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 […]

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. […]

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. […]

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 […]

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, […]

“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 […]

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, […]

Sometime in the 1890s, Josephine Park Cranston assembled what she called the Cranston “Genealogical Descent in America.” She traces the history of the Cranstons from Governor John Cranston through the son of Peleg Cranston, John Cranston. Here is what she wrote: Genealogical Descent in America From Document L, in Josephine P. Cranston’s hand. A direct […]

Josephine Park Cranston provides her family with a rewrite of the announcement of the wedding of Orpha Cranston to Rev. J.P. Farmer in Oregon on 21 October 1896. Orpha Cranston was the grand daughter of Ephraim Cranston who migrated to Oregon in 1850-1851 and whose letters are posted.

This letter is delightful—Josephine in 1889 as a businesswoman, working the County Superintendent. The hand is clear. Here’s the transcription. Melvin, Barber Co., Kas. July 27th, 1889. Mr. H. S. Landis, Sup. Pub. Inst. Dear Sir, Your Normal Institute being in session, I will remind you of the “Improved Geographical Aids,” to which I called […]

Josephine gives a very descriptive picture of Louisville – mentions the frequent fires and attributes their probable cause. (A descriptive school essay in Josephine’s hand, heavily self-corrected — many words struck through and others inserted above the line; her own deletions and insertions are noted below. Verso bears a folded-letter address panel and a red […]

“Cranston”: a printed narrative history of the Cranston family (found among Josephine P. Cranston’s possessions; she d. 1905) (A printed text — two columns/sections, clean and fully legible — recounting the Cranston family’s English and Scottish origins and the Rhode Island governors. Found among Josephine’s effects after her death; the printing predates 1905. Reproduced as […]