Crank Family
 | The WVGenWeb Project | 
|
West Virginia Cranks and Their Ancestors
Generation 1:
John Cranch/Crank, born 1595 in England. Wife unknown. John arrived
in Jamestown, Virginia on board the English ship Maryland in the year
1616. He had in his possession, one gun, one suit of armor, one keg of
powder and 30 bushels of corn.
Generation 2:
Thomas Crank, born 1650, Middlesex County, Virginia. Wife-
Ann xxxx, born abt. 1660 In Middlesex County, Virginia.
Children of Thomas and Ann:
1. Nathaniel born abt. 1675
2. Thomas Jr. born abt. 1677
3. Matthew Sr. born 1680
4. Elizabeth born 1685
Generation 3:
Matthew Crank Sr., born 1680, Middlesex County Virginia, wife-
Elizabeth Chewning, Born 1680, in Virginia.
Children of Matthew Sr. and Elizabeth:
1. Ann born Aug. 22, 1702
2. Elizabeth born abt 1704
3. Agatha born May 16, 1707
4. Matthew Jr. born 1709
5. Sarah born Feb 20, 1715
6. Soloman born July 17, 1718
Generation 4:
Matthew Crank Jr., born 1709, Middlesex County Virginia, Wife-
Mary Basket, born 1715, Middlesex County Virginia.
Children of Matthew Jr. and Mary:
1. Sarah born Dec 8, 1733
2. Thomas born 1735
3. Henry born 1740
4. Matthew III born 1750
5.William born 1750
6. Stephen born 1755
7. Elizabeth born 1760
8. Josiah born 1766
Generation 5:
Thomas Crank, born 1735 in Caroline County Virginia, wife-
Elizabeth Richardson, Born, 1748, Virginia.
Children of Thomas and Elizabeth:
1. Matthew born April 25, 1765
2. Thomas born Sept 9, 1767
3. Mary born Oct. 16, 1770
4. William Sr. born Sept. 18, 1772
Generation 6:
William Crank Sr., born Sept. 18, 1772 in Goochland County
Virginia. Wife- Tabitha Poindexter, born, 1775 in Louisa
County Virginia.
Children of William Sr. and Tabitha:
1. Harriet born 1794
2. Henry born April 24, 1794
3. William Jr. born 1798
4. Nathaniel H. born 1800
5. Samuel Cunning born April 2, 1800
6. Mary born abt. 1810
7. Dabney Harrison born abt. 1810
Generation 7:
William Crank Jr. born 1798 in Louisa County Virginia. Wife-
Elizabeth Ann Hudson born, 1800 in Louisa County Virginia.
Children of William Jr. and Elizabeth Ann:
1. Elizabeth Ann born 1823
2. William T. born June 21 1826
3. Joseph H. born 1828
4. Mary F. born 1828
5. Hiram Hudson born June 27, 1830
Generation 8:
William T(homas?) Crank, born, June 21, 1826 in Halifax County
Virginia. Wife - Anastacia Flick, born, 1832 in Virginia.
Children of William T. and Anastacia:
1. Ann E. born 1850
2. Alfred W. born 1851
3. George W. born May 14 1852
4. Thomas E. born 1854
5. Matilda born 1857
Note: All these children were born in Kanawha County Virginia (now
West Virginia), later moving on westward with their father, William T.
and settling in Wapello County Iowa.
William T. Crank lived in the Tyler Mountain area of West Virginia. Located in the
area was a tavern owned and operated by Absolem Bowen and his family. I was a two
story house with living quarters above the tavern. Absolem Bowen had two daughters
named Sarah and Mary close to the age of William Crank. Letters discovered many
years later by descendants of William Crank in Iowa clearly indicate that William had
had an affair with either Mary or Sarah Bowen with one becoming pregnant with
William's child. This child was named Henry C. Crank. Some time at a later date,
Anastacia Flick and William divorced. William moved on westward and later remarried.
Anastacia remained in Kanawha County later marrying Valentine Raines. Henry C.
Crank remained with the Absolem Bowen family until the age of 17 when he left home
to fend for himself.
The Absolem Bowen Tavern, known also as the "Six Mile House" was located on Tyler
Mountain Road and served as a watering hole for General Henry Wise's Union troops
In 1861. The house still remains today and is a private residence. (source: West
Virginia's Pictorial guide to Civil War Site's, page 62).
