Many people frequently ask that very question! Is there indeed a "proper" spelling of our surname? Is it CRANDALL or is it CRANDELL? The "bottom line" answer is that the "correct" spelling today is just what it has always been ... completely up to or to whoever writes it down!
In the original Rhode Island records the most popular spelling for the surname in Washington County was CRANDAL. That is the way it appears in the legal transactions throught much of the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. An occasional CRANDOL and CRANDLE also appear, along with the more "standard" CRANDALL and CRANDELL. And, as one "pokes around" in other 19th-century New England and New York records, one can find KRANDALL/KRANDELL/KRANDAL/KRANDOL/KRANDLE sometimes, too. A GRANDALL or GRANDELL will pop up, also, although that is the rarest spelling of all!
Now, just how did that happen? "EASY", says the knowing genealogist. In the old days, there was no standardized spelling, and most people could neither read nor write. Therefore, when legal documents were made in town records, whether birth, marriage, death, probate, or land transfers, whoever wrote the information down was literally in charge, and however that person spelled the name ... well, that was it!
So, dear reader, take heart -- whatever you have for a spelling in your records is O.K. And, furthermore, however you spell your own name today is O.K., too. It is, after all, one of those things we need not worry too much about.
State laws begin to hamper genealogical research!
This article appeared in the March '97 issue of the CRANDALL CORNER by: Earl P. Crandall (1937-2002)
Depending on exactly whom and/or where you're researching, you could end up "out of luck", especially if it's original records that you're looking for.
Your editor was alerted to this sad change this past summer when out in Salt Lake City doing some general research but also some very specific research to establish his S.A.R. line from Caleb Crandall (1747-1822).
In the summer of 1995 I had used the Family History Library Microfilm #0931555, the vital records (births, marriages, & deaths) of Charlestown, RI 1849-1921.
I wanted to use this film again to get copies of the births of my father, my grandfather, and my great- grandfather.
But I couldn't find the microfilm. It wasn't there! Yet I knew I had the correct number ... alas, I went on with "other research" (there's always something to do!)
When I returned home I wrote a letter to the librarian of the Family History Library, and it was upon his response that I "knew what was going on"!
Since Rhode Island has enacted a privacy law that restricts research of the original birth records for the past 95 years, the entire microfilm was removed from the shelf because the library signed an agreement when the data was microfilmed that they would abide by the laws of the state. And evidently that also means if the laws change.
Since the material I wanted was in a book that went up to and included 1921, the entire book (in Charlestown) and microfilm (wherever it may be) is now off limits until the year 2016. That means that there's loads of material that won't be available until that date.
This does not just affect Charlestown or Rhode Island. This is happening all over the United States and Canada. Europe? I haven't heard that yet ...
The reason it's happening, of course, is because some people have used some information that they have found in the original records in a way that is genealogically unprofessional.
So, dear Researcher, be ready for yet another stumbling block when you set out to do some research on your lines!
This article appeared in the Dec 2000 issue of the C.F.A. newsletter.
Contact me at:
P.O. Box 1472
Westerly, RI 02891
or at jcharbold@aol.com
We can learn some things about our ancestors by looking into the lives and writings of people who lived in the same places at the same time. Thomas Minor was a contemporary of our immigrant ancestor, John Crandall (1617/8 – 1676). They lived in the same early Colonial area and certainly knew one another. And, fortunately for us, Thomas Minor wrote a diary.
Thomas Minor came to New England in 1629 from Somerset County, England. First in Salem, he also lived in Charlestown and Hingham, Massachusetts. After a grant of land by the General Court of Massachusetts, a group of men including Thomas Minor founded a plantation in the Pequot territory, now New London, Connecticut. Later, about 1653, Thomas Minor made his permanent homestead in "Quiambaug," in the town of Stonington, Connecticut. It was then he started his priceless diary, which he continued until 1684. Later Thomas’s son Manasseh also wrote a diary from 1696 to 1720.
Calendars and almanacs were not readily available and the diaries served to mark the days and briefly record events of family and community interest. We learn when Thomas sowed "turneps," visited with Mr. Winthrop and less famous friends, when his wife fell off her mare and when she fell out of the "canoow." We learn of marriages, births, baptisms, deaths of family and associates. He tells us of snowstorms, floods and stolen shirts. Thomas Minor mentions the price of land, tax rates, town meetings and murder investigations.
This selection of events is meant to supplement information about the family of John Crandall, a first settler of Westerly, Rhode Island, however the entire diary is fascinating and informative. Thomas Minor is an ancestor of many of us who are also descendants of John Crandall.
1667 July
"saterday the .20 day I was at Crandals mill wensday night 24th the great land fflood" p. 80.
1667 August
"wensday the .7. I was at mr Stantons as I went to Crandalls" p. 80.
1668 July
"wensday the 8. I was at Crandals mill" p. 85.
