Photos – Helen’s Time at the Jett Ranch – North Dakota
These are photos of Charlie, Susanne, Attie and CB Jett and the ranch south of Bowman. Taken in the early 1940’s.
Read More…Author: Charles C. Jett
An expert in core competencies and critical skills.
Battle Mountain Auto Camp – Early Photos
These are photos of the Battle Mountain Auto Camp – taken BEFORE Bess and Ole acquired the place. Probably around 1928 or so.
Read More…Ruth Melby (Tip’s Wife) – Memories from Jean Melby-Mauer
These are memories of Ruth Kelly Melby from her daughter – Jean Melby. ~ 2015 Remembering My Mother Ruth, my mother, was a special woman. Born in a small house on the prairie in 1912, she was delivered by my Aunt Esther, who at the time was only a teenager. Always an avid reader and […]
Read More…Melby – Early Photos
Who are these guys, anyway?? Photos provided by Jean Melby-Mauer. Come on, cousins – fill in the blanks with your comments below! ~ CCJ
Read More…Tip’s Story – Introduction by John Ashford ~ 2003
These pages are scanned from “Tip’s Story” written by John Ashford ~ 2003 They cover a lot of fun things about his early life and his memories – these are how he is communicating with us! All stories can be found by going to the MENU bar and clicking on “Tip’s Story.” Sidney “Tip” Melby Here […]
Read More…The Cranston Plaid
This is the Cranston plaid from Scotland. ~ CCJ
Read More…Ruth Melby (Tip’s Wife) – Memories from Karen and Bill
From Karen Melby Lavelle All mankind has in common a mother and a father .I had a mother and a father. They had all the requisite warts, wonders and splendors. One of those splendors was my Mother’s fierce determination and courage. I had graduated from Montana State University with an associate degree in nursing. All […]
Read More…Marion Cranston Painter – Her Daughter (Helen’s) Memories
My Mother, the Laundress In the 1950’s and 1960’s Belle Fourche was a town of about 5,000 people. It was a time when kids walked everywhere or maybe rode their bicycles. Being the 5th of 10 children and starting at age 11, the oldest daughter at home, I was called upon to help my Mom […]
Read More…Woodstock, Ohio Cemetery – Cranstons
Thanks to Janice Opsahl, here is where John Cranston (from Rhode Island), his wife, Phoebe, Lora Parks (Christopher Cranston’s first wife), Josephine P. Cranston and Mary Cranston are buried. The cemetery is in Woodstock, Ohio – near the place where John Cranston first settled.
Read More…Locations of Cranston Family – ND & SD
These are the locations taken from Google Earth of the various places where the Cranstons Lived in North and South Dakota. Haley Bowman Camp Crook (Giles and Nellie Graves) Ludlow Ladner Cave Hills Painter Ranch & Willett Place Jett Ranch
Read More…Christmas Morning Lecture – 25 December 1866
This is a copy of the lecture given on Christmas Morning by Dr. James C. Jackson on Christmas morning, December 25, 1866 at “Liberty Hall” (wherever that is). It’s more like a sermon from a protestant church than a lecture. ~ CCJ Transcription — “Christmas Morning Lecture” by Dr. James C. Jackson, “Liberty Hall,” Dec. […]
Read More…1853 Letter Regarding Slavery – Request for Relief for Bail ~ 1853
This is an interesting letter and I’m not sure why it is in the collection except that one of those signing the letter is a Mr. “S. Parke” or “S. Parker.” May this be related to the “Parke” in Katurah Taylor Parke’s family? I don’t know. The letter discusses the conviction of a Mr. William […]
Read More…Josephine Park Cranston Letter to “Josie” – Aunt Jo ~ 27 February 1884
Josephine Park Cranston writes to her niece, “Josie” (Doc’s elder sister who is 20 years old) about the declining health of Uncle Stephen who is the son of John Cranston who emigrated to Ohio from Rhode Island in 1815. Uncle Stephen at that time would have been 92 years old, having been born in 1793. […]
Read More…William W. Cranston Writes about Death of Charles Stephen Cranston ~ 4 Aug 1905
William W. Cranston writes to his niece & all about the death of Charles Edward Cranston. It’s interesting that this letter is dated August 4, 1905 – same as the date of Charles’s death on his tombstone. In Edna Barnes’ book, she lists the date of Charles’s death as August 5, 1905. My Dear Niece […]
Read More…Crane-Stone . . Suggested by Charles Edward Cranston
Josephine Park Cranston says that “Crane” and “Stone” pendant would initiate the name Crane-Stone. Creative.