A granny tale that circulated throughout the Crank family for many years after Henry C.
Crank matured goes like this: " Henry Crank was found abandoned as an infant. He
was found tied in a blanket, hanging on a well crank by an Indian family. The Indian
family took him in and raised him and gave him the surname Crank. Of course the
story was proven to have been fabricated later on in years. Some older family
members living today remain convinced the story is true.
Generation 9:
Henry C. Crank was born on Dec. 25, 1853 at Tyler Mountain, Kanawha County West
Virginia. His parents were William T Crank and either Mary or Sarah Bowen. Henry
married Mary Elizabeth Davis, born, 1854 in Putnam County West Virginia. They
married in 1878 in Kanawha County West Virginia, later purchasing property which
nearly consumed the entire area of what is known now as Second Creek, near
Sissonville. The homestead was located at the mouth of Second Creek. The hillsides
and what little bottom land there was, was farmed for fruits and vegetables. Henry
would harvest and haul the crops to Charleston by horse and wagon to be sold.
On October 21, 1927 while he was making a delivery in Charleston, a Model T Ford
car hit him and he died as a result.
Children of Henry and Mary Elizabeth:
1. William "Will" born 1879
2. Jennette "Jenny" born 1882
3. Minnie Osa born Dec 25, 1886
4. Dora born 1888
5. Summers Wayne Sr. born 1889
6. Earl born 1896
7. Ivan born 1898
8. Basil "Jack" born June 9 1900
9. Myrtle Alice born 1899
Generation 10:
William "Will Crank was born, 1879 in Kanawha County West Virginia.
Wife- Virginia "Virgie" Thomas, born 1888, Kanawha County West
Virginia. They married in 1905.
Children of William and Virginia:
1. Claud born 1909
2. Henry L. born Sept. 6, 1911
3. Jesse James Sr. born Dec 20 1913
4. Hattie born 1916
5. Milton "Buster" born 1919
6. Peter born 1921
7. Mary born 1923
8. Arlidge born 1924
Janette "Jenny" Crank, born, 1882, Kanawha County West Virginia, died 1884 in
Kanawha County West Virginia.
Minnie Osa Crank, born, 1886, Kanawha County West Virginia. Husband- Maynard
Allen Blaker, born, 1875, married on July 12, 1912. Together they had no children,
but raised two from a previous marriage of Maynards. Minnie died in 1998 at the age
of 103 at her home in St. Albans, WV.
Dora Crank, born, 1888, Kanawha County West Virginia. Husband- John Moss, born,
?. They married, 1908.
Children of Dora and John:
Maizia
Margie
Brawn
Marie
Lillian born 1915
Herman
Irene
Henry born 1920
Calvin
Jack
Summers Wayne Crank Sr., born 1889, Kanawha County West Virginia.
Wife- Biddie Robinson, born, Dec. 21, 1889, Kanawha County West
Virginia. They married, Sept 2, 1912.
Children of Summers Wayne and Biddie:
1. Clifford Leotis born Aug. 1, 1914
2. Hansford born 1916, died 1916
3. Mary Elizabeth born Sept. 12, 1917
4. Melba Emogene born Aug. 13, 1921
5. Summers Wayne Jr. born Nov. 29 1923
6. Juanita Francis born Jan. 27, 1925
7. William Keith born Oct 25, 1927
8. Ruth Evelyn born Aug 2, 1931, died 1931
Earl Crank, born, 1896, Kanawha County West Virginia. Wife-
Leoda Boggess, born, 1895 in Kanawha County.
Children Of Earl and Leoda:
1. Arliss Clifton born 1917
2. Genevieve born 1919
3. Opal born 1922
4. Gobel born 1922
5. Iven born 1924
6. Basil born 1926
Note: Earl Crank worked his entire adult life for Diamond Ice and Coal Co.
in and around the west side of Charleston. All knew him as the "Ice Man".
Ivan Crank, born, 1898, Kanawha County West Virginia. Wife- Elsie Withrow,
born, 1896 in Kanawha County West Virginia. They married 1920.
Children of Ivan and Elsie:
1. Ivan H. Jr. born May 25, 1917
2. Elvin H. born March 28, 1918
3. Harold born 1922
4. Benjamin "Tom" born 1924
Basil "Jack" Crank, born, June 9, 1900, Kanawha County
West Virginia. Wife- Hattie Higginbotham, born, 1900,
Kanawha County West Virginia. They married, August 8,
1916.
