“The Gang” – Early 1930s In the Badlands
Here’s “The Gang” along with Wood and Stuart Jett in the early 1930’s in the Badlands.. From left to right we have: Tip, Wood, Bill, Marion, Helen, Stuart.
Read More…Category: William Cranston
Group Photo – Who Are These Guys?
See if you can recognize some of these characters and put the names in the comments.
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The Battle Mountain Auto Camp (BMAC)
The Place Bess and Ole Melby Bought when they Sold the Ranch This is a mini-history of what the parents of Marion, Helen, Bill and Tip did when they sold their ranch and left for the Black Hills to enter the tourist business. The Battle Mountain Auto Camp (BMAC) sat on the north side of […]
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“The Kids” – Marion, Helen, Bill, and Tip
This photo was taken around 1920. The photo includes (from left to right) Marion, Helen, Bill, and Tip
Read More…Bill, Doreen, and Chris Cranston – in the ’40’s.
These photos were provided by Chris Cranston from an album his mother created in the 1940’s and 1950’s.
Read More…Oyster Stew – Christmas Eve
Apparently there was some sort of tradition in some of the Cranston clan families for having oyster stew on Christmas eve. Certainly I remember having it with Helen and Wood, and it looks like the same tradition was prevalent with the Painters and Melbys. So . . . . Here’s the recipe that I found […]
Read More…Helen, Bill & Charlie
Rare photo of Uncle Bill in his Canadian Air Force uniform.
Read More…Bill Cranston, Helen Cranston, & Wood Jett – 1936
Found a photo of Bill, Helen and Wood taken in 1936
Read More…Bill Cranston – 1942
This is a photo of Bill Cranston taken in Canada in 1942. According to Helen, he was at the “Air Observer School.”
Read More…Locations of Cranston Family – North Dakota and South Dakota
These are the locations taken from Google Earth of the various places where the Cranstons Lived in North and South Dakota. The location is the North Dakota / South Dakota state line and to the west is the Montana State line. This is the overview Another Overview Relationship between Painter Ranch and the Willett Place […]
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…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…Bad Man’s Butter!
When Marion, Helen, Bill and Tip lived with Giles and Nellie Campbell at (I think) the Shaw place, Helen, Bill and Tip were playing down by the Grand River. One of them had to go to the bathroom (#2) . . . . went . . . and then covered the “stuff” with dirt. […]
Read More…Bill Cranston Gets “Steamed!”
Sometime around 1949 or 1950, I was at the 7-11 ranch staying with “Uncle Bill” and “Aunt Doreen” and having fun with Chris. Uncle Bill had just purchased a new Lionel “O” gauge electric train and set it up with the track running completely around the living room. He was very proud of it. Somehow […]
Read More…Photos from Chris Cranston
These photos were uploaded by cousin Chris Cranston . . . please make comments if you identify specific individuals. I’ll do the best I can. ~ CC Tip and Bill sometime in the ’30’s Tip, Bessie, Bill, Wood Jett, Ole Melby OK Cousins – Who are these folks? Use the “Comments” below. ~ CC Bess, […]
Read More…Death of Bill Cranston – April 18, 1951
On April 18, 1951, William Randolph Cranston (Bill) was killed in a two car crash near the town of Tyndall, South Dakota. He was riding in the back seat of a Cadillac and the driver attempted to pass a car on a hill but met another car coming up the hill. The driver swerved to […]
Read More…William Randolph Cranston
This was written by Helen Cranston Peterson about “Uncle Bill.”
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