For Descendants of Christopher (Doc) Cranston & Bess Melby
The Old Willett Place stood along the Little Missouri River between Camp Crook and Buffalo, South Dakota. It was the ranch house where the Melby family ranched during the latter half of the Second World War, and where Patrick Melby spent the first three years of his life before the family left in 1947 and […]
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Dan Painter went to Lead High School in South Dakota. He had never wrestled before, but he went out for the team anyway. As a junior in high school, Dan won the South Dakota state high school heavyweight wrestling championship in 1963. He was runner-up as a senior in 1964. Dan always seemed to be […]
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This is a poem that was written by Elizabeth Clark Hardy, and was read at the memorial service for President Woodrow Wilson. I found among my father-in-law’s papers – Robert Holden – he was the Dean of Students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. When my first wife (Marcia) died in 2005, this poem […]
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I’m putting a short video on here that (hopefully) gives you some idea of how this website is set up. This might make it easier for you to find what you are looking for and/or just plain explore. Have fun! ~ Charlie
Read More…The Estate of Christopher Cranston (1858) Probate Court, Urbana, Champaign County, Ohio — Final Record of Estates, Book No. 1, p. 560 Transcription of the manuscript probate record, 1858–1862 (settled 1862; certified 1898) Record of Administration Christopher Cranston’s Estate. Be it remembered that on the 15th day of Nov. A.D. 1858, In the Probate Court […]
Read More…The Last Will of John Cranston, 1823 When John Cranston of Wayne Township, Champaign County, Ohio, sat down to dictate his will on March 22, 1823, he described himself as “in an advanced age but of a Sound mind and memory,” and made plain his purpose: to “order my business So as to prevent trouble […]
Read More…Karen Ann LaVelle (Melby) was the proud daughter of two teachers, a loving wife and mother to five children, a grandmother to twenty-two grandchildren and a great-grandma to fourteen great-grandchildren. Mom served as a registered nurse in many capacities including supervisor at St. Pat’s in Missoula, MT and eventually retired as a home health care […]
Read More…In this personal account, Cold War naval officer and USNA ’64 graduate Charles C. Jett sets the record straight on an untold chapter of submarine history: how his innovations developed aboard USS RAY (SSN 653) and later at the US Naval Submarine School where he taught tactics and Soviet Naval Ship Recognition to prospective nuclear submarine commanding officers— commended by Vice Admiral E. P. Wilkinson and the Secretary of the Navy, and endorsed by Admiral Bruce DeMars and Rear Admiral Albert Kelln — provided Tom Clancy with the foundation for both the character Jonesy and the original Jack Ryan in The Hunt for Red October. As shipmate Dennis Parker wrote: “A little bit of the Ray, and a little bit of Charlie Jett, lives on in every U.S. nuclear attack submarine since.” At 85, Jett finally places this story where it belongs: in the record.
Read More…Former longtime Durango resident Catherine Elizabeth Dodd passed away peacefully on Sunday, November 7, 2021 in Fountain Hills, Arizona. Born to Preston and Marion Painter in Harding County, South Dakota on October 9, 1939, she was raised on the family ranch with her four brothers and four sisters. Cathy married Richard Dodd of Spearfish, South […]
Read More…Jan G. Painter, 78, of Scottsbluff, died October 15, 2016 at the Residency Care Center in Scottsbluff. Funeral services were set for 10 a.m. Saturday, October 22 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Scottsbluff, with Bishop Randall Mills officiating. Burial was to follow at 3 p.m. at the Glenn Cemetery near […]
Read More…Listen to this before you read . . . this is “make believe.” Mr. George Cranston of Edinburgh, late of the year 1873, addresses the assembled Cranston family of today. A note before the lights go down. What follows is an entertainment, and an act of affection — not a record. Every fact, every opinion, […]
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Ruth Doreen Painter Henrikson passed away peacefully in her sleep at home on June 1, 2026, surrounded by the love of her family. Ruth was born on September 13, 1951, in Belle Fourche, South Dakota, to Preston Elmer Painter and Marion Josephine Cranston Painter. She was one of nine children and spent her childhood on […]
Read More…Composition Last monday morning, after I came to school, I heard of the arrival of several of my friends from the country, whom I had not seen for a long-time; and you can immagine my impatience in being obliged to wait untill noon, when I went to see them. After learning that my relations and […]
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He started it with Bulgarian folk songs. He should have known better! Tip loved jokes – even those on him. This is a fun story – typical of the great sense of humor that was “purely my Uncle Tip.” It’s the record of a long-running practical-joke war between Tip and me. It began with music: […]
Read More…Lebanon, OR – Marion Co. Nov 23, 1851 Dear friends and relatives. We are all here and well every one of us. It has been almost two years since we have seen each other. I should be glad to see you all but in all probability we shall never see each other again in this […]
Read More…Mailed to Mr. Christopher Cranston in Woodstock, Ohio Near Fort Kearney, NE, May 22, 1851 Dear Friends – We have just arrived here all well without the first accident whatever all in good spirit after remaining all night in a storm without wood to make a fire to get our breakfast with so we ate […]
Read More…Letter from Ephraim Cranston – Oregon Trail – 1850 This is a letter from an ancestor, Ephraim Cranston, son of John Cranston. Ephraim left Woodstock, Ohio in 1850 and captained a wagon train on the Oregon Trail. This letter was written at a place approximately 100 miles northwest of St. Joseph, MO. The letter was […]
Read More…The Cranston Adventure of Moving from Rhode Island to Woodstock, Ohio in 1815 as told (I think) by Josephine Park Cranston sometime in the 1880’s from her memory of stories and records that she kept. The original documents in her own handwriting are below. * * * * * Early in the fall of 1815, […]
Read More…Here is a wonderful photo of our two cousins – Cathy and Susanne. This photo was taken at the ranch (Kelly Place) that Wood and Helen Jett were renting back in the very early 1940’s. It is located north of the Painter ranch and the Willett Place – somewhere a little west of Ladner.
