This work by John Cortland Crandall is considered among the genealogy community to be largely unreliable, as a secondary source compiled in the 1940s it naturally contains many errors which we do not want to propogate. Nevertheless, it is an important early reference in Crandall research. Copies are available in many formats on archive.org: vol. 1, and vol. 2

I do not intend to repeat the entire work, only portions interesting to my own lineage, and even then, with a focus on notes regarding conflicts with other sources. Transcripts are based on archive.org’s 2018 digitized text.

Rodger Crandall’s work on his Crandall Genealogy is probably a much better source to begin with, as it takes John Cortland Crandall’s earlier work as a starting point, and vets the history presented with other sources not available before the advent of online research.

Vol 1.

ELDER JOHN CRANDALL OF RHODE ISLAND AND HIS DESCENDANTS By JOHN CORTLAND CRANDALL New Woodstock, New York 1949
Reprinted by HIGGINSON BOOK COMPANY 148 Washington Street, Post Office Box 778 Salem, Massachusetts 01970 Phone: 978/745 7170 Fax: 978/745 8025 A complete catalog of thousands of genealogy and local history reprints is available from Higginson Books. Please write or call to order, or for more information. This facsimile reprint was been photo-reproduced on acid free paper. Hardcover bindings are Class A archival quality.

Mr. Crandall’s letter to the Govenor; 11 Mar 1669

Honored Gentlemen, Yours bearing date Nov. 18, last past we received, wherein you were pleased to signify unto us that you have been often solicited to hear several complaints made against us by the inhabitants of Stoningtown, and also of other gentlemen, and that you have reason to grant them a time of hearing and did give us timely notice of, and notice to, appear. Unto the which we cannot omit but make you same return as to that of complaint made by the inhabitants of Stoningtown: we do profess that we are not sensible that we are in any measure guilty which, If we were, we hope we should. have prevented their complaints by rendering satisfaction. But we are very sensible of great wrongs that we have sustained by them for several years. And. as to a time of hearing and giving timely notice, we, being by charter and, otherwise obligated to our other colony, could not offend but with the hazard of breaking our obligations. It, notwithstanding, we are much inclined to a peaceable and a final issue of those differences by a legal process In Law in the jurisdiction whereunto we do belong, and by whose authority we are here settled where we doubt not but equal justice will be rendered. As for your doubt to agree with those our neighbors of Stoningtown and. the other gentlemen, we hope that your colony and ours, will, in the first place, lovingly agree; and then we question not but there will be an agreement between us and. our neighbors of Stoningtown and the rest of the gentlemen. 11th. of March, 1669 Signed John Crandall Tobias Saunders. In Behalf of the Town. Honored Govenor, we do believe and entreat you to signify by this Injun (Indian) that you have received this letter, then we shall know whether he have done faithfully. For the Worshipful John Winthrop Esquire, Govenor of Connecticut, to be communicated to the assistant there.

Transcribed by Frederick Main Treglown, nephew of the author, born and educated in England.

Introduction

Sooner or later most people become curious to know who they really are and from whence they came. He who calls, seekers after such knowledge, crazy, is but revealing his own lackadaisical attitude to matters of far reaching importance.

Dr. Henry Bond, in his historical family publication, contends that among all people, enlightened and otherwise, through all periods of history, the desire to trace a lineage end to perpetuate its remembrance is an instinct of human nature and an inate principal implanted for wise and honest purposes.

Something like a quarter of a century ago I received a letter from one Howard S. Crandall of Westerly, R.I., asking for data relating to my father’s immediate family. For many years, without satisfaction, I had entertained a growing desire to know something about my ancestors. At last I was to be rewarded. Correspondence convinced me that Howard had the desired facts.

I made a trip to Westerly and there sat at the feet of a men perfectly sane who for thirty years had been spending his money and much of his time in searching records, on two continents, for ancestral data. He showed me his files and said; “I have here the equivalent of fifteen volumes of material”. He also stated that he had traced the ancestral line back to the 4th century. Here was the making of a great book on Crandall genealogy. A few months later my newly found friend and cousin died of cancer. Most unfortunately his vast collection was willfully burned by a member of the family who stated that he feared the spread of cancer bacteria. Had medical advise been obtained all could have been saved.

