 1935 by the Better Government League. McCraven is buried in Woodland Cemetery.