Person:Willis Crandall (2)

In Memoriam: Willis O. Crandall was born at Marietta, Ohio, Nov. 15, 1866. He spent the greater part of his youth in Putnam County near Buffalo, W. Va., where his parents operated a farm. He was married to Mary Robson Sept. 29, 1895 and they operated a small general store in Putnam Co. for several years. About 1900 they moved to Sewell, W. Va., with the Courtney Lumber Co. "W. O." cut timber with his outfit from the Sewell Mountain Region, eventually moving as far east as Covington, Virginia. In 1910 he moved his family to Gauley Bridge and established the hardware and lumber business which still bears his name. He built his business on the principles of honesty, fair-dealing, friendship and service, and continued to practice these principles to his last day on earth. "W. O." was also one of the leaders in our building Gauley Bridge Methodist Church, giving freely of his time, money, and materials toward the building of this house of worship, because he believed that religion must be a part of our daily living and the good influence of the church should be felt in every activity of a community. On April 6, 1949 he joined the great Celestial Congregation and heard the Master's "Well done, thou good and faithful servant."

1. ↑ West Virginia Vital Research Records
   Record 1163276.