The purpose of this blog is to share historic documents and provide a forum for general discussion and stories about the “Cranston Line” – specifically for those who are descendants of Christopher (Doc) Cranston.
You can post stories and make comments here – you can upload photographs or scanned documents to share with all the “cousins” and related individuals who might be interested in this information.
Much of the information that will be uploaded to this site will be that which was collected and preserved by Josephine Park Cranston of Woodstock, Ohio in the mid to late 1800’s. These documents were given to Chris’s sister, Josephine Cranston, in Galesburg, Illinois and then later to Helen (Cranston) Peterson who gave them to me. It is my intent to share all of this material with the descendants of Christopher (Doc) Cranston.
If you are a descendant and have interesting photographs, documents or stories, you can share them as well.
As we learn how this works, we will update the blog – perhaps the appearance, perhaps other categories separate from documents and photographs. For now, however, let’s just give this a try.
Enjoy!
Charles (Cranston) Jett
Chicago, IL
312-335-1217
andrea chancellor
Hello, Charles Cranston Jet. I feel like it’s Christmas for me. Your
blog is full of references to my various Cranston ancestors, although probably through a different family line in some cases. I am the great great grandaughter, it seems, of Christopher Cranston 1803-1858. His son, Otto G. Cranston is my great grandfather who moved from Illinois, perhaps Galesburg ?, to Oklahoma Indian Territory after 1877, when his daughter, my grandmother, was born.
My grandmother left me piles and piles letters and document. She died in 1963 and have 60 years of her diaries, along with piles and piles of documents and materials. . I wrote about the diaries and my Granny in a recent guest column in the Oklahoman newspaper, based in OKC.
I have a couple of reference materials of hers from an Earl Cranston, which is noted to be her cousin, who lived at one time in Brentwood Heights CA (Los Angeles). I also have a photo of him at a desk in an office of some family member in Quincy, Ill., I believe.
My Chancellor family tree is on Ancestry. I am looking to find out more about Earl Cranston. Do you of him or have any information about him?
I’m thrilled to have found your blog and the potential for learning more about the Cranstons.
Charles C. Jett
Hi, Andrea!
What a joy to hear from you – and I’m delighted to know that you enjoy the blog.
It appears that we have a common great, great, . . . grandfather, Christopher Cranston. He lived at the time in Woodstock, Ohio where the Cranstons came in the early 1800’s from Rhode Island.
From Woodstock, Charles Edward Cranston married Keturah Taylor Parks and then moved to Galesburg, Illinois. He was the father of my Grandfather, Chris Cranston who was born in 1876.
Like your grandmother, Josephine Parke Cranston collected a ton of documents and mail, and ultimately gave them to her niece, Josephine Cranston in Galesburg. When “Aunt Jo” died, she gave the documents to my mother, Helen (Cranston) who ultimately gave them to me. What you see on this site are copies of those documents. I hope you find them helpful.
I don’t have any information about Earl Cranston, nor do I have any information about Otto Cranston. Otto appears to have been the brother of Charles Edward Cranston – perhaps they moved to Galesburg, Illinois together. I don’t know.
Perhaps it might be more convenient for us to communicate by e-mail. My email is: ccjett@msn.com
On the other hand, if we go back and forth here in the comments, others might see the comments and join in the fun.
In any event – it’s WONDERFUL to connect with you. I’m in Chicago – you?
~ Charlie Jett
630-728-5785