Read More…Meal Planning at the Cranstons ~ 1892
Cranston Household Food Preparation Plans Dated July 27th, 1892 About These Lists These two documents form a weekly household meal plan kept by the Cranston family, dated July 27th, 1892. The first sheet sets out a breakfast for each day of the week, Sunday through Saturday; The second sets out the corresponding dinner (the main […]
Read More…John Cranston – Migration to Ohio – History & Woodstock Area
In the autumn of 1815, John Cranston gathered his daughter, five sons, and a band of twenty-four New England souls and set out from Rice City, Rhode Island, for the far West. This account, written by a descendant looking back across more than eighty years, follows them over near-impassable mountains, across a flooded creek they […]
Read More…Charles Edward Cranston Elected Justice of the Peace – Knox County ~ 1 May 1869
This is the certificate signed by Illinois Governor John M. Palmer making Charles Edward Cranston Justice of the Peace for the town of Chestnut, IL in the county of Knox. 1 May 1869
Read More…Josephine Park Cranston Describes Columbus, Ohio ~ Late 1870’s or Early 1880’s
This appears to be the first of Josephine Park Cranston’s compositions describing a city. It seems clear that these were created while she was in school, but what school or year, I do not know. The actual letter is shown below.~ CCJ A Description of Columbus Columbus is the capital of the state of Ohio. […]
Read More…John Cranston (1803-1858)
Not much is written in the “Story of the Cranstons” book by Edna Barns about John Cranston. The only reference to him is that he was the son of Thomas Cranston and that he had, “among others,” one child who was Christopher (born in 1803). Here is more detail on John Cranston provided by cousin […]
Read More…Letter from Christopher Cranston to Josephine Cranston ~ 8 October 1843
This letter is from Christopher Cranston to Josephine Cranston. Christopher had three children, Charles Edward, Josephine and Mary. _______ Octr 8, 1843 My Dear Josephine, I have been very anxious about you since you left Columbus. I have written and sent word by private conveyance and the return I can get, you cannot be found. […]
Read More…Josephine Park Cranston Writes to George Cranston in Scotland ~ 29 December 1874
Josephine Park Cranston writes a newsy letter to her Scottish relation and pen pal wishing him good health and hopes that his visit to America will be forthcoming. She wishes him a “Happy New Year!” ~ This one closes the loop in a striking way—it’s signed by Josephine P.This one closes the loop in a […]
Read More…Who Was “Auntie Pearl?”
Marion and Helen stayed with “Auntie Pearl” in LaGrange, Illinois where they attended and graduated from Lyons Township High School. “Auntie Pearl” was Louise Pearl Burnside and daughter of Marcus Terry Burnside and Maude Taliaferro Cranston who was some 14 years older than her younger brother, Christopher “Doc” Cranston. Marcus and Maude married in 1883.when […]
Read More…Letter from Abigail Dunham to Lucretia Parke ~ 25 July 1830
This letter is from an obvious relative of Lucretia Parke – Katurah Taylor Parke Cranston’s Grandmother. Who Abigail Dunham was exactly and what the relationship was, I do not know. Most likely a cousin because it appears that Abigail Dunham was in the same generation as John Cranston (1755-1825). The letter clearly shows how deeply […]
Read More…Letter from Rebecca Tracy to Her Cousin, Lucretia Parke ~ 20 January 1820
This letter is from Rebecca Tracy to her cousin Lucretia Parke who I think was Keturah Taylor Parke Cranston’s grandmother. Lucretia would then be Christopher (Doc) Cranston’s great-grandmother. Rebecca and Lucretia must have been of the same generation as John Cranston who is the one who emigrated from Rhode Island to Ohio in the early […]
Read More…Letter from William Wallace Cranston to His Sister Mary ~ 27 September 1907
This is a letter from Congressional Medal of Honor recipient William Wallace Cranston to his sister Mary. The letter was sent on September 7, 1907. In it he describes his failing health and the rough weather that they had experienced in Kansas. He lived in the small town of Parsons, Kansas, about 150 miles south […]
Read More…Josephine Park Cranston Succeeds! ~ 1882
Josephine Park Cranston was SUCCESSFUL in getting the autograph of Oliver Wendell Holmes – January 2, 1882.