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In Rob Painter’s words . . . . . I would like to start by relating a journal that explains a part of, or what makes Dad, or (Bob) as you know him, Who he is. A good part of what makes a man is of course Mother. In this case that is Marion Cranston […]
Read More…“How Bob Painter and Jan Gillespie Met” I went back to school at Colorado A&M, an agricultural/mechanical college. I didn’t have a place to stay because I wanted to stay at the riding stables. At that time they had a riding stable so they could teach riding to college students. Prior to World War II, […]
Read More…Marion Writes a Letter – “From Your Mother” Dear One a Diary Belle Fourche, South Dakota At D. L. Owens home January 24, 1938 (This is the entry and voice of Marion Painter) Your Father and I don’t know who you are yet, but I am here waiting for you to come, while he stays […]
Read More…Funeral services for Robert Lewis Painter, 83 of Crawford, NE will be held at 11 am Friday April 23 at the Scottsbluff Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with Bishop John Blomstedt presiding. Robert (Bob) died April 18, 2021 at the Monument care center in Scottsbluff. Burial will be at 3pm at the Glendale […]
Read More…On Tuesday, July 6, 2021, Chris Cranston visited the Evergreen Cemetery in Hot Springs, South Dakota to celebrate the lives of our family. They include: Bill Cranston (Chris’s Father) Doreen Cranston (Chris’s Mother) Bess Melby (Chris’s Grandmother) Ole Melby (Chris’s Step-Grandfather) Chris (Doc) Cranston (Chris’s Grandfather) Marian Painter (Chris’s Aunt) Preston Painter (Chris’s Uncle) Helen […]
Read More…These photos were provided by Chris Cranston from an album his mother created in the 1940’s and 1950’s.
Read More…Jean Elizabeth Melby-Mauer of Las Vegas passed away on Sunday, December 22nd. She was born to the late Sydney Melby and Ruth Kelly on September 10th, 1948 in Missoula, MT. Jean attended Whitman College and the University of Washington. She pursued graduate studies at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She taught English as a […]
Read More…Photo provided by Dick Painter.
Read More…These photos were taken in September 1974 when Dick was a senior in High School. The gathering was to go to the football game. The view is from the windmill at Preston and Marion’s ranch northeast of Crawford, NE. In one of the photos, you can see the north side of the ranch house.
Read More…This photo was taken in 1973 at the time of Preston Painter’s funeral.
Read More…These are photos provided by Pat Melby of Echo editor Albert Saigo with advisor Sidney (Tip) Melby and Echo Staff with Tip. (Early 1940’s). Click HERE to this link and scroll down to read about Tip and Ruth’s time at the Relocation Center in Lyman, Wyoming.
Read More…These photos are at the courtesy of Pat Melby. They are of Ruth Kelley Melby with students at the Heart Mountain Relocation Center in Wyoming (early 1940’s)
Read More…Jack Watson and Dick Painter also sent this letter to “one” – written in February 1938. Here is the full letter, both pages joined: Belle Fourche, South Dakota At D. L. Owen’s Home. Dear One; I went to see Doctor Davis yesterday afternoon. He said I could call your Daddy to come down Thursday, that […]
Read More…From Jack Watson and Dick Painter . . . . this is apparently a letter written to the Painter children by Marion in January of 1938 anticipating the arrival of a new family.
Read More…Apparently there was some sort of tradition in some of the Cranston clan families for having oyster stew on Christmas eve. Certainly I remember having it with Helen and Wood, and it looks like the same tradition was prevalent with the Painters and Melbys. So . . . . Here’s the recipe that I found […]
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…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.
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