My Genealogy Hound

WILLIAM A. CRANDALL, a veteran of the rebellion, who has converted his sword into a plowshare and resumed the peaceful vocation of his forefathers, is a son of Paul and Betsey E. (Scrivens) Crandall, and was born, in 1840, at Beach Hill, Chautauqua county. New York. His paternal grandparents were of Puritan descent, and born in Rhode Island, where, except a few years residence in Berlin, Rensselaer county, this State, they spent their lives. Grandfather Crandall was by occupation a farmer. Paul Crandall (father) was born in Berlin, November 2, 1802, and in 1831 went to Troy, engaged passage for himself and family on a canal-boat, and came to Buffalo, the journey occupying nine days, it being then the only mode of public travel. Now the trip is made between the two cities in five hours by rail. From Buffalo they came down to Fredonia, this county, a section which was then considered as the far distant west by the people of the eastern end of the State, three hundred miles away. Paul Crandall finally settled in Stockton, but died at Beach Hill, in Chautauqua. By occupation he was a farmer and in religion he was a member of the Baptist church. In 1823, he married Betsey E. Scrivens, a daughter of William Tracy Scrivens, by whom he had eight children, five sons and three daughters.

William A. Crandall was educated in the common schools, and began his active life as a farmer at Beach Hill. On September 12, 1862, he enlisted in Co. H, One Hundred and Twelfth Regiment, New York Volunteers; participated in the siege of Suffolk, and several other battles and skirmishes, and finally was taken sick and sent to the hospital. He was mustered out of service at the close of the war, and resumed farming. In 1877 he came to Sherman, where he has resided ever since, owning a farm of seven acres within the corporation. Politically he is independent, in religion he, as well as his wife, is a member of the Methodist church, and is also a member of Sheldon Post, No. 295, G. A. R. at Sherman.

William A. Crandall was married February 23, 1865, to Mary J. Hunt, a daughter of Aaron and Electa (Maxim) Hunt, natives of Vermont, who emigrated to Hartfield, this county, where the father died. To this union have been born six children, four sons and two daughters.