Read More…“The Improvement of the Mind” – Edited by Josie Cranston (Charles Edward’s Aunt) ~ 1850
This is an article edited by Ellie Henkle and Josephine Cranston – the sister of Charles Edward Cranston’s father, Christopher Cranston. It was written in 1850 but their thoughts are eternal. Images of the actual letter in Josie’s own handwriting are below and a transcription of the letter is as follows – something we all […]
Read More…Josephine Park Cranston Describes a Nice Outing in Dayton, Ohio ~ 1880’s
This is one of many of the Josephine Park Cranston “compositions.” I’m sure it was written while she was a student in school – and it certainly was written while she was visiting Dayton, Ohio. She compares Dayton with Cincinnati – Dayton does not have so much black coal smoke. No EPA in those days, […]
Read More…Bess and Chris – Homestead Locations and Information
Here are the documents that record the homestead information for Bess and Chris. Also shown is the detailed survey map showing Bess’s land and a “Google Earth” image of where these homesteads were located relative to the little town of Haley, the Jett Ranch (now where the Bowman-Haley Dam is located) and Bowman, North Dakota. […]
Read More…Ephraim Cranston – Christopher Cranston’s Brother and Oregon Trail Traveler
Janice Opsahl provided the link to this information about Ephraim Cranston, the brother of Chistopher Cranston and the family member who led the Cranston’s to Oregon on the Oregon Trail in 1850. The information came from “History of Oregon Illustrated,” Vol. 3 by Charles H. Carney, The Pioneer Historical Publishing Company, Chicago – Portland 1922 […]
Read More…Tombstone – Charles Edward Cranston and Keturah Taylor Parke Cranston
Janice Opsahl provided the link to find this photo of the tombstone of Charles Edward Cranston and Keturah Taylor Parke Cranston – the great grandfather of Marion, Helen, Bill and Tip. It is located in Knox County, Illinois near Galesburg.
Read More…Letter Provides Details of the Accidental Death of Christopher Cranston ~ 1858
This letter was written on December 17, 1858 by one of the children (I assume a daughter) to a “Mary” and details the death of Christopher Cranston, Charles Edward Cranston and Josephine Park Cranston’s father and Chris (Doc) Cranston’s grandfather. He died of internal injuries suffered in a fall from the loft in his barn one […]
Read More…Lengthly Letter from George Cranston (Edinburgh) to Josephine Park Cranston ~1873
This is a lengthly letter written by George Cranston of Edinburgh, Scotland to Josephine Park Cranston. It describes the “Cranston Line” starting around 1170. George Cranston was trying to help Josephine with the geneology of the Cranston family. He tried and failed to get responses from his relatives to Josephine’s inquiries. He did succeed, however, […]
Read More…William Wallace Cranston – Congressional Medal of Honor Winner ~ 2 May1863
Janice Opsahl uncovered this gem. Our great, great uncle, William Wallace Cranston, was the son of Christopher Cranston and the half-brother of Charles Edward Cranston. He was born on November 20, 1838 in Ohio and died on December 7, 1907 in Kansas. As a Private in Company A, 66th Infantry, Union Army, on May 2, […]
Read More…Josephine P. Cranston Writes to Her Niece, Josie ~ 1884
“Josie,” actually Josephine Parke Cranston was the daughter of Charles Edward Cranston (Chris’s father) and the niece of Josephine Park Cranston, Charles Edward Cranston’s sister. “Josie” was “Aunt Jo” to Marion, Helen, Bill and Tip and appears to be the favorite niece of Josephine Park Cranston. It was to “Josie” that Josephine Park Cranston gave […]
Read More…Bill Cranston – CCJ’s Memories
Uncle Bill. That’s who he was and who he will always be to me. He had a terrific smile and was always fun to be around. I knew him when I was a little kid on the ranch in North Dakota, but got to know him better during the four years after we moved to […]
Read More…Tip Melby’s Sense of Humor – CCJ’s Memories
One of the pleasures I had by being related to “Uncle Tip” was that I could enjoy humor with him. He loved to laugh . . . and he loved practical jokes – even if the jokes were played on him. I always had a great deal of respect for him – particularly because he […]
Read More…Josephine Park Cranston Composition on Friendship ~ 1880
This is a composition by Josephine Park Cranston on “Friendship.” It is worth a good read and careful thought. ~ CC This is a companion to the “Composition No. 1st” on Columbus—same young hand, same schoolroom exercise series, signed by Josephine. Here’s the transcription. Friendship (decorative banner heading) Friendship is one of the purest, strongest, […]
Read More…Christopher Cranston Letter to His Sister ~ 1845
This letter was written by Christopher Cranston, son of John Cranston and father of Charles Edward Cranston, to his sister (name unknown). Apparently she lived in Dayton, Ohio and the letter is intended to introduce a friend, Miss Charlotte T. Fermer who would be moving to Dayton. He asks his sister to assist her in […]
Read More…