Census: 1880 Linn, Walworth Co., Wisconsin: age 8

George B. Crandall
Regions: Otsego Co., NY; Walworth Co., WI
From History of Walworth County Wisconsin by Albert Clayton Beckwith, Vol. II, Publ. 1912 - Page 875-878
GEORGE B. CRANDALL. The subject of this sketch is one of the substantial and well known agriculturists and stock men of the southern part of Walworth county, owning a finely improved and valuable farmstead in Linn township, his place representing much hard labor and the exercise of sound judgment and good taste; but Mr. CRANDALL is a man of well known energy and determination, indolence and idleness being entirely foreign to his nature, and his continued activity in the management and development of this property has made his one of the most desirable farms in this locality.
George B. CRANDALL, who is the scion of a worthy old family, was born on the farm where he now lives, in the southwestern part of Linn township, this county, November 21, 1871, and here he has been content to spend his life, well knowing that it were indeed useless to seek a country of larger opportunities. He is the son of William Henry and Martha Lodicia (GREENE) CRANDALL. The father was born in Otsego county, New York, March 16, 1832, the only son of Riley and Maria (CLARK) CRANDALL. When William H. CRANDALL was about ten years old he went to live with his uncle, George CLARK, in the same community and there he grew to manhood on a farm. In 1856 he came west and located on a farm about two miles east of Walworth, where he worked for a Mr. BURDICK about a year, then worked about five miles east of there for a former schoolmate, Deacon Lucien COVEY. In 1859 he married Martha L. GREENE, daughter of Daniel and Lois (JOHNSON) GREENE. She, too, was a native of Otsego county, New York. Her father was the son of Daniel and Rebecca (CONANT) GREENE, who came from Boston; Daniel GREENE was a soldier in the war of 1812. His father, Daniel GREENE, Sr., was born in 1758, and was a soldier in the Revolutionary war, after which he drew a pension and lived with his son in 1840 at Edmeston, Otsego county, New York. Rebecca (CONANT) GREENE was many years a widow. Her death occurred at Walworth, this county, August 11, 1882, lacking three days of her ninety-seventh birthday. She had come here from Otsego county, New York, in 1846, with her son, and had buried ten children, being the last of her family. Louis (JOHNSON) GREENE, mother of Martha L. (GREENE) CRANDALL, was born at Mexico, New York. Martha L. GREENE came to this county with her parents when she was a girl. They located in the southern part of section 30, Linn township, later moving to the west side of the same section and there the father died in 1871 and her mother some years later.
After William H. CRANDALL was married he rented a farm for three years. They began life in typical pioneer fashion, living in a house of only two rooms, one above the other, which were whitewashed, and just outside the door was the well-sweep and "old oaken bucket." They were young, optimistic and happy. Mr. CRANDALL then bought forty acres and built a house on it and there made his home for twenty-eight years. He prospered by hard work and close application and later added forty acres to his original purchase, later other forties until he became the owner of an excellent farm of one hundred and sixty acres. He left the farm in October 1892, and moved to Walworth, having accumulated a competency; but he did not retire from active life, but took up quite a different line of work and for the next fifteen years was on the road as a traveling salesman, failing health finally compelling him to give it up. He remained in the village of Walworth the rest of his life, his death occurring on January 5, 1910. He was an active member of the Seventh-Day Baptist church, a Sabbath school teacher for many years and a deacon for fifteen years. Mrs. CRANDALL is also a faithful member of that church.
Six children were born to Mr. and Mrs. William CRANDALL, namely: Effie married Stephen WICKHAM, of Walworth, and they have three children, Benjamin, Floyd and Gertrude; Charles Henry married May RODMAN and lived in Walworth until his death in 1892, leaving two children, Lyle and Pauline. William CRANDALL, who is in the furniture and undertaking business in Walworth, married Ada HUMPHREY, of Albion, and they have two children, Lester and Adeline; William CRANDALL is a man of unusual strength of character in the face of a great trial. After years of active life on the farm and as a traveling salesman, he was being educated for the ministry, when he suddenly became hopelessly blind. He spent three months at the State School for the Blind, then took a place in a furniture store and gradually worked up a business at Walworth for a non-resident undertaker, worked in to the practical work himself, starting business in a small way, and, inducing his wife to help him, they in time became expert embalmers and are now well established in the furniture and undertaking business. He does not lament over his affliction, but is a cheerful, companionable man, successful in business and has a pleasant home life. Ellen CRANDALL, the fourth child born to William H. CRANDALL and wife, married Leonard LYONS, lives in Fontana, and they have one son, Owen, who is now attending the State University at Madison; George B., of this review; Nellie married Charles BABCOCK, of Walworth, and they have six children, Ernest, Kendall, Lulu, Henry, Ambrose and Victor.
Mrs. William H. CRANDALL, mother of the above named children, lives in Walworth. She has the satisfaction of knowing that her children have been well reared. While living on the farm five miles away the family was very regular at church services. The father was a God-fearing, reliable, earnest man, always doing what he could for the good of his community, where he was held in the highest esteem by all who knew him.
George B. CRANDALL, the immediate subject of this sketch, grew to manhood on the home farm and received his education in the public schools, and he remained on the home place until about 1892. On August 16, 1893, he married Florence May MERWIN, daughter of George H. MERWIN and wife, of Walworth, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work. she was educated in the high school at Walworth and was a successful teacher in the public schools of this county until her marriage. A year preceding his marriage, Mr. CRANDALL went to Walworth and took up painting, paper hanging and decorating, and the year after his marriage was spent at Fontana in the same line of work. In 1894 he returned to the home farm, which he has conducted ever since, keeping the old place well improved and well cultivated. The place consists of one hundred and thirty-nine acres.
Mr. CRANDALL is not a politician and he has never been an aspirant for public office. However, he has been a member of the local school board since 1896 and has been clerk of the board for some time.
Three children have been born to the subject and wife, namely: Glenna Belle, Vivian Iola and Marian Irene. The two eldest are attending high school at Walworth. Mr. CRANDALL is a member of the Modern Woodmen and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.