Children of Basil "Jack" and Hattie:
1. James born 1918, died 1918
2. Ivan Ray born Dec 5, 1919
3. Herbert "Hub" born May 19, 1923
4. John "Johnnie" born June 4, 1925
Generation 11:
Clifford Leotis Crank, born, August 1, 1919, Kanawha County West
Virginia. Wife- Ruth Marie Reed, born, Jan. 7, 1914 in Kanawha
County West Virginia. They married July 23, 1932 in the home of
Cliffords parents at Haines Branch Holler near Sissonville.
Children of Clifford and Ruth:
1. Richard L. born May 16, 1933
2. Ransford R. born Dec. 15 1934
3. Coda Mae born Sept. 16, 1936
4. Kenneth Arlin born May 24, 1938, died 1938
5. Bernard B. born August 2, 1939
6. Jerry D. born Sept. 10 1941
7. Barbara Ann born Oct. 7, 1943
Notes: Clifford was killed during WWII while at Fort Knox, Kentucky. He was
supervising a group of German prisoners demolishing some buildings when
a building collapsed and fell on him. He died of acute gastric dilitation caused
by a fractured spine on Dec. 20, 1945. His wife Ruth never remarried and
raised the six remaining children alone. She was a super Mother and well liked
and respected by others. She died of heart failure in Nov. 1997. We miss her
dearly.
Mary Elizabeth Crank married Milford Orris Fisher from Jackson County. Together
they had four children, James Wayne, David ( died shortly after birth), JoAnn and
Dwight David. The family moved from West Virginia to the Chicago, Illinois area
sometime in the mid 1950's and remained there. The children are scattered
throughout the U. S. today and have families and grandchildren of their own.
Melba Emogene Crank married Clifford Sterling "Stona" Smith also from Jackson
County. Together they had five children, Ronnie Edward, Kay Sue, Clifford Eugene,
Krista Lou and Kathy Ann. Kathy Ann died within the year of her birth. Sterling worked
in the coal mines for several years in and around Tuppers Creek and Wolf Pen.
Sometime during the mid 1950's the family left West Virginia to settle in the Columbus,
Ohio area. All the children remain there today.
Summers Wayne Crank married Beaulah Irene Reed from Second Creek. Together
They had four children, Janet lynn, Robert Keith, Kevin Wayne and Debra Elaine.
Summers, better known among family and friends as "June" served in the U. S. Army
for nearly four years during WWII. After he was discharged he started a Dairy Farm
at the home place on Haines Branch later selling that and buying a farm in Jackson
County and owned a dairy farm there. Later he was employed by the Postal Dept.
becoming the Postmaster of the Ripley until his retirement. He remains retired on his
farm in Jackson County with most of his children and their families.
Juanita Francis Crank left West Virginia in the late 1940's and settled in the Columbus,
Ohio area. There she met and married Edward Allen Rice. Together they had six
Children, Loretta Kay, Linda Sue, Leatha Faye, Lillian Carol, Eddie D., and Lisa
Elaine. They along with most of their children remain there today.
William Keith "Bill" Crank married Glada Pearl Parsons from Jackson County.
Together they had four children, Karen Diane, Queintin Keith, Charlotte Lorraine,
and Eric Wayne. This family also moved from West Virginia to the Columbus, Ohio
area in the mid fifties, later relocation to several different states throughout the U. S.
William enlisted in the U. S. Army during the Korean war. He served in Korea for
several months advancing to the rank of Captain. The children and their families are
scattered throughout the U. S. today.
Generation 12:
Richard L. Crank, born May 16, 1933 on Haines Branch near Sissonville.
Doctor William Glass of Sissonville rode his horse from Sissonville
up the Holler to aid in his delivery at birth. Richard married
Janet Janetta Thaxton, born July 26, 1935 at Wolf Pen near
Charleston.
Children of Richard and Janet:
1. Clifford Douglas born May 17, 1954
2. Tammy Lynn born July 27 1958
Richard enlisted in the U. S. Navy and left West Virginia in 1950 at the age of 17. He
remained in the Navy for 22 years. He served in both the Korean war and Vietnam
war. He received several combat awards during the Vietnam conflict which included
the Navy Cross, Silver Star, 2 Bronze Stars and three Purple hearts. After military
retirement he entered the civilian sector and retired from Gilbert Southern Corp. in
November 1995. He now resides in Moncks Corner, SC enjoying the life of fishing,
loafing and the pleasures of his latest grandchild "Sweet Pea".
Richard's wife Janet died July 4, 1968. He later married Cynthia Platt (Coldren) from
Pennslyvania. They divorced without children and Richard married Theodocia "Parkie"
Young from Charleston, SC in 1974. Together they had one child, Richard Jr.
Ransford R. Crank, born Dec 15 1934 On Haines Branch near Sissonville. Wife-
Audry Vernell Payne, born May 5, 1941 in Sissonville. They had four children,
Kimberly, Raymond Lee, Mark Andrew and Troy Allen. All these children were born in
Charleston, SC. Ransford also enlisted in the U. S. Navy at the age of 17 and
departed West Virginia never to return except to visit quite often. Ransford spent 20
years in the Navy, retiring then working at the Charleston Naval Shipyard until his
retirement in 1996. The entire family still remain in the Charleston, SC area.
Coda Mae Crank, born, Sept 16 1936 Haines Branch near Sissonville. Coda Mae
Graduated from Sissonville High School then left West Virginia for Columbus, Ohio.
There she met and married Charles Williamson. They had no children. In 1957 she
Died and is interred at a Cemetery near Logan, Ohio.
Bernard Bennett Crank married Linda Faye Beattie. They never had children. Bernard
enlisted in the Marine Corps and left West Virginia. After serving 8 years in the Marine
Corps he was honorably discharged. I lived and worked in Columbus, Ohio for some
Time, later relocating to the Charleston, SC area when he and Linda remain today.
Jerry David Crank married Jewel Eggleton from St. Albans. Together they had two
Children, Jerry David Jr. and Janine. The entire family remains in West Virginia today.
Barbara Ann Crank married Thomas Sanders from Tacoma, Washington. They had
One child, Matthew. Thomas and Barbara divorced, later she married John Shultz
From West Seattle, Washington. No children from this marriage. Barbara lived in
Washington state for several years until recently she and John moved to Roane
County West Virginia.
Generation 13:
Clifford Douglas Crank, born, May 17, 1954 at Portsmouth Naval Hospital, Portsmouth
Virginia. Doug, as he is known among family and friends, has done some extensive
traveling during his lifetime with his father in the Navy. He has had to attend eight
different schools due to his fathers military traveling. In May of 1996 he married
Elizabeth Dority from James Island, SC. Together they had two children, Janet Ashley
and Elizabeth Maria. Elizabeth and Doug divorced and Doug later married Dianna
Harrison. They have one child, Dakota Mae. They live in West Virginia today.
Tammy Lynn Crank, born July 27, 1958, Charleston, West Virginia. Tammy married
twice and divorced twice. She had no children and remains single today, living in the
Charleston, SC area.
Richard Crank Jr. has never married but has a wonderful two year old son that he has
custody of. The child's name is Logan Hunter Crank, better known as Paw Paw's
"Sweet Pea". They live in SC today.
Kimberly Crank married Melvin Tschappat from Charleston, SC. Together they had
Two children, Melvin Jr. and Audra. They live in SC today.
Raymond Lee Crank, married Allison Burbage from Johns Island, SC. They had one
Child, Christy Lea. Raymond and Allison divorced. The child remains with Raymond.
He later married again to Erline Huffman from Pennslyvania. They reside in SC.
Mark Andrew Crank married Annette Ash from Charleston, SC. They have one child,
Casie Marie. They reside in SC.
Troy Allen Crank remains single living in SC.
Janine Crank married Kevin Williamson from West Virginia. They had one child, Dustin
Shayne. Janine and Kevin divorced she remarried and now resides in West Virginia
with her new husband and child.
Jerry David Crank remains unmarried. He graduated from St Albans High School and
went on to college and earned his Masters Degree. He resides in West Virginia.
Generation14:
Janet Ashley Crank
Elizabeth Maria Crank
Christy Lea Crank
Casie Marie Crank
Dakota Mae Crank
Logan Hunter "Sweet Pea" Crank. Without this one we would have no one to carry on
with the Crank name.
Submitted by: Richard Crank, Moncks Corner SC
Any comments you may have or additions you wish to add please contact me via E-mail mailto: [email protected]
Back to Kanawha County Family Data Sheets