General Notes

John Crandall was probably from Shropshire, near Wales. It is not certain when he arrived in the colonies, there being another John Crandall living in Massachusetts at or about the same time. It seems fairly certain that he was the John Crandall in question in 1651 (July 21) who, along with John Clarke and Obediah Holmes, "being the representatives of the Church of Newport, upon the request of William Witter (daughter's father-in-law), of Lynn, arrived there, he being a brother in the Church, who by reason of his advanced age, could not undertake so great a journey to visit the church. William Witter lived about two miles out of Lynn and the next day being Sunday, they spent in religious services at his house, and were there apprehended by two constables at the instance of the Massachusetts authorities, while Mr. Clarke was preaching, and the next morning they were sent to prison in Boston. For the dire offense of holding this little meeting, and on other frivolous pretexts Obediah Holmes was fined, imprisoned and whipped." John Crandall was sentenced to pay a fine of L5 or be publicly whipped then released from prison upon his promise to appear at the next court.

There is little wonder then that in many ways John Crandall's history is the history of Rhode Island. Rhode Island was a colony founded on religious and political freedom, ideals which were abhorred by neighboring colonies. In the conflict between Rhode Island and her neighbors regarding her borders, Rhode Island's freedoms were very likely a consideration in the actions taken.

[Park, Alice Crandall, One Crandall Family, 1651-1996, Gateway Press, Inc., Baltimore , MD, 1996] "Soon after Rhode Island's charter was openly read, the Court of 1659 ordered that John Crandall and three other men be appointed to "marke out the westward bownds of our colony as our charter bowndeth it." They were instructed to finish their work within the year and to  report any intruders. In August of 1661 a petition was presented to the Court, asking first, for its approval of the previous purchase from the Indian owner by 'adventurers' of the colony, a tract of land in a remote area on which to establish a plantation. Intruders were now confronting the colonists, so they were asking the Court for help against the 'adversaries of the colony.'" One of the nine adventurers and the signer for all was John Crandall. By not later than 1665, John and his family had moved to the new settlement of Westerly, which he had helped to establish on the mainland, still part of the Providence and Rhode Island Plantations, and part of the land of the 1661 petition.

Difficulties arose immediately for the settlers of Westerly for the land was also claimed by Stonington, Connecticut. [John Cortland Crandall, Elder John Crandall...] "A claim was made in 1662 by Connecticut of land reaching beyond Misquamicutt to Narragansett Bay. On October 17, 1667 a letter was sent by the Connecticut authorities to those of Rhode Island, complaining that John Crandall had taken possession of about a square mile of land, which he had laid out to his son, on the west side of the Pawcatuck River. On Nov. 18, 1669, Connecticut again sent a letter of complaint to him regarding appropriation of land by him and several others in Stonington Township. On March 11, 1669/70, John Crandall and Tobia Saunders answered on behalf of Westerly, denying any guilt in the matter. A few months later, on June 19, 1670, as Conservator of the Peace of Westerly, he, John, wrote a letter to the Governor of Rhode Island, informing him "of an entrance made into our jurisdiction by some of Connecticut, and of their carrying away some inhabitants prisoners." (John Cortland Crandall)

On August 2, 1670, John buried his first wife, Mary. On October, John wrote his will.

On 14 June 1670 the General Assembly, in an attempt to settle the boundary issue ordered issued "horses, boats or any other things conducing to the comfortable accommodation and speedy dispatch of Mr. John Crandall and Joseph Torrey, Jr. in the voyage to Connecticut, " but in the next year, the men of Westerly were told to ignore orders from officers of Connecticut, and to "faithfully adhere to the officers...Mr John Crandall and Mr. Tobias Sanders, Conservators of the Peace." In the fall, Connecticut sent a letter to the Governor of Rhode Island, Benedict Arnold, stating their disregard of Rhode Island claims east of the Pawcatuck River and simultaneously, in Hartford, in the Connecticut Assembly determined to take action, "in answer to the petition of Mr. John Crandall...in behalf of the people on the east side of Pawcatuck River within the bounds of Stonington. The disputes, altercations, fights, clubbings, arrests with fines and kidnappings continued, not only not diminished but possibly escalating. John and his son were specifically noted as threatening, clubbing or opposing and encouraging other residents to do likewise as well as chopping down boundary trees in Stonington.

In 1671, John Crandall himself, and others, were carried off and imprisoned in Hartford, the charges being contempt of authority, sedition and rebellion. On May 2, 1671, the Rhode Island Assembly advised him not to yield to Connecticut's claims and assured him of its support and willingness to support his financial losses during or as the result of his incarceration. On May 6, he was allowed 20 shillings to bear his charge in Connecticut.

[Minutes of The Record of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations in New England, vol II, 1664-1677:May 3rd 1671, "Whereas, Mr. John Crandall, of the towne of Westerlye, hath been, as is asserted, apprehended, and now is in durance, by the Collony of Connecticut, and for no other cause than for endeavoring to  maintain the authority of his Majestye granted to this Collony; and having by Mr. Tobias Saunders desired the advice of the Governour and others in this Collony, whether to give in bond to the authority of Connecticut or to abide imprisonment. This Assembly doe advise the said Mr. John Crandall, that in any matter relating to his actings for the maintaining his Majestyes authority in this Collony, he give no bond. And also the Assembly do promise, that if he be forced to imprisonment for the premises, this Collony will bear his charges thereby, and endeavor to justify his actings therein."

Having survived the many disputes and encounters with the settlers of Stonington, John and his second wife, Hannah Gaylord, moved to Newport sometime before 1675 in order to escape King Philip's Indian War. It was there that he died November 29, 1676, of "the ague and fever." [Letter from Ruth Burdick, mother of Deborah Burdick who married Joseph Crandall, quoted in John Courtland Crandall's Elder John Crandall of Rhode Island and His Descendants]