1668 August
"the ffifte day wensday I was at Crandals mill saterday the .8. Crandall and his wife was heare" p. 86.
1669 December
"wensday .29. I was at Crandals mill" p. 93.
1670 July
"thursday 21. mr Crandale was heare I had fouer loads of oats" p. 97.
1670 August
"The 2 day of Agust 1670. Crandals wife was buried" p. 97.
1671 January [new style dating]
"The .10. day of Januarie 1670. the Court about Crandall and lewis was at mr stantons house." p. 100.
1671 April
"the .8. day saterday we wer Laying out Land at the Est side poquatuck River" p. 102.
1671 May
"munday .29. the Towne meeting wenesday 31. we wer at Crandalls and sanders to serve Summons." p. 103.
1671 July
"The 24 day wensday samuell was at Crandals mill::" p. 104.
1673
"wensday .24. I was at Crandalls mill" p. 119.
1675-6 [The Indian wars were heating up and endangering scattered homesteaders in Westerly. As a consequence, many settlers, including John Crandall, moved to Newport safely located on the island of Aquidneck. John Crandall died while he was in Newport.]
1681 July
"the 30 day I was at Crandalls mill" p. 167.
1681 August
"Tusday .23. I was at Crandals mill" p. 168.
1682 September
"the .7. day I was at Crandals mill" p. 174.
1716 June, Manasseh Minor’s Diary
"22 I went to Crandals mill" p. 131.
This seems to indicate that the elder John Crandall was a miller in his years at Westerly. In these entries, Thomas Minor does not mention wood or timber that one might take to a sawmill, but he does mention farming oats, wheat, and "corne."
There was only one Crandall family in the New England Colonies in the 1600s. We know that the first John Crandall in Westerly spent a good deal of time on civic and religious activities, and all colonists participated in farming, but did our ancestor have another profession? What do you think? Was Elder John a miller? Who carried on the mill after Elder John died?
John Crandall’s first son, John2 Crandall was born about 1649, and would have been 18 or 19 years old in 1667, the first time Thomas Minor mentioned Crandall's mill. Furthermore, we know from Land Evidence records that John2 became a blacksmith. Thomas Minor mentions Crandall’s wife in 1668 and 1670. John2 was not married until 1672.
The other sons would have been 16 years old and younger.
The mention of Crandall's wife's burial date is certainly John's first wife. It seems likely to me that if there were more than one Crandall in his writings, Thomas Minor would have distinguished them in various entries as has been seen in certain public records where the son John is listed as Junior.
There is a Rhode Island historical marker on Route #3, between Westerly and Ashaway, at the intersection of Chase Hill Road. It marks the location of an early ford of the Pawcatuck River, the first mill dam and grist mill. It is at the foot of a knoll where Peter Crandall, son of Elder John, in 1680, donated land for the first church in that area, a Seventh Day Baptist Church. There are many references in the early town records of Peter Crandall’s mill.
All the evidence indicates that it could be only Elder John who owned and operated the mill. He was not, of course, "Elder" then. But that is another story. The entries above which do not mention a mill, show involvement that both John Crandall of Rhode Island and Thomas Minor of Connecticut had in the historical boundary disputes between the two states. There are many other entries on that subject. Again, that is another story.
Reference: The Minor Diaries, Stonington, Connecticut; Thomas 1653-1684; Manasseh, 1696-1720. Originally published in 1899. [Re] Published by John A. Miner, Boxborough, Massachusetts, 1976.
Note: The scarcity of punctuation and run-on sentences make it difficult to distinguish exact dates in some cases. For some generations, the Babcock name was spelled Badcock.
So Just What’s In A Name, Anyways ...
This article appeared in the Mar 2002 issue ...
Those among you who are genealogists know that as you research you can run into all sorts of names for your ancestors and their families. When you spot a George Washington Crandall, a Benjamin Franklin Crandall, a Thomas Jefferson Crandall, or a William Henry Harrison Crandall, you don’t have to think too hard to figure out where those names came from.
Naming children after someone famous — a hero, a minister, a President, a musician — is as old as dirt, so to speak. Look at names like Adam, Eve, Moses, Aaron, Abraham, Miriam, ...
Mormons frequently name their children after Book of Mormon characters: Nephi, Alma, Lehi, Moroni, etc.
I wouldn’t be surprised if there was someone "out there" with the name of Elvis Crandall! If not now, it will happen!
Your editor is a retired school teacher. The most bizarre name I ever encountered was a student name Django H. He told me his parents were great fans of Django Reinhardt, the jazz musician!
Sometimes people are named after a favorite relative. I was, according to my father, almost named Walter Henry Crandall, after my mother’s brother. With all due respect to the Walters and Henrys out there, thanks, but no thanks! I’m glad I got the name I did!
Below is a synopsis of some of the names I have run into in my research. I am sure you have, too. Reminder, this list is not complete. There are thousands of other examples that could be used!!
