History of Andrew Crandall (Son of Andrew Leslie & Ruby Marchant Crandall)

History of George Andrew Crandall

            George, the first child of Andrew Leslie Crandall and Ruby Marchant was born 30 June 1909, in Peoa, Summit, Utah.  His parents owned a four room home in Peoa located “Up the Hollow”, o the maid road as you leave Peoa on the way to Oakley.  The road at that time made a sharp right angle turn right on the corner of the Crandall property.  The closest neighbors were the Wallace Walker family and Aunt Molly and Uncle Bill Wright.  They were not relatives but were good neighbors, the children were taught to call them Aunt and Uncle.  Uncle Bill had a Barber Shop in his home, the only one within ten miles.

            The home was brown with trees and shrubs all around, especially lilac trees and yellow roses.  The lot went from the road to the hill on the south.  At the back of the lot was a creek, known as “The Big Creek.”  This creek runs through Peoa from east to west, from one end to the other, flowing into the Weber River.

            George and four brothers and sisters were born here, Isabell, Wanda, Jack and Thelda.

            George’s father, along with his grandfather, Andy Crandall were in the business of hauling timber from Weber Canyon to Park City, where it was sold to the silver mines for mine props.

            In the year 1919 when George was ten years old the family decided to move to Park City for the winter months, as timbering was only a summer job, where “Papa.” as the children were taught to cal him, worked in the Silver King Mine.

            George’s mother, or “Mama,” was expecting her sixth childe and in February 1920 a very bad influenza epidemic swept over the country, the whole family was stricken and Ruby died of Child birth and flu pneumonia.  The child she gave birth to lived and was named Marion Lee.  Baby Lee was taken to Salt Lake City to live with Crandall relatives and the rest of the family to Peoa to live with George’s grandma Merchant and his mother’s brothers, Clyde Dell and Gib.

            George grew up helping the Boys, (a term used when speaking of the Uncles), on the farm.

            George’s father remarried in 1934.  He step mother was Nancy Facuett Fisher a widow with four children, Gladys, Leora, Stanley and Glen Fisher.  George never went to live with them because he was old enough to work and be of help to his uncles on the farm.  Nance only lived a short time.  George’s half brother Earl was born before she died.

            The first school George attended was a white frame school house on the hill.  His teachers were ?

            He attended high school in Kamas at South Summit High, these were the days of the first school busses, and the snow was deep and the roads bad.  While in High School George had rheumatic fever and his arms and legs were so bad that he had to be carried from his bed.  He missed most of his last year of school.  Finally after having his tonsils out he recovered.  This same disease came back to plague him many years later.  It was found that he had grown another set of tonsils and had to have them removed again.  On another occasion during world war two, even though he was in business and had a family he was inducted into the service, he was only in a few months because this disease hit him again and he was given an honorable medical discharge.

            Because of growing up in the home of their grandmother, George and his brothers and sisters had a very close association with all the Aunts, Uncles and cousins.  It was the gathering place of all the Jack Marchant family, they al came home to see “Ma”, real often.  The came summers, Sundays, holidays, at thrashing time, to pick chokecherries and to pick Memorial Day flowers (wild flowers on the hills in back of the home).  The cousin-friends who were such a part of George’s life were Mont and Glen Walker, David and Jay merchant and Alma Wilkins.

            Family dinners were the rule, usually there had to be two tables, the first and the second.  Kids always ate at the last table and ate what was left.  Of course, there was always plenty, but it was a real occasion when you were old enough to eat at the first table.  George said he didn’t know there was any part to the chicken except the piece that went over the fence last until he graduated to the first table.

            Some friends of George’s with whom he worked, played, and dated the girls through the county were, Carl Isackson, Milton Miles, LaVor Jorgenson.

            They were at the age to marry when the great depression hit the nation so George had many jobs in his early life, he hauled timber, was a fuller brush salesman and a farmer.

            As a Politician George always leaned toward the Republicans, as did most of the Marchant and Crandall relations, but soon after George came of age to vote, being the energetic leader and promoter he is, he attended the democratic meeting and was elected to hold a small paying job.  He also attended the Republican meeting and was elected to be their delegate.  This shows he had real ability as a politician had he chosen to be one.