A veritable galaxy of other members of the far reaching clan have taken it upon themselves to “spend and be spent” in this bewitching field. To mention only a few of the scores of names that should appear here. Probably Elwin Gerry Davis of North Providence, R.I. should head the list of devotees to this task. Thomas Eugene Crandall of Santa Cruz, Cal. stricken early in life with tuberculosis, gathered much valuable data in England. Prof. Albert Rogers Crandall of Alfred, N.Y. and Milton, Wisc., gave forty years to gathering material’s for an unpublished book. Bruce Verne Crandall of Three Lakes, Wisc., directed his ready pen to the cause. The list continues with Frederick A. Crandall of Watertown, N.Y., Arovestus. P. Crandall of Palmyra, N.Y., Washington I. Crandall, Chattanooga, Tenn., Edward Robert Crandall, Coldwater, Mich. George B. Benedict, Norwich, N.Y., Mrs. Blanche (Crandall) Tattersall, American Fork, Utah, Mrs. Donna (Chilton.) Manrodt, Newark, N.J., Rollin S. Polk, Troy, N.Y., Mrs. Rena (Keith) Clisby, Portland, Ore., Mrs. Meinard A.(Virginia Baines) Schur, San Diego, Calif., Rev. Dr. William S. Crandall, Binghamton, N.Y., Raymond Fowler Crandall Hood, Wesleyville, Pa., Col. A. Julian Crandall, Ashaway, R.I. . Rev. Paul L. Crandall, Norfolk, Va., Mrs. M.L. Small, Turner, Ore., Mrs. Ina O. Perrin, Palo Alto, Cal., Mrs. Linton B. Crandall, Mansfield, Conn., Dr. Clifford W. Crandall Gainesville, Florida, Frederick T. Carpenter, Saratoga Springs, N.Y., Prof. William L. Avery Jr., Brewster, N.Y., Mrs. Nathaniel (Hunter) Perkins, Albany, N.Y.. Orra Stillman Rogers and Mrs. Allen (Burdick) Hubbard Roger, Plainfield, N.Y., Mrs. Nellie (Willard) Johnson, Norwich, N.Y., Devere Allen, Wilton, Conn., George B. Utter, Westerly, R.I., Lucius A. Crandall, (Long) Hillsboro, Ore., Mrs. James V. (Nellie Crandall) Mead, Dryden, N.Y., Ben R. Crandall, Alfred, N.Y. , Dr. Harry F. Crandall, Westerly, R.I., Howland F. Atwood, Hartland Four Corners, Vt., William. G. Crandall, Homer, N.Y., The business of putting the big job across fell upon the shoulders of John Cortland Crandall, of New Woodstock, N.Y. No one not even the compiler, himself knows how he has managed to find the time and strength, to say naught of funds, to engage this Herculean undertaking over a period of many years. Kinsfolk, whose numbers are legion, of this and future generations, as they peruse this book will be under lifelong obligations to John Cortland Crandall.

Howard Crandall affirmed that more than five thousand descendants of Elder John Crandall had become ministers. Records of precinct, state and nation disclose the names of Crandalls who have gained places of note in education, science, invention, law, medicine, industry, business and various other fields. However, the rank and file have been humble, middle class folks. For the most part they have been known for their sturdiness of character, noble principals, good citizenship, and consistent religious devotion.

Bruce Verne Crandall wrote a treatise in which he featured the claim that the one outstanding trait of the Crandall family was “Independent thinking, oft times developing into obstinacy, tho’ accompanied by open mindedness, conscientiousness, liberality and purposefulness of.” If all that has been written about Elder John Crandall is true than most of the hundreds of thousands, emanating from this progenitor, must naturally posses those characteristics which exemplify the best American life. To wit: Independence of thought and action, democracy of the first water and unadulterated religion.

It is probable that the humble unassuming Elder John played a role comparable with, if not greater than, that played by Roger Williams, or any other man, in hewing out the original timbers for our, American constitional foundation. See Appendix II.

The writer of this introduction realizes that much which could be written here will appear more properly under the appendices. He has therefore consigned various items of secondary importance to said pages. Many paragraphs, which lack of space compels us to omit, should be incorporated. This is cause for much regret.

We rejoice with every reader of this book, that now, after many decades of years, the dream of a multitude has become reality.

WILLIAM S. CRANDALL, D.D.

Page x-xi

The Compiler’s Apology

Long have I dreaded the time when I would be called upon, to put into words, some account of my own activities in connection with this gigantic undertaking, while I have kept a constant virgil for someone to show up who would do this for me, yet knowing full well that not a person exists who could relieve me of this task, resigned, I will endeavor in a brief and feeble manner to extricate myself.

I am inviting you to take a walk with me down through the beautiful Green Mountains of Vermont to a busy little town, through which runs the Black River, hemmed in on all sides by mountains called Springfield It was here that the writer conceived the thought of tackling the job of compiling the Crandall genealogy. Prompted by a letter from Elwin Gerry Davi3,compiler of Crandall records, of North Providence, R.I. who had received the account of the birth of my second daughter in 1906. In this letter Mr. Davis said that if I would send him all of the records of my family as far back as possible, he would in turn send me my direct line connecting me, with the immigrant ancestor, Eld. John Crandall.

