For Descendants of Christopher (Doc) Cranston & Bess Melby
These are uploaded documents.
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 story was told to Bob Painter by Tip Melby. Bob generously passes it on to the “Cranston Clan.” ~ CC
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…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…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
Read More…Here are Cranston breakfast and dinner plans from 1892. Looks pretty good to me! ~ CC
Read More…This is a short history of the migration of John Cranston and his family from Rhode Island to Woodstock, Ohio. I don’t know who wrote it and there appears to be some pages missing which I will attempt to find and insert. This is WORTH READING. Also are two “Google Earth” images showing basically where the John […]
Read More…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…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…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…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…Josephine (Josie) Parke Cranston was the daughter of Charles Edward Cranston and Christopher (Doc) Cranston’s older sister by twelve years. The “Parke” is correct – not to be confused with her aunt – Josephine Park Cranston. “Parke” was the maiden name of Charles’s wife and Josie’s mother, Keturah Taylor Parke Cranston. Helen, Marion, Bill and […]
Read More…John Cranston was the son of Peleg Cranston. He was born on November 3, 1755 in Rhode Island and later moved to Woodstock, Ohio where he died in 1825. He married Phoebe Ann Edwards on April 4, 1791 and one of their children was Christopher Cranston who was the father of Charles Edward Cranston (Chris’s […]
Read More…This is a composition about “spring” written by Josephine Cranston – NOT Josephine Park Cranston. Her conclusion is: “So with us if we wish to be good and wise in old age we must improve our time in youth for the habits which we form now will accompany us through life.”
Read More…This is a touching poem written by Josephine Park Cranston on the death of a friend. I don’t know who the “friend” was – but it appears that the friend was a male.
Read More…This is a land grant of one hundred sixty acres in Illinois given to Samuel ___(can’t read the name)___ and signed by the then President of the United States, James Monroe in 1818.
Read More…Christopher Cranston, Charles Edward Cranston’s father, died on November 8, 1858 at age 55. This is the record of the probate of his estate. The estate, after expenses, contained the amount of $7,044 for distribution. In today’s dollars, that would be approximately $201,000. His wife (Irene) received a distribution of $2414.66 or $68,990 in today’s […]
Read More…This is a COPY of John Cranston’s will. John was Charles Edward Cranston’s father – died on August 25, 1825 in Woodstock, OH. I don’t know who made the copy.
Read More…This is the commissioning document for Charles Edward Cranston (Chris’s father) in the Ohio Militia as a 2nd Corporal. 15 August 1863
Read More…This is the deed and receipt for the purchase of William Lytle’s farm in Woodstock, Ohio by John Cranston. Price: $500. July 6, 1821
Read More…Letter from Ephraim Cranston from the Oregon Trail – 1850 – near Missouri River NW of St. Joe, Missouri. Ephriam Cranston was Christopher Cranston’s brother and a well-to-do farmer in Woodstock, Ohio. He “captained” a wagon train to Oregon.
Read More…Grandma (Bess) Melby is famous!
Read More…This was written by Helen Cranston Peterson about “Uncle Bill.”
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