William W. Crannel

William W. Crannel was born in September 1749. He was the son of Robert and Ariaantie Bovie Crannel. The eldest of six children, he grew up in the modest third ward home of an Albany barber and wigmaker. He was known as William W[inslow] Crannel in honor of the family matriarch.

In 1767, "William Winslow Crannel" was listed as a soldier in a Rensselaerswyck militia company.

In January 1780, he married a slightly younger Mary Eman at the Albany Dutch church.

He appears to have served in the Revolutionary army. His name appears several times on muster rolls of First New York Regiment. In October 1780, he was called "Capt." in the context of transporting people and supplies on his sloop between Albany and West Point. Afterwards, he received a land bounty right in conunction with the city militia regiment.

In 1790, his household was configured on the census for the part of Watervliet located north of the city. However, the Albany assessment roll in 1799 valued his house and lot in the third ward modestly. In 1800 and afterwards, city censuses configured his household in the the same location.

In March 1810, he was among a large group who attended "the first meeting" of Republicans at an Albany public house.

The first city directory in 1813 identified him as a barber living at 2 Dock Street. The last directory listing for him in 1827 noted that William W. Crannel was 79-years-old, still identified as a barber, and was a resident of newly re-named Dean Street.

William W. Crannel died in December of 1828. He had lived eighty years. A year later, letters of administration were granted on his estate.

Sources: The life of William W. Crannel is CAP biography number 7737. This sketch is derived chiefly from family and community-based resources.