The Crandalls of Rhode Island are of Welsh descent, the name in that language being Craum Dell, meaning, Iron Dell. The name is spelled both Crandall and Crandell, the branch settling in Ghent, Columbia county, New York, using the latter form. Several of the name arrived at Boston, Massachusetts, as early as 1634. The ancestor of the New York branch, Rev. John Crandall, appears in Massachusetts records in 1635. At that time the persecution of Roger Williams was causing great excitement in the colonies, many being opposed to the extreme measures of the Puritans. In the autumn of 1635 the church at Salem dismissed him from their pulpit and he was ordered to leave the colony in six weeks. In the winter of 1636 the authorities at Boston ordered his arrest, but he learned their plans and fled into the wilderness, reaching Narragansett Bay in the spring. He was treated kindly by the Sachems of Narragansett Indians, from whom he obtained large grants of land and founded the city of Providence. Rev. John Crandall was also persecuted for his religious opinions, and after his imprisonment in Boston sought safety in Providence; soon after was of Newport where he was associated with the early Baptists, later still was of Westerly, Rhode Island, where he was the first elder of the Baptist church. He was prominent in the latter town, which he represented as deputy. He died at Newport, Rhode Island, 1678, having removed there on account of the Indian war. He had two wives, the first died August 1, 1670. His second wife, Hannah, died 1678. By the first wife he had children: John, James, Jane, Sarah, Peter, Joseph, Samuel. By second wife, Jeremiah and Eber.
(II) Joseph, sixth child of Rev. John Crandall, was born before 1663, died September 12, 1737. He lived in Westerly and Newport, Rhode Island. He was called to the pastorate of the Seventh Day Baptist church in 1715. He married Deborah, daughter of Robert and Ruth (Hubbard) Burdick. Children: John, Joseph and Deborah.
(III) Joseph (2), son of Joseph (1) and Deborah (Burdick) Crandall, was born at Westerly, Rhode Island. He married there, February 15, 1716, Ann Langworthy. Children: Joseph (3), James, William, Simon, Joshua, Ezekiel, Ann, Benjamin.
(IV) James, second son of Joseph (2)and Ann (Langworthy) Crandall, was born in Westerly, Rhode Island, May 12, 1719. He married (first) Damaris Kenyon; (second) Mrs. Elizabeth Sanders.
(V) James (2), son of James (1) and Elizabeth (Sanders) Crandall, was born in Westerly, Rhode Island, in 1783. He settled with Samuel Crandell in the town of Ghent, Columbia county, New York. Their names are entered there as Crandell, a form maintained by the descendants of James. James Crandell married and had issue.
(VI) Solomon, son of James (2) Crandell, was born in Ghent, Columbia county, New York, in 1806. He was educated in the public schools, and remained on the home farm in Ghent until he was eighteen years of age. He was a hard student and secured a good education. At eighteen he began teaching in the public schools during the winter months, returning to the farm for the summer work. This he continued for several years, then removed to Kinderhook, where he was clerk in a general store for two years. He removed to Chatham, Columbia county, New York, in 1829, where he purchased the homestead now occupied by his son Homer. He was one of the early settlers of Chatham, where he built and conducted one of the first general stores in 1827, continuing in mercantile life until his death at the age of seventy-three years. He was a most useful and exemplary citizen, supporting liberally the institutions of his town with his means and personal effort. He was elected justice of the peace in 1833-36. He was a member of the Friends church, and a Democrat in politics. He married, December 20, 1832, Mary Eliza Wheeler of Coxsackie, Greene county, New York, daughter of William and Martha (Thorne) Wheeler, who came from England to Concord, Massachusetts, about 1640. Mary E. Wheeler, born May 8, 1809, was the fifth child of a family of ten children. Her brother Joseph, ninth child, was the father of Dr. John Thorn Wheeler, "the beloved physician of Chatham, New York." Children:
- Homer, of further mention;
- Frank, a resident of Detroit, Michigan, since 1885; married Mary P. Raymond of that city, and has a daughter Florence, wife of Captain Frank Lacey, graduate of West Point, and captain in regular army, son of Lieutenant-Colonel Frank E. Lacey.
(VII) Homer, eldest son of Solomon and Mary Eliza (Wheeler) Crandell, was born June 20, 1836. He was educated in the public and private schools of Chatham, finishing his studies at Albany Boys' Academy. He was associated with his father in the Chatham store, and after his death succeeded to the business which he successfully and profitably conducted for many years until his retirement from business. He is a Republican in politics and for several years has held the office of justice of the peace. He is a member of the Dutch Reformed church. He married Mary, daughter of Ezra and Ann (Knapp) Hawley, she died December 31, 1910; was a member of Reformed church. Children:
- May, married John H. Page, now owner and proprietor of the business established by Solomon Crandell and continued by his son, Homer Crandell, until 1891.
- Fred H., married Adaline McManus, and resides in New York City; children: Mary, Adaline, Richard, and Homer.
- Walter S., married Bess Bain, of Kinderhook, New York, and resides in New York City.