For Descendants of Christopher (Doc) Cranston & Bess Melby
A Woman Ahead of Her Time Josephine P. Cranston and the 1866 Character Delineation from Dansville A study of one document in the Cranston family papers Among the possessions found after the death of Josephine P. Cranston in 1905 was a small set of pages, written in a careful hand, that she appears to have […]
Read More…Letter from Ephraim Cranston from the Oregon Trail – 1850 – near Missouri River NW of St. Joe, Missouri. E. Cranston to John A. Corwin, Esq., June 16, 1850 — written on the Oregon Trail (“Indian Territory,” ~100 mi NW of St. Joseph) (A letter written in camp on the overland trail, in E. Cranston’s […]
Read More…Transcription — “The Samuel Cranston Story” (Josephine P. Cranston, copied; received Nov 25, 1879 / dated Jan 5, 1896) (The Samuel Cranston story) In connection with Newport & piracy, the “History of Rhode Island” records a touching story which, as the author says, seems more like fiction than fact. We give the domestic tale which […]
Read More…Commentary — read this one with care. This is a typeset reprint, not a manuscript in Josephine’s hand, so what we’re transcribing is somebody’s later printing of her text (note the modern typesetting and the editorial subtitle). The header says “Lincoln–Douglas Debates at Lombard College, Galesburg.” The fifth Lincoln–Douglas debate was indeed at Galesburg on […]
Read More…Grandma (Bess) Melby is famous!
Read More…These are photos taken from “Prairie Tales” – a collection of stories about homesteaders in Bowman County, North Dakota in the early 1900s.
Read More…This was written by Helen Cranston Peterson about “Uncle Bill.”
Read More…These are Tip’s Childhood Memories and Lessons of Early Life as they were told to John Ashford in 2003. He talks about Chris, Bess, Ole, building a sod house, breaking horses and herding sheep.
Read More…The collection of stories that follow in this section of the blog are those that are a result of three days of interviews by John Ashford, a writer, with Sidney “Tip” Melby. Tip was 87+ years old at the time and the stories are intended to preserve his memories for his children and cousins who […]
Read More…These are Tip’s memories of Marion’s, Helen’s, Bill’s and his stepfather, Ole Melby.
Read More…Tip’s memories about the horse business and bucking broncos.
Read More…This story is about the Willett Place on the Little Missouri River. It was located about two miles north of the Painter Ranch and on the west side of the Little Missouri River. The only way you could get to it was to ford the river at a crossing just a short distance downstream from […]
Read More…Tip describes winter at the Willett Place on the Little Missouri River.
Read More…A good story!
Read More…Tip gets a tractor.
Read More…Tip talks about the Farm All tractor and the advantages of mechanized power over horses. (You don’t have to feed or harness them.)
Read More…Here Tip talks about meeting Chris Cranston. Ole Melby served as Tip’s father after Chris and Bess divorced.
Read More…Good writeup about sheep herding and coyotes.
Read More…Good summary about livestock selling and the problems encountered. ~ CCJ
Read More…A little blurb on the Grasslands.
Read More…Giles Campbell was the grandfather of Marion, Helen, Bill and Tip. He was married to Nellie and they are both buried in the cemetery just west of Camp Crook, SD. Photo of Giles as a young man provided by Jean Melby. ~ CCJ
Read More…These are Tip’s memories of his wife, Ruth Kelly Melby. ~ 2003 Ruth Kelly – College Photo Ruth Kelly Melby
Read More…The Shaw Ranch was legendary – Karen was born there, I think – and it was located near the little spot in the road called Ludlow and it was on Crooked Creek about 3 miles north.
Read More…