Bio: Crandall, Lucius P. (1914)

Contact: crystal@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Crandall, Haskins, Collins, Knight, Benjamin, Knight, Lee, Gibbs, Britton, Sheridan, Fenton, Keppler, Bosher, Hadley, Boyd

----Source: History of Eau Claire County Wisconsin (1914) pages 687-689

Lucius P. Crandall, a well-known resident and business man of Eau Claire, was born in Allegany county, N. Y., December 24, 1843, to William W. and Jane (Haskins) Crandall. His father, who was born in Rhode Island, went to Allegany county when a young man, and was a teacher in the schools of that county for a time and later engaged in farming, which occupation he followed successfully the balance of his life. He married Jane Haskins, daughter of Michael Haskins, of New York, and they were the parents of the following children: Nathan is deceased; Washington lives at Mankato, Minn., engaged in farming and fruit raising; Alonson Burr lives in New York, was a soldier in the First New York Dragoons, a retired farmer of Belmont; Fletcher is deceased; Lucius P. (our subject); Joel, who served as a soldier in the civil war, Fortieth New York Heavy Artillery, is deceased; Sarah Ann, widow of Loren Collins, and also a soldier in the Thirtieth Wisconsin Infantry, resides in Buffalo, N. Y.; Electa, wife of Mr. Knight, retired merchant of Pepin county, Wisconsin, now deceased, and Alice, widow of A. Benjamin, of Olean, N. Y.

Lucius P. Crandall was educated in the public schools, and followed farming until eighteen years of age, and on August 3, 1862, he enlisted as a private in Company H, First New York Dragoons, originally the One Hundred and Thirtieth New York Volunteer Infantry, was mustered into the service September 3, 1862, and served with his company until mustered out, June 30, 1865. At the battle of Cold Harbor he received a gunshot wound under the left arm, the bullet being removed from the shoulder blade. He later received a wound in the left hand and foot and was confined in the Lincoln Hospital, Capitol Hill, Washington, D. C. In October, 1863, he was commander of the One Hundred and Thirtieth New York Volunteer Infantry, went to Washington, D. C, and had the regiment changed to cavalry and later named First New York Dragoons. During Mr. Crandall's term of service he participated in forty-seven engagements from the battle of Black Water, Va., December 2, 1862, until the surrender of General Lee, April 19, 1865. During this time his regiment captured 1,533 prisoners, 19 pieces of artillery, 21 caissons, 240 artillery horses, 40 army wagons and ambulances, 40 draft animals and 4 battle flags under Col. Alfred Gibbs and Captain R. A. Britton, in the command of General Sheridan at the time of his famous ride to Winchester.

In an address to the regiment by Governor Fenton, the Dragoons were paid the compliment of having highly distinguished themselves for their fighting qualities. He said in part: "Our noble state sent many regiments to the field that won enviable reputation as among the best that entered the Union army, but, gentlemen, without flattery, I can assure you, none have made a better record than the First New York Dragoons."

After the war Mr. Crandall worked for a time at the carpenter trade, and on November 20, 1865, came to Eau Claire and engaged in lumbering on the Chippewa river for the Daniel Shaw Lumber Company and others, and followed this vocation for ten years. He then took up carpentering during the summers and scaled logs in the winters from 1868 to 1903. He then engaged in contracting and building, an occupation he has followed for forty years, during which time he has built many fine houses in Eau Claire and surrounding towns. He built the R. J. Keppler residence in Florida and has erected many saw mills in various places.

Mr. Crandall was married to Mary Bosher, daughter of William Bosher, of Clear Creek township. Mrs. Crandall was born at Markettown, England, on March 18, 1852; came to Eau Claire with her parents, and during her many years of residence here had endeared herself to a wide circle of friends. She was a woman of charming personality and womanly graces, whose death on July 30, 1914, was greatly mourned by the whole community. Mr. and Mrs. Crandall became the parents of six children, as follows: Alice married M. Hadley, of Tacoma, Wash.; George is a contractor and builder of Eau Claire; Byron is connected with the Louisiana Lumber Company; Alfred is a painter employed by the Wisconsin Refrigerator Company; Grace is the wife of Daniel Boyd, who is associated with the Electric Light Company, is also in the real estate business, and Lewis is with the Eau Claire Trunk Company.

During his many years of residence in Eau Claire, Mr. Crandall has taken an active interest in public matters, and served one term as alderman for the seventh ward. He is a member of Eagle Post, No. 52, of Eau Claire, and in politics is independent.