            In 1930, Jean Taylor came to Peoa as the new school teacher, she was a Salt Lake girl but the Taylor name was not new to that area.  She was born in Coalville where her father had been President of the Stake.  Her brother Moses C. Taylor and family lived in Kamas.  He was President and owner of the Kamas State Bank.  Jean had a real close association with her brother.

            George and Jean were married in 1931.  They first lived in Emil Isackson’s home, then Cliff Maxwell’s home and finally built their own home across the road from Dells store.  They lived there where their children were born for many years.  They had four children George Jr., Mary Lou, Catherine and Joye.  Catherine died in infancy.

            Along with George’s other jobs he became a service station owner.  This station was located by his home in Peoa, after operating it for a few years it was leased to Fred Olson and at that time an accidental fire broke out and burned it down.  From this start in the service station business by the request of Standard Oil of California he was asked to go to Kamas and run the wholesale business for Taylor Motor Company.  A short time after this Glen Walker entered the Taylor Motor Company as a book keeper.  In the year 1940 Glen Walker and George Crandall bought 50% interest in the Taylor Motor Company; they operated like this in Kamas until 1945, when Glen and George acquired the Standard Oil Franchise from Standard Oil Company, and also the Ford Motor Co. Franchise from Ford Motor Company.  Then in 1948, Ford Motor Company asked that they moved the Franchise to Coalville and build a new dealership.  They still retained their business in Kamas and were Standard Oil distributors for Summit County.  In 1949 they extended their automobile Franchise to operate in Kamas, Park City and All Summit county, and they have controlled 75% of the automobile business in that area ever since.  This business is operated under the trade name of “Crandall Walker Motors.”

            George moved his family from Peoa to Coalville, renting his home in Peoa.  He built a small home on the property near the Garage.  He stayed there until 1950 at which time he moved to Salt Lake to see if it would help his wife Jean’s health.  George drove back and forth from Salt Lake to Coalville for many years to manage his business.

            Jean was stricken with rheumatoid arthritis in 1943 and through the years gradually grew worse until she became a hospital patient.  After moving to Salt Lake and with much treatment and new drugs and much suffering Jean tried to live a normal life even though she was a wheel chair invalid.  George and Jean took trips East and West, Jean loved to travel and participate in Georg’s business trips.  Jean tells the story of George pushing her around to see the sights in New York in her wheelchair.  She said the trip was a lot harder on him than on her.

            They build a beautiful home in Salt Lake City on Gateway Road, where Joye attended High School and College.  At the time of this writing Jean was working on plans for another home in the Oak Hills area.  She kept herself busy and helped toward it by selling cars over the phone and traded her commission for the labor of the workmen she contacted.

            The house was completed, being unable to sell the Gateway Road home they rented it.

            Jean enjoyed this home in Oak Hills very much, she liked her associations in the neighborhood and ward very much.  She and George together taught a Sunday school class of boys which gave her much pleasure.  It was here after much suffering, being in and out of the hospital that Jean died.  At her funeral much praise was given George by all the speakers because of the way he had cared for and treated his wife during her years of affliction.  All who knew him commented and respected him for it.

            After Jeans death George sold the Oak Hills home and moved back to Gateway Road.

            All of the children were married and had homes of their own before Jean’s death.  One story that George tells about is his memory of the first bath tub in Peoa.  It was located in the old George Wardle home directly below the Les Crandall property.  This old home had running water and one room partitioned off similar to a bathroom in a modern home, and in this bathroom was a replica of a modern tub made out of mortar and stone.  They probably filled it with water from the stove but it was much more convenient than a No. 3 washtub.

            George also tells of how he bought the old Les Crandall home for taxes.  His father said he would never have any use for it and gave George permission to buy it.  He tore it down and used the lumber to build his home in Peoa.  He later sold the property where Les’ home stood to Russell Brushingham.

            George was raised in the Mormon Church and held many positions in the auxiliaries during his life in Peoa.  He went through all of the offices in the priesthood and at the present time is a High Priest.

           

            He has held community positions, one of them being a member and President of the South Summit School Board for a number of years.

            George married Thelma Hislop Beard, the widow of Paul Beard a Coalville merchant, Artist and collector of Indian lore.  They were married in June 1962 and left immediately for a honeymoon in Hawaii, a trip which George’s firm had won from his company for superior salesmanship.  This was only one of the many trips they have won.