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 Transcription — “Christmas Morning Lecture” by Dr. James C. Jackson, “Liberty Hall,” Dec. […]
Read More…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…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…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 Park Cranston Spring Hail, lovely spring with all thy loveliness! winter has now passed away, and delightful spring has once more made its appearance; The streams that have been clasped in the icy chains of winter are now set free, and the ground is sending forth […]
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. Josephine P. Cranston, “On The Death of a Friend” (poem), Dec. 3, 1854 (A fair-copy poem in Josephine’s hand on blue laid […]
Read More…This is a War of 1812 military bounty land patent — a printed form with manuscript fill-ins, signed (or secretarially signed) by President James Monroe. This is a War of 1812 military bounty land patent — a printed form with manuscript fill-ins, signed (or secretarially signed) by President James Monroe. The engraved vignette and printed […]
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. _________________ Last Will and Testament of John Cranston Wayne Township, Champaign County, Ohio · March 22, 1823 Manuscript “Copy of Will” · Document W in […]
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 Ohio Volunteer Militia appointment of Charles E. Cranston as Second Corporal, Aug 15, 1863 (Woodstock, Champaign Co., OH) (A partly-printed Ohio Volunteer Militia commission/appointment form with manuscript fill-ins. Engraved eagle vignette with banner […]
Read More…This 1824 deed records John Cranston acquiring a 300-acre tract (the east half of Virginia Military District Survey No. 3689) from William Lytle of Cincinnati for $500. It is not John Cranston’s first Ohio land. John came to Ohio as the family pioneer in 1815, and by the time he made his will in March […]
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…This was written by Helen Cranston Peterson about “Uncle Bill.”
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