Upon receiving this data I became more interested and started out to gather the records of my own line first. This was no easy task as my, grand father had a family of fifteen children and likewise his rather had a similar number. I started out by asking my father, the late Lester A. Crandall of Canton, N.Y. the name of his grand father to this he replied “ I don’t know as I ever had one”, but I said. certainly some of your large family must have mentioned his name, and added “would you know his name if you heard it”?. To this he replied I might, then I said was it ELIAS?, to this he an aped back. “yes sir, that was his name, Elias”. It was here that he gave me some good advise when he remarked, “don’t bother your head with such non-sense and foolishness, for if you ever live long enough to see your work completed, all you will get is kicks and plenty of them” , I regret to say that I had to live to be an old man myself to realize how much more he know about genealogy than I did, although he did not even know the name of his own grand father. So you see I have been forewarned and now ready for my reward.

I mailed out forty eight letters, asking for family data to addresses in Chicago and vicinity. from these I received only one answer and one returned, This same condition has resulted for a good many years. If only one quarter had answered my letters we could have nearly a complete record of the Crandalls. I expect when the book is finished and in circulation some of those who did not take the time to reply to my many requests, will be among the first to register complaints, to these I can only say its just too bad. To those who could have given assistance that I was sure about, I have write as many as five letters requesting their family records, but with no reply. I have exhausted every means at my command to arouse the interest of our kinsman and to this and I have no regrets.

Along with these discouraging moments, I am not forgetful of the fine letters of encouragement from hundreds of our loyal relatives without which I would have given up the attempt long ago. I wish space would permit to reproduce some of these friendly letters of encouragement which inspired me to continue the task for without these we would have no genealogy of the Crandall family,

As in all genealogies and for that matter many vital statistics, contain conflicting dates and records, gravestone and Bible records often disagree, so why should one expect this genealogy to be an exception to the general rule. The compiler has had only the best of intentions to bring forth and reproduce, what he has found to be as nearly correct as the information would warrant. If errors appear, and this is a certainty, PLEASE try to find, a reasonable excuse, considering the years he has spent untiringly at this gigantic task with only the thought in mind to perpetuate and preserve our family records to enable you to find what is recorded of your family.

It is regrettable that the compiler, with the advise of Rev. William S. Crandall, turned the record over to Rev. Oscar Frank Stetson for copying and indexing, a job which he stated would consume about four months, it was understood that the system I had employed was not to be changed also the first few pages were to be submitted for my approval, this was not done and it was not until I had returned from Florida and made a trip to Pittsfield did I discover he had changed every single point in my system and not for the better at first I intended taking the records home and starting all over again, but already it had cost considerable and a lot of time lost, he insisted the work was going on better and making good headway so I decided to leave than. Another year passed, and I made another trip, this time to Berlin, N.Y. only to find the records were not one quarter completed one of the main reasons was because he insisted in changing the system, leaving out the direct line, the generations and changing the dates to read Day, Month, year. In the process of changing the records as I had them many unnecessary errors and omissions were made, some whole families were omitted, this will be noted in the book where I have tried to include them and had to use fractions to assist in tracing.

After my trip to Berlin, I was greatly disappointed with the progress being made and told Mr. Stetson that I would be down the 4th of Aug. and to have everything ready for me to take home. when I arrived I was told that Mr. Stetson had been taken to the hospital In Pittsfield, where I drove to see him. he arranged with a doctor to accompany me to the parsonage where I was given all of the records. Rev. Stetson passed away the following week.

Had the records been typed exactly as I had compiled the master copy about two years and innumerable mistakes could have been saved.

All pages bearing the letter “c” in the lower right hand corner were typed by the compiler himself.

John C. Crandall.

Page xii

The Bridge Builder

An old man, traveling a lone highway, Came at the evening cold and gray To a chasm deep and wide. The old man crossed in the twilight dim, For the sullen stream held no fears for him; But he turned when he reached the other side, And builded a bridge to span the tide.

“Old Man”; Cried a follow pilgrim near You are wasting your strength with building here; Your journey will end with the ending day, And you never again will pass this way. You have crossed the chasm deep and wide,

Why build you a bridge at eventide? And the builder raised his old gray head: “Good friend, on the path I have come,” he said, There followeth after me today A youth whose feet will pass this way; This stream, which has been as naught to me, To that fair haired boy may a pitfall be; He, too, must cross in the twilight dim. Good Friend, I am building this bridge for him. (Author unknown.)

“Of all the affections of man, those which connect him with Ancestry are among the most natural and generous. They enlarge the sphere of his interests, multiply his motives to virtue and give Intensity to his sense of duty to generations to come, by the perception of obligations to those which are past.” —– Quincy.

He only deserves to be remembered by posterity, Who treasures up and preserves the history of his ancestors.

(By Edmond Burke)

Vol. 2

Genealogy Pages