My Genealogy Hound

IRA S. CRANDALL, deputy sheriff of Cortland County, was born in De Ruyter, Madison County, N. Y., January 3, 1844, and is a son of William G. Crandall and grandson of William Crandall, who came from Rensselaer County, N. Y., to Madison County, where he settled on a farm and thereafter followed agricultural pursuits. He lived to be eighty years old. The children by his second wife, Polly Greenman, were as follows: Jonathan; William G.; Vernon; Darwin; and Jane.

The father of Ira S. settled in the south part of the town of De Ruyter, Madison County, where he engaged in farming, but later moved to the town of Lincklaen, Chenango County, where his last years were spent, and where his family was finally called upon to mourn his death, when he was aged seventy-four years. He was a successful man in many ways, being endowed with more than ordinary executive ability, and knew full well the significance of the saying that “a penny saved is a penny earned.” He married Eliza Ann Maxon, daughter of Capt. Benjamin C. Maxon, who served in the War of 1812, and was a son of Benjamin Maxon, who was a patriot of the War of the colonies for Independence. Capt. Maxon came from the east, and was a pioneer settler of Cuyler Hill, where he cleared a large farm, and enjoyed the benefits that accrue from a frugal, country life. Our subject’s mother died at the age of forty-five, having given birth to the following family of children: Annie P.; Elvira, who died at the age of fifteen; Oscar A.; Ira S., our subject; Martha; and Eulalia, who died at an early age.

Ira S. finished his education at De Ruyter Institute, and adopted farming as a pursuit. He purchased a farm at Georgetown, Madison County, N. Y., which after twelve years of uniform success he sold to advantage, and purchased in Union Valley the D. Clark farm. This farm at a later date was disposed of, and the proceeds went into the purchase of the J. Vail place, in the village of Union Valley, which property he farmed until 1893, when he sold it, and became the owner of his present farm, buying it of James Bell. He has since resided on this place and carried on farming in a small way. For twelve consecutive years he has served as deputy sheriff. When he first settled at Union Valley, he began to follow the profession of an auctioneer, and has been very successful; his work in this line has extended beyond the limits of Cortland County into Chenango, Cayuga, Madison and Tompkins Counties. Fluent, ready, and even voluble in his speech, as befits a successful auctioneer, he is also gifted with an exceptionally clear, strong voice, which rarely tires or gives evidence of exhaustion, and a peculiarly penetrating eye, which holds his audiences to him, with irresistible, one might say magnetic, power.

Mr. Crandall married Miss Emily E. Burdick, daughter of Daniel C. Burdick of Lincklaen, Chenango County, N. Y. He has one child, William G., born in Madison County, who is a member of the live, enterprising mercantile firm of Yeager & Crandall of Homer, this county. Our subject is a stanch Republican, and besides having served as deputy sheriff, to which mention has already been made, has been a constable and justice of the peace, and is a notary public, having served for the past six years.

In 1864, Mr. Crandall enlisted in Co. L., 20th Reg. N. Y. Vol. Cw., and was a member of the regiment until the close of the war, experiencing life on the battle-field in the engagements of Deep Bottom Landing, and Spring Hill, and numerous skirmishes. He is a member of the W. E. Hunt Post, G. A. R., No. 376, of De Ruyter.