CRANDALL FAMILY
Includes Alden B. & Edwin J. Crandall

BIOGRAPHY

AS RECORDED IN:

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF TOLLAND AND WINDHAM COUNTIES CONNECTICUT.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF PROMINENT AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS AND OF MANY OF THE EARLY SETTLED FAMILIES.

PUBLISHER: J.H.BEERS & CO., CHICAGO; 1903 P. 771-772

CRANDALL. The Crandall family is a prominent one in Tolland, Tolland Co., where the father and son have won and hold a leading position in the business and social world.

ALDEN BRADFORD CRANDALL, the father was born in Monson, Mass., March 28, 1823, his parents removing to Wilbraham, Mass., when he was about six months old. They remained in that place about a year and then came to Stafford, Conn., making their home in that pleasant town until 1833, when Tolland became their abiding place. They located there on the Samuel Reed farm in the north part of the town, and soon attained a creditable place in the moral and business life of the community.

Mr. Crandall has always been a farmer. The most of his education obtained in district No. 2, of Tolland. When he left school, he began work as a farmer, and in this occupation has attained commendable success. With his wife he has lived in the same house since 1846, a house that was put up over 135 years ago.

Mr. Crandall was married Sept. 7, 1845, to Rachel Usher, who was born April 4, 1824, in Smithfield R.I., a daughter of Daniel and Freelove (Inman) Usher. She was one of a family of eighteen children. To their union were born: Mary, the wife of Charles E. Usher, of Tolland; Ellen M., who married Charles Williams, and is living in Mt. Baker, Washington; Alden B., who died unmarried at the age of twenty-five years; Edwin J.; Adda, who died in infancy; Alvin and Alvina, twins, who died young.

Mr. Crandall has been a lifelong Democrat, casting his first presidential vote in 1844. From the beginning he has taken an active part in the affairs of the town of Tolland, serving as assessor, grand juror, and on the board of relief. He has been on the Democratic town committee, of which he was chairman several terms. In 1874 he represented his town in the General Assembly, the last term of that body held in New Haven, and was chairman of the Finance committee. In his earlier life he was a member of the I.O.O.F. He served in the Civil war, being mustered in Sept. 20, 1862, in the 22d regiment, C.V.I., and was honorably discharged July 7, 1863.

Mr. Crandall's farm was long known as the Rial Loomis farm, and the house in which he lives is one of the oldest and best-preserved in the town.

Amos Crandall, the father of Alden B., was born in Tolland, Aug. 30, 1801, and in 1822 was married to Eunice Day, born Dec. 6, 1794. She died Oct. 20, 1883, at the age of eighty-nine years. Mr. Crandall left Tolland when young, but returned in 1833 to spend the remaining years of his life in the cultivation of the Samuel Reed farm. He died July 25, 1862, at the age of sixty years. A Democrat, he was a good citizen and a man of worth. His children were: Alden B., noted above; Maria, the widow of Smith H. Brown, living in Rockville; Mary Ann, who died at the age of twenty-two years; Roxanna, the first wife of Smith H. Brown; Luranna, married to James Walker, of North Coventry, both of whom are dead.

Samuel Crandall, the grandfather of Alden B., was born April 13, 1774, in Tolland, Conn., and was married to Roxana Rawdon, Nov. 23, 1792. They had four children: Jarvis, born Dec. 10, 1799, who died June 28, 1854, long to be remembered as "one of the sweet singers of Israel;" Amos; Pamela, born Nov. 27, 1796; and Wealthy, born Nov. 28, 1798. Mr. Crandall left home, and from the moment of his departure was never heard of. Years after his widow married Samuel Reed, of Tolland, a Revolutionary soldier, and a pensioner of the General Government for his gallant services in that struggle.

Constant Crandall, the first known of that family, probably lost his life in the expedition to Cuba and the siege of Havana. Several members of the Eaton family perished at that time and he was related to them. In the year 1750 this Crandall came to Tolland. The only records made of him are that he had a son, born July 25, 1757, and that he died at Havana, Aug. 27, 1762. Giles Crandall came to Tolland about the same time and married Bethiah Eaton in 1749. They had a family of thirteen children, and among them was Samuel Crandall, who is noted in a former paragraph as having been born in 1774.

EDWIN JARVIS CRANDALL was born Oct. 12, 1854, in Tolland, and had his education in the public school. When he was seventeen he began working for Loren Newcomb, who gave him employment on his farm for two years. The ensuing two years he was employed by Cassius Newberry, of Windsor. At the expiration of this period, Mr. Crandall returned to Tolland, where he leased the Jones Green farm for a year, and the Henry Young farm near Tolland Center for a second year. For years he rented the Lemuel B. Joslyn farm, until he became sufficiently forehanded to purchase the 100-acre farm of Chauncey Kent. There he has remained to the present time, becoming quite
prosperous and proving himself a skillful and industrious farmer. Mr. Crandall purchased the water privilege near Tolland Center, together with the Eli Benton grist mill, two years later putting in a cider mill, and doing most of the grinding for Tolland and the vicinity.

Mr. Crandall is a staunch Democrat, and he has served his town as assessor for a number of years, and has been constable, justice of the peace, and was selectman in 1896. In 1889 he was sent by his town to the General Assembly, serving in the session known as the "deadlock session." With his family he attends the Methodist Church.

Mr. Crandall was married in December, 1873, to Mary Jane Round, born in Tolland, a daughter of William Round, whose wife was a Miss Whitman. They have the following children: Harry Morgan; Harvey Edwin; Rose May; Lizzie Maria; Clayton Howard; Luella Maud; Cora Melissa; Ellen Rachel; Susan Jane; Herbert, who died young; Lillie Eunice; Henry Bradford; Carrie Emily. Rose, the oldest daughter, married Harry Smith, son of Chauncey and Susan Smith, and has three children, Ruth Helen, Olive Crandall, and Dorcas Rachel. Harry
M. married Emma Booth. Lizzie M. is the wife of George Hughes, John and Sarah Ann Hughes, and has one child, Florence Gladis. Maud married Solvin Estin Clough, son of John and Sarah Elizabeth Clough. Harvey E. is married and has two children, Lila May, born in May, 1898, and Clayton Harvey, born in August, 1900.

Reproduced by: Matthew Markert, grandson of Dorcas Smith and LeRoy T. Markert of Rockville, CT.