I am going to use the names Crandall and Kenfield as the names of the "characters" in this play. Forgive me ...
Varnum Crandall — named after James Mitchell Varnum (1748-1788), a Revolutionary War Hero. Although he was born in Dracut, MA, he was from R.I. when he served. http://www.varnumcontinentals.org/general.html
Winfield Scott Kenfield — named after Winfield Scott (1786-1866), a great hero of the War of 1812, the Black Hawk War, the Mexican War, but a not-so-great hero of the Civil War. http://www.civilwarhome.com/scottbio.htm
William Barton Crandall — named after William Barton (1748 -1833), another Revolutionary War hero from Rhode Island! He is also the person who suggested that the bald eagle be the symbol of the U.S. rather than the turkey. http://ellerybartonchapter.homestead.com/ColonelWilliamBarton.html http://www.imahero.com/readingprogram/baldeagle.html
All the following people are chronicled at the website: http://myindianahome.net/gen/jeff/tutorial/names.html
Lorenzo Dow Kenfield — named after Lorenzo Dow, (1777-1834), an itinerant Methodist preacher.
John Wesley Crandall & Charles Wesley Crandall — named after the founders of Methodism, John Wesley (1703-1791) & Charles Wesley (1707-1788).
Horace Greeley Kenfield — named after the newspaper publisher, Horace Greeley (1811-1872). Most famous for his quote, Go west, young man!
Don Carlos Crandall — named after Don Carlos Buell (1818-1898), a famous Civil War general.
Dewit Clinton Kenfield — named after Gov. Dewit Clinton (1769-1828). His "claim to fame" was spurring on the Erie Canal.
Francis Marion Crandall — named after Francis Marion (1732-1795), the famous "Swamp Fox" of the Revolutionary War. http://www.lpitr.state.sc.us/marion.htm
More religious leaders ... perhaps somewhat more obscure. All are chronicled in Don A. Sanford’s History Of The Seventh Day Baptists (1992):
Alexander Campbell Kenfield — named after Alexander Campbell (1788-1866), a Scotsman who founded the Disciples Of Christ. He later converted to the Seventh Day Baptist faith. http://theology.freeyellow.com/tdicc.htm http://www.bethanyproject.org/CAMPGAM1.HTM
Matthew Stillman Crandall — named after a Hopkinton SDB minister, Matthew Stillman (1770-1838).
Abraham Coon Kenfield — named after another Hopkinton SDB minister, Abraham (Abram) Coon (1763-1813).
Now, wasn’t that fun???
The Story of some Crandall cut-ups!
This article appeared in the Mar 2002 edition of the CFA newsletter written by Earl P. Crandall (1937-2002)...
The company that eventually became the Crandall Cutlery Company of Bradford, PA, had its start in Little Valley, NY. There is little known of the company started by Ira Clinton Crandall (1823-1904), other than it "moved" to his son, James Etsel Crandall (1850-1917) and then James’ son, Herbert Etsel Crandall (1876-1922), who gave the company its "last" name.
As it turns out, there were several cutlery companies in that same general area (western NY, along the PA border), the largest and most powerful of which was W. R. Case & Sons Cutlery in Bradford.
William Russell Case wanted all the cutlery business of that area, and was quite a "cut-throat" businessman of the time. If he could not buy a competitor outright, he made sure that his children married into the family! Through this method he "acquired" the Platts Cutlery Company, the Crandall Cutlery Company, the Unique Knife Company, and the Robinson Knife Company!
Case’s daughter, Theresa, married Herbert Etsel Crandall, and W.R. Case bought out the Crandall Cutlery Company in 1911.
Original CCCo. knives are a keepsake — so look to see if you have one.
They frequently come up at auction on the Internet at such places as E-Bay. However, you have to watch carefully to make sure that you’re not bidding on a 1993 repro!
I bought a repro jackknife for my "Crandall collection" — I have not yet been able to afford the real thing. I do have an authentic honer made by the CCCo., but it would be nice if I had the knife and serving fork that went with it!
After Wm. Russell Case died, the Case Cutlery Co. ended up in the hands of a Crandall again, Rhea (Crandall) Osborne O’Kain (b ~1900), his granddaughter. There were no male heirs, hence it passed on to her in the mid-50s. She and her husband and her son were in charge until about 1973.
Over the years there were many other businesses bought out by the Case Co., but in 1989 Case was bought out by Smoky Mountain Knife Works of TN. Smoky Mountain sold the company to Zippo of Bradford, PA, and it is Zippo that still owns it.
References:
John Cortland Crandall: "Elder John Crandall of Rhode Island ... "; private; New Woodstock, NY; 1949; pp 224, 429-30, 564.
Giles, James S.: "The First 100 Years (A Pictorial and Historical Review of W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery)"; Smokey Mountain Knife Works; Sevierville, TN; Oct 1989; pp 2, 18, 72.
Questions? Comments? 