For Descendants of Christopher (Doc) Cranston & Bess Melby
Helen and Paul Peterson purchased the General Custer Hotel and operated it in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s. Famous people stayed there – and Bob Greene of the Chicago Tribune wrote a feature article about Helen and the Hotel in 1970 or so. The town of Custer seems to have no respect for historical […]
Read More…Helen and Paul purchased and ran the General Custer Hotel in the 1970’s and early 1980’s. It was a wonderful historical place with lots of famous visitors – Bob Green of the Chicago Tribune ran an article about it and Helen. Now . . . . The town of Custer seems to have no respect […]
Read More…Trip to Australia and making new friends.
Read More…These are photos of Helen with Chuck and Clara Williamson – dear friends for years.
Read More…A collection of photos mainly with the Painters . . . . Marion and Preston . . . and a couple of good ones with Marion, Tip, Helen and Preston. Enjoy!
Read More…Frostie was a delightful and VERY smart toy poodle that Helen and Paul had while they were at the General Custer Hotel in Custer, South Dakota. She deserves a place and her own post on this site.
Read More…Here are some new photos that include Marion and Preston . . . . . taken around 1970, I think. Group photo was taken (I believe) at Preston’s funeral.
Read More…These photos include Helen and Paul at the Davies residence in Ellicott City and some from the General Custer Hotel in Custer, SDak.
Read More…Here are some photos taken with Helen and Paul – and some (rather poor quality . . . sorry) in the Davies home in Ellicott City. Enjoy.
Read More…The “It’s All About Skills” podcast series is about to go live. The introductory episode can be accessed through the link below.
Read More…For those of you who are bread bakers, here are a couple of recipes that are guaranteed “Kick Ass!” Recipes are in “.jpeg” format. Click on them to enlarge – then print. Pumpernickel, Rye and/or White. Enjoy! White Bread Rye Bread Pumpernickel Bread
Read More…This video was taken about two months before Tip died – and, incidentally, about a month before Marcia died. It was taken over a luncheon at the Glen Oak Country Club in Glen Ellyn, Illinois by Georg Mauer. Also on the video is a bit of coverage of Andreas Mauer’s graduation – speech given by […]
Read More…Rare photo of Uncle Bill in his Canadian Air Force uniform.
Read More…This is shared by Dick Painter. One of my favorite stories about my Dad and I won’t bore you with all of the details is how they took the cattle to Nebraska in 1936 to survive the drought. It was so dry and the vegetation was so sparse that when the cows would get to an […]
Read More…This story was told to Bob Painter by Tip Melby. Bob generously passes it on to the “Cranston Clan.” ~ CC
Read More…This photo was taken in Spearfish sometime in the early 1930’s. See if you can find Helen and Marion.
Read More…Photo taken in July 1944 when Chris (Doc) Cranston visited the CB Jett ranch.
Read More…These are photos of Susanne taken in the forties and fifties. They include birthday photos (3 and 4 years old), photos on the North Dakota ranch, and photos in Hot Springs.
Read More…Here are the obituaries of Giles and Nellie Campbell – Bess’s parents. They are buried in the cemetery at Camp Crook, South Dakota.
Read More…Susanne and Charlie got along quite well! 🙂
Read More…These are photos taken in the late 1950’s. The land where the old buildings were is now covered by the Bowman Haley Dam which was constructed in the mid 1960’s. (Hope it fills up with mud!)
Read More…This is the decorated car in which Ruth and Tip made their getaway after their wedding! I’m not sure of the date of the wedding, but I’m sure that cousins will supply it in a post.
Read More…These are the graves of the original Cranstons – in Rhode Island. The photos were taken by Charles Holly Jett.
Read More…These were taken from a movie showing Christmas morning, 1960, in Hot Springs, SD.
Read More…This is a photo of Helen that was taken sometime in the 1980’s. It is the way I generally remember her.
Read More…These are photos taken of Helen and Paul and Susanne, John and Mike back in 1966 around Christmas/New Years time. Somewhere in England Harrogate HarrogateHarrogate Helen on SS United States Helen/Paul on SS United States New Years 1967 Harrogate Helen with Lincoln Chair she Upholstered 1967 Helen and Paul on 1880 Train General Custer Motor Lodge 1967
Read More…Here are some more photos of Susanne Helen, Susanne and Woody – Rotunda at USNA – Summer of 1960 John Davies and Helen & Susanne – at JFK’s gravesite – November 1963 John and Mike – Ferndale, MD – Fall of 1963 Susanne and Woody – Stapelton Airport – Denver – When Charlie left for USNA Mike and Helen […]
Read More…Photos taken of Wood Jett (Dad) On USS Constitution (Old Ironsides) in 1971 At 1560 N Sandburg Terrace in Chicago – 1973 Newcastle, Wyoming in 1961
Read More…These photos were taken in 1960 . . . one on the ranch in NDak and the other at USNA during Parents’ Weekend. Charlie & Susanne – at USNA Attie Jett (Grandmother) and Susanne
Read More…Born in Woodstock, Ohio; Married Jennie Elizabeth Fulton 20 Mar 1866 in Urbana, Illinois; Died in Parsons, Kansas. Son of Christopher Cranston and Irene Ward Nott Cranston. He was the brother of Charles Edward Cranston – Doc’s father. Therefore, William Wallace Cranston was Doc’s uncle. Nov 20, 1838 – Dec 7, 1907 Cranston was a Civil War Captain […]
Read More…These were taken in early summer, 1972, in McLean, VA where Susanne, John and Mike lived in an apartment. There are a couple of photos of the lot in Ellicott City – BEFORE the house was built.
Read More…These photos were taken at the home of Susanne and John Davies in the fall of 1963. Mike had a bad cold.
Read More…Helen and Paul in Edgemont Helen, Susanne and John – Liberty Bell – Philadelphia – November 1963 Helen – Tired after arriving in Ferndale, MD – November 1963 Helen – Looking at Alan Shepherd’s Mercury capsule at Smithsonian – November 1963Helen, Susanne, John and Mike – Washington, DC – November 1963Helen – Mercury Capsule – […]
Read More…In 1960, Helen married Paul Peterson who grew up in Harding County in northwestern South Dakota. He operated a ranch and later owned the Peterson Implement Company in Buffalo, SD. He later was a banker in Edgemont, South